Here’s the Latest on the FAFSA Test-Drive of 2024

The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday began the second phase of beta-testing for the 2025-26 free application for federal student aid, or FAFSA. It’s the next step in the department’s plan to let thousands of students throughout the nation complete the federal-aid form before December 1, when it’s scheduled to become available to all students and contributors.

The department will continue to conduct extensive tests of the FAFSA among increasingly larger cohorts of prospective and current students throughout the fall. The goal: to identify and resolve any technical issues that might hinder large numbers of applicants down the line — and to avoid another federal-aid crisis.