ABOR partners with U.S. Department of Education for third year on national FAFSA beta testing initiative

For the third consecutive year, the Arizona Board of Regents was selected by the U.S. Department of Education to participate in beta testing for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The initiative aims to ensure students nationwide can more easily access financial aid through the streamlined and simplified form.

Arizona is one of only nine locations chosen to participate, joining Alabama, California, Florida, the Marshall Islands, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., in testing the updated FAFSA before its scheduled Oct. 1 launch. Feedback gathered from students and families will help Federal Student Aid identify technical issues, improve usability, and serve as the final validation step before the 2027-28 FAFSA is available nationwide.

"For many students, FAFSA is the first step toward college and a better future," said ABOR Chair Doug Goodyear. "Every improvement we can make to that process means fewer barriers and more opportunities. Arizona is proud to be a trusted partner in helping improve the FAFSA process for students and families across the country."

More than 450 seniors from Corona del Sol High School and their families participated in the one-day beta testing workshop hosted by the board in partnership with the AZ FAFSA Coalition. Students navigated the form in both English and Spanish while Federal Student Aid staff provided technical assistance and collected real-time feedback on the user experience. 

The in-person workshop allowed students to test the FAFSA on smartphones, tablets and laptops. Updates to this year's application include real-time status updates, a simplified account creation process, enhanced fraud screening, Family Fast Pass functionality, revised question wording and the ability to text contributors an invitation to complete their portion of the form.

To recognize their participation in this critical beta process, the Arizona Diamondbacks donated 800 tickets to the students and families who completed the 2027-28 form. 

"Arizona's future depends on the success of today's students," said Derrick Hall, Diamondbacks president, CEO and general partner. "That's why we're proud to support efforts that connect more young people with the financial aid and opportunities that can help them earn a degree, build a career and pursue their goals."

To learn more about the board’s FAFSA initiatives, please visit CollegeReadyAZ.com.