NCAN: 2026 High School Seniors Set All-Time High FAFSA Completion Rate
By Maria Carrasco, NASFAA Staff Reporter
The high school class of 2026 set an all-time high FAFSA completion rate, with 54.7% of seniors completing the FAFSA form as of May 1, according to recent data from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN).
The class of 2026 met this 54.7% completion rate two months earlier than the typical June 30 milestone date NCAN has used to measure the metric for nearly a decade. Compared to previous years, by June 30, the class of 2025 had a 53.9% FAFSA completion rate, while the class of 2024 recorded a 47.3% completion rate. Notably, in 2024, students faced many delays accessing the FAFSA due to the implementation of FAFSA simplification.
NCAN’s Bill DeBaun, who created and maintains the organization’s FAFSA tracker, wrote that this year’s completion rate “demonstrates the positive power of policy change and the concerted efforts of students, families, and practitioners who support them across the country.” DeBaun wrote that with this strong completion rate, the high school class of 2026 could break a 60% nationwide FAFSA completion rate.
NCAN listed several reasons why the high school class of 2026 may have reached this high record.
The first reason is that the FAFSA launched early on September 24, 2025. In 2025 and 2024, the FAFSA launched in December. DeBaun stressed the importance of giving students and families more time to complete the FAFSA, along with giving high school counselors and college access practitioners more time to help students apply for financial aid.
Additionally, the process of completing the FAFSA was easier for many students and families this year. DeBaun listed examples of improvements Federal Student Aid (FSA) implemented on the FAFSA form, such as instant verification during the StudentAid.gov account creation process.
And since this is the third year with the simplified FAFSA, college access professionals have more familiarity with the application process and are better able to assist students in completing the form.
DeBaun also pointed to universal FAFSA policies – which 9 states now have. These universal FAFSA policies helped increase the nationwide FAFSA completion rate.
As of May 1, every state has more FAFSA completions for the class of 2026 than for the class of 2025, DeBaun noted. New Mexico, Florida, Alaska, and Arizona have year-over-year increases of 20% or more in their FAFSA completion rates. Additionally, Tennessee, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, California, and New York have already achieved FAFSA completion rates of 60% or greater through May 1, and will likely increase in the next two months.
“Advocating for FAFSA simplification was a decade-long project, and the policy’s passage was never assured,” DeBaun wrote. “NCAN members have been key drivers of FAFSA completion across the country for years, but that was especially true during the tumultuous 2024-25 cycle. In light of that difficult period, witnessing this turnaround is especially sweet.”
Publication Date: 5/28/2026
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