The FAFSA page of Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, now states that the 2027–28 FAFSA form is open to all students and contributors. FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the basic form used to apply for federal, state, and college financial aid. For this year’s 12th-grade students in the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD), this form covers the first year of college costs for fall 2027 enrollment.
Who is affected
California high school graduates who plan to enter college in fall 2027. The federal deadline is late, but the California state deadlines come much earlier:
| Item | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Most California state aid programs | Submit the FAFSA by March 2, 2027 (postmark date) |
| Cal Grant | Submit a school-certified GPA by March 2, 2027 |
| Supplemental Cal Grant deadline for community college students | Submit the FAFSA by September 2, 2027 |
| Federal deadline | June 30, 2028, 11:59 p.m. Central Time |
| Federal corrections and updates | September 12, 2028, 11:59 p.m. Central Time |
Families in different situations use different forms. According to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), Cal Grant applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or eligible noncitizens, or must meet the nonresident tuition exemption requirements commonly known as AB 540. Noncitizen students without a Social Security card, and students whose Social Security card was obtained through the DACA program, complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) instead of the FAFSA.
Higher-income families should not skip it either. Federal Student Aid explains that any student, regardless of income, who wants to be considered for federal, state, and school aid should complete the FAFSA.
What to do now
Create the FSA ID first. Completing the FAFSA requires a separate verified account (FSA ID) for the student and for the parent contributor, and the parent’s email address is needed while filling out the form. Account verification takes time, so it is advisable to set up both accounts in October.
Confirm that the GPA has been submitted. For most students, the high school submits the Cal Grant GPA to CSAC automatically, but CSAC states explicitly that confirming it is the student’s own responsibility. One week after submitting the FAFSA or CADAA, create an account on WebGrants 4 Students and check whether the GPA is on file. If it is missing, contact the school’s college and career office or financial aid office.
Add March 2 to the application season calendar. The date falls in the second half of application season, when family attention is often still on college applications, so it is easy to overlook. Missing the state deadline does not affect federal aid eligibility, but it does affect California state aid.
Prepare separately for colleges that require the CSS Profile. Some private universities require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA. The College Board CSS Profile page states that families with annual income of up to $100,000 can complete it free of charge. Each college’s CSS Profile deadline is listed on that college’s financial aid page.
Reapply every year. The FAFSA is filed by academic year and must be resubmitted for every year after enrollment.
The full timeline of the University of California application season is covered in UC Application Timeline: From August 1 to May 1, EDUBUS college application services are described on the college planning page, and college planning resources for each Irvine high school are in the IUSD college planning guide.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: FAFSA® Application (accessed September 28, 2026)
- U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: FAFSA® Application Deadlines (accessed September 28, 2026)
- California Student Aid Commission: Cal Grant Programs (accessed September 28, 2026)
- College Board: CSS Profile (accessed September 28, 2026)
- CSS Profile Opens; Early Deadlines in NovemberThe 2027-28 CSS Profile opened October 1, and USC and Stanford ask early applicants to file in November. Fee waiver rules, both deadlines, and documents to prepare.
- California Class of 2026 SAT Average Is 1108College Board's Class of 2026 SAT report puts California's average at 1108, 63 points above the nation. Key figures and how Irvine applicants can use them.
- Common App Keeps Its Seven Essay PromptsCommon App keeps last year's seven essay prompts for 2026-27; the open topic was last season's top choice. The prompts and a drafting order for Irvine early applicants.
- Early Deadlines Split Between November 1 and 2November 1, 2026 is a Sunday, and the Common App grid updated September 25 puts some early deadlines on November 2. Dates for colleges Irvine students often apply to.
