Beginning October 1, 2016, students will be able to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2017-2018 school year.
The earlier FAFSA availability date also brings with it a change in the tax year required by FAFSA. Applicants will now use the taxes filed for the previous calendar year, instead of estimating the tax information they will use in the future. The chart below shows the tax return year required on the FAFSA for the upcoming school years.
Academic Year for FAFSA | Tax Year |
2017-2018 | 2015 |
2018-2019 | 2016 |
2019-2020 | 2017 |
The tax information will continue to be uploaded using the Data Retrieval Tool through the FAFSA. Since the 2107-2018 FAFSA will use 2015 tax information already filed with the IRS, applicants do not need to update their FAFSA with 2016 tax information; 2016 tax information will be used to complete the 2018-2019 FAFSA.
Oakland University students should complete their FAFSA beginning October 1, 2016, or as soon as possible thereafter, to maximize their eligibility for first-come, first-served aid. Students who complete the FAFSA in early October can expect to receive award notifications in December.
For more information about the 2017-2018 FAFSA available October 1, 2016 visit oakland.edu/fafsa.