FAFSA 2027-28 and scholarship deadlines for New Jersey students

Put every deadline in one list

What's different about 2027-28

Federal Student Aid ran the 2027-28 form through beta testing in August and September and announced on Sept. 23, 2026 that "the 2027–28 FAFSA form is now live to the general public" (APP-26-10); its schedule had promised full launch on or before October 1, 2026 (FAFSA Specifications Guide). The form covers the award year from July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028. It asks about 2025 income: the question reads "Did the student file a U.S. federal income tax return for 2025 (or will they)?" It says the application must be received no later than June 30, 2028 (2027-28 FAFSA form). Federal Student Aid adds that the final processing deadline is published in the Federal Register, with corrections accepted until mid-September 2028.

Contributors: who fills in what

StudentAid.gov uses the word contributor for anyone required to provide information on the form: you (the student), your spouse, your biological or adoptive parent, or your parent's spouse. A dependent student must provide at least one parent's information and invites the parent by entering their email and selecting Send Invite, or by sharing an invite link and code. A married student who didn't file taxes jointly invites the spouse (Steps for Students).

Every contributor must provide consent and approval for their federal tax information to be transferred from the IRS, even if they didn't file taxes. Without it the student isn't eligible for federal student aid (FAFSA checklist). This is the step that most often stalls a form: the student submits their section, and the parent's section sits unopened.

The StudentAid.gov account (what used to be called the FSA ID)

Each contributor needs their own StudentAid.gov account, created at StudentAid.gov/create-account. The account is your digital signature, so a parent shouldn't make one for the student or the other way round. Students need a Social Security number to create one, except citizens of the Freely Associated States; a parent or spouse without a Social Security number can still create an account for their sections (StudentAid.gov). Create the accounts before the day you plan to sit down to the form.

What to gather

StudentAid.gov's checklist has six items: a StudentAid.gov account, parent or spouse information, the federal income tax return, records of child support received, records of assets, and a list of schools you're interested in. Parents on the form need the account, the tax return, the child support records and the asset records; a spouse needs the account and the tax return (FAFSA checklist). The student steps then run: log in, choose the 2027-28 school year, review identity information, enter your state of residence and when it began, give consent, answer the background, demographics and financial questions, add at least one school and up to 20, invite a parent or spouse if needed, then review, sign and submit (Steps for Students).

New Jersey's dates come first

HESAA's state deadlines for 2027-28 are well ahead of June 2028 (HESAA):

HESAA says deadlines are not extended for incomplete information or documents, and for the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application the deadline is met by the exact time you submit it online. Each college sets its own priority dates too, and they are often earlier still.

Scholarships run on a separate clock

Private scholarships have their own deadlines, essays and recommendation letters, and they don't wait for the FAFSA. A simple routine works: list each one as you find it with its deadline, the pieces it asks for and the amount; ask for recommendation letters at least two weeks ahead; save a copy of everything you submit; and when you win, ask each school how the award is reported and how it changes the aid offer. The planner above puts your scholarship dates in the same list as the FAFSA and HESAA dates so nothing slips.

When the aid offers arrive

Compare offers on the same lines: cost of attendance, grants and scholarships, loans, and what's left. The free Parent PLUS and graduate loan limit calculator shows the gap after the federal loan limits that started July 1, 2026. Turning 18 brings its own paperwork too; see documents for college students.

Sources

• Federal Student Aid: APP-26-10, 2027-28 FAFSA beta testing plan (updated Sept. 23, 2026)
• Federal Student Aid: 2027-28 FAFSA Specifications Guide, Volume 2 (schedule)
• 2027-28 FAFSA form, reference copy filed with OMB (reginfo.gov)
• StudentAid.gov: FAFSA Checklist, What Students Need (September 2026)
• StudentAid.gov: Steps for Students Filling Out the FAFSA Form (September 2026)
• HESAA: New Jersey financial aid deadlines, academic year 2027-2028

All sources opened and checked November 2026.

An organizer, not advice. General information checked November 2026 against the official sources listed. It is not tax, legal or financial advice and it does not decide what you qualify for; schools and HESAA decide aid. The tool runs in your browser and nothing you enter is sent or saved. MCC Solutions is not affiliated with any agency named here.

Common questions

Related free pages: Parent PLUS and graduate loan limit calculator · Student loan repayment plan calculator · Documents for college students · aid letter comparison in the Parent PLUS and Grad Loan Cap Planner · College-Bound Documents Kit