Tip of the Week
Department of Education seeking emergency approval for updates to the 2026-27 FAFSA
The Department of Education is calling for emergency action to ensure a timely release of the 2026-27 FAFSA.
In a Federal Register Notice published on July 29, the Department of Education is requesting emergency processing and Office of Budget Management (OMB) approval, no later than August 3, for a revision of the 2026-27 FAFSA information collection to include the changes from the Budget Reconciliation Bill.
Following the emergency approval, the Department said in the notice that it will request public comments on the updates.
Ross Santy, the Department’s chief data officer, wrote in the Federal Register notice that without emergency review of an updated FAFSA form, beta testing and the launch of the FAFSA would be delayed.
“This means that students would not be able to complete a FAFSA form to determine eligibility for federal student aid, “he wrote, adding, “Institutions of higher education would not be able to package aid for their students until their students’ FAFSA forms have been processed.”
Congressional legislation approved in November 2024 requires that the FAFSA be released by October 1. Without emergency action, Santy wrote, the Department would fall short of meeting the deadline.
– By Catherine Mueller
