Last updated: September 2026. Dates below are for students starting college in fall 2027.
QUICK SUMMARY
The short answer is: file the FAFSA and apply for housing as early as you can, because both windows now open at almost the same time. As of September 2026, the 2027–28 FAFSA is already open to anyone through an early-access beta on StudentAid.gov, and the U.S. Department of Education says it will launch for everyone by October 1, 2026. At the University of Alabama, the 2027–28 freshman housing application opens Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 9 a.m. CDT, and room selection times are set by the date and time you apply. Families who start now get their aid picture sooner and a better shot at the rooms they want.
Key takeaways
1. The 2027–28 FAFSA opened early in a limited beta in August 2026, is now open to anyone who joins the beta, and launches for everyone by October 1, 2026.
2. UA says to file before its priority date: December 4, 2026 for first-time freshmen entering fall 2027.
3. UA freshman housing for 2027–28 opens October 1, 2026 at 9 a.m. CDT. You must be admitted and have paid the enrollment deposit first. Apply by February 1 to take part in online room selection.
4. UA first-year students are required to live on campus unless exempt, so the real off-campus decision (rent, or buy a condo) comes for sophomore year. Families who start that conversation in the freshman fall have the most options.
What changed with the FAFSA for 2027–28?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form that unlocks federal grants, work-study and federal student loans, and most colleges, including the University of Alabama, also use it for their own need-based aid. For years it opened on October 1. After a rocky rollout a few years ago, Federal Student Aid has been working to get the form out earlier and more reliably.
For the 2027–28 school year, Federal Student Aid says it opened the form to a limited number of students in August 2026 through schools and community groups, then widened the early-testing period so that anyone can now start a 2027–28 FAFSA by joining the beta on StudentAid.gov. The full public launch is set for on or before October 1, 2026.
The Department of Education also announced in February 2026 that the 2027–28 form would be easier to complete. The changes it described include pre-filling information from a prior application when a student renews, plainer wording in place of confusing financial-aid terms, a multi-child feature so parents with more than one student in college can reuse their information, and a new rule that leaves certain family-owned businesses with fewer than 100 full-time employees, family farms and commercial fishing operations out of the asset calculation.
One thing has not changed: the 2027–28 FAFSA uses tax information from two years earlier, which means your 2025 federal tax return. Most families already have everything they need to file today.
Why does filing the FAFSA early matter for student housing?
Housing is usually the second-largest bill after tuition, and UA counts housing and food in its official cost of attendance. Your financial aid offer tells you what the year will really cost. Until you have it, every housing choice (which residence hall, which meal plan, and later whether to rent or buy) is a guess.
UA’s own guidance is to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible and before the priority date for your entry term. For students starting in fall 2027, UA lists these dates:
August 3, 2026: UA undergraduate application opened.
October 2026: FAFSA opens to everyone.
December 4, 2026: UA priority deadline for first-time freshmen.
February 2027: Scholarship notifications begin.
May 1, 2027: Alabama Advantage deadline.
Filing early does not guarantee more money, and every family’s situation is different. What it does is put the numbers in front of you months sooner, which is exactly when the housing clock starts ticking.
Buying or renting near campus later? Our Complete Guide for UA parents walks through condos, HOAs and resale. Questions? Call or text 205-292-2108.
When does UA housing open for fall 2027, and how do room picks work?
According to UA Housing and Residential Communities, the 2027–28 housing application for incoming freshmen opens Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 9 a.m. CDT. That is the same week the FAFSA opens for everyone. Here is what UA says families need to know:
Admission and deposit come first. A student must be admitted and pay the freshman enrollment deposit before applying. UA notes the deposit can take up to 24 hours to show in the system.
The fee is $175. That is a $140 refundable prepayment toward the fall housing charge plus a $35 non-refundable application fee.
Timing sets your place in line. UA says room selection times are based on the date and time of the housing application, so the sooner a student applies, the earlier they choose a room.
February 1 is the cutoff for online room selection. Students who apply by then can pick a room online. Later applicants are assigned by housing staff.
A parent may need to sign. If the student is under 18, the housing contract must also be signed by a co-signer.
UA’s housing application guide also states that all first-year undergraduate students are required to live on campus and submit a housing application unless they qualify for an exemption. For most families, that means freshman year is settled on campus and the bigger housing decision comes a year later.
A fall 2026 checklist for parents of high school seniors
This week: Have the student and each parent who will be a FAFSA contributor create a StudentAid.gov account. Pull your 2025 federal tax returns.
