Beginning October 1, 2016, students will be able to file their 2017-18 FAFSA, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. The earlier submission date is a permanent change, enabling students to complete and submit a FAFSA as early as October 1 every year. (There is no change to the 2016-17 schedule; the FAFSA will become available January 1 as in previous years.)

Beginning with the 2017-18 FAFSA, students will report income information from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2017-18 FAFSA, students (and parents, as appropriate) will report their 2015 income information, rather than their 2016 income information.