A 1.6 million increase in FAFSA applicants has been reported for incoming students in the 2026-2027 academic year. According to the National College Attainment Network, this marks a 52% increase from last year’s applicant pool at this time. With nearly 8 million FAFSA applications processed, the Department of Education credits recent increased changes to initiatives such as the rolling out of a new user-friendly FAFSA form. With cost of attendance becoming a top factor in deciding to pursue a postsecondary education, several states have introduced FAFSA filing requirements. The introduction of new regulations as well as the efforts set in place by the Department of Education to make filing for FAFSA more accessible has allowed them to celebrate the ‘historic milestones’ achieved in student applications.