Once admitted to UA: Pay the enrollment deposit so the housing application is available to you on October 1.
October 1: Submit the FAFSA (or finish the one you started in the beta) and submit the UA housing application as early in the day as you can.
Before December 4: Make sure the FAFSA is complete and any follow-up items are done.
Before February 1: Confirm the housing application is in, so your student can take part in online room selection.
Freshman fall (2027): Start talking about sophomore housing. This is when families decide whether to lease an apartment or buy a condo.
Should parents rent or buy for sophomore year and beyond?
Because freshmen live on campus, the rent-or-buy question usually lands during the first semester. It is a real decision with real trade-offs. Buying can make sense when a family expects to own for several years, has more than one child headed to Tuscaloosa, or wants to rent spare bedrooms to roommates. Renting keeps things simple when the plan is one or two years, or when the budget is tight after tuition.
Before buying anything near campus, read the association rules closely. Many condo and townhome communities limit rentals or set occupancy rules, and those details decide whether a unit works for a student and roommates. Our guide to Alabama HOA rules for buyers explains what to ask for. If financing is part of the plan, getting pre-approved early tells you what you can comfortably spend before you fall for a specific building.
It also helps to look at the market with clear eyes. UA reported record fall 2026 enrollment of 42,431, but that was only about 0.2 percent more than the year before, while Alabama-resident enrollment grew 3.6 percent. We broke down what that means for parent buyers in our UA enrollment and housing article, and what the newly planned south campus recreation center does and does not change in this look at condos near Sorority Row.
Thinking about a condo instead of rent? The Williams Group can pull real sales and HOA details for the buildings on your list. Call or text 205-292-2108.
A local perspective from The Williams Group
The Williams Group at Keller Williams Realty helps parents buy, rent out and sell homes near the UA campus. In our experience, the families who feel calm in the spring are the ones who handled the paperwork in the fall. They filed the FAFSA early, knew their net cost by winter, and started looking at sophomore housing during the freshman fall instead of in a rush after spring break.
The earlier FAFSA launch makes that easier than it has been in years. If your student is a senior now, October 1, 2026 is the day to circle on the calendar for both forms. If your student is already at UA, now is the time to think about next year. Our Complete Guide for UA parents and Tuscaloosa community guide are good places to start.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2027–28 FAFSA open now?
Yes, through an early-access www. As of September 2026, Federal Student Aid says anyone can start the 2027–28 FAFSA by joining the beta on StudentAid.gov, and the form will launch for everyone by October 1, 2026.
What tax year does the 2027–28 FAFSA use?
It uses 2025 federal tax information, from two years before the school year begins.
When is the UA FAFSA priority deadline for fall 2027 freshmen?
UA lists December 4, 2026 as the priority deadline for first-time freshmen entering in fall 2027, and recommends filing the FAFSA before that date.
When does the UA freshman housing application open for 2027–28?
Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 9 a.m. CDT. The student must be admitted and have paid the enrollment deposit first, and the application requires a $175 payment ($140 refundable prepayment plus a $35 non-refundable fee).
Do UA freshmen have to live on campus?
UA says all first-year undergraduate students are required to live on campus and submit a housing application unless they qualify for an exemption. Off-campus renting or buying is usually a sophomore-year decision.
This article is general information for families, not financial aid or legal advice. Dates and fees can change. Confirm details with StudentAid.gov and the University of Alabama Office of Student Financial Aid at (205) 348-6756 before you rely on them.
How The Williams Group can help
We do not handle financial aid, but we do know Tuscaloosa housing. When your family is ready to compare leasing with buying, we can show you what similar condos near campus have actually sold for, what the HOA allows, and what resale has looked like. It is a no-pressure conversation, and it is much easier to have in the fall than in April.
Planning ahead for UA housing?
Talk with our Tuscaloosa team about renting versus buying near campus. No pressure, just local numbers.
Call or Text 205-292-2108Get a Free Home Valuation
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Sources
Federal Student Aid, 2027–28 FAFSA Early Access announcement (September 2026). U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education Takes First Step to Develop the 2027–28 FAFSA Form (February 13, 2026). The University of Alabama Housing and Residential Communities, Apply for Housing and 2026–27 Housing Application Guide. The University of Alabama Student Financial Aid, Financial Aid Timeline and Financial Aid FAQ. StudentAid.gov, Early Access to the 2027–28 FAFSA Form.