The FAFSA Simplification Act is now fully implemented for the 2026-2027 academic year, reducing the federal financial aid application from 108 questions to just 36. The streamlined form has contributed to a 22 percent increase in FAFSA completions compared to the same point last year.
Key changes include the elimination of the expected family contribution in favor of the Student Aid Index, expanded Pell Grant eligibility for an additional 1.7 million students, and a simplified process for applicants from families who file the 1040 or 1040-EZ tax forms. The IRS data retrieval tool now automatically populates most financial information.
Financial aid administrators report that the shorter application has been especially beneficial for first-generation students and families with limited English proficiency. Schools with large populations of low-income students have seen FAFSA completion rates increase by as much as 35 percent in some cases.
