FAFSA completion rate for class of 2026 highest on record
Ben Unglesbee
May 15, 2026
After the rocky rollout of a new form a little over two years ago, the simplified version is bearing fruit, according to the National College Attainment Network
Dive Brief:
-
The rate of high school seniors completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid hit an all-time high — at 54.7% — with the class of 2026, according to data released Wednesday by the National College Attainment Network.
-
That record, set as of May 1, came well before the June 30 cutoff date NCAN has historically used to measure each class’s final completion rate. By the start of this month, the completion rate stood 0.8 percentage points ahead of the class of 2025’s rate on June 27.
-
NCAN attributed this year’s strong completion to an early launch of the FAFSA in September as well as processing improvements, requirements in nine states for graduating high school students to complete FAFSAs, and stakeholders having adjusted to an updated version of the form.
