Aragon High School seniors planning to enter college in fall 2027 should complete the appropriate 2027-28 financial aid application—FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application—and review federal changes that may affect their aid eligibility.

The 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid is available for students seeking aid for college or career school between July 1, 2027, and June 30, 2028. The 2026-27 application covers the preceding award year.

San Mateo Union High School District says seniors must submit FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application, qualify for an exemption or complete an opt-out form. Its financial aid page explains the requirement and application options.

“It’s a graduation requirement to either fill out a financial aid application or opt out,” Aragon career and college adviser Mary O’Reilly told the Aragon Outlook.

What changed

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, changed federal student aid rules. Several provisions affecting Pell eligibility began with the 2026-27 award year.

One change generally bars students from receiving Pell Grants when their Student Aid Index equals or exceeds twice the maximum annual Pell award. Special eligibility provisions apply to certain children of deceased service members and public safety officers.

For 2026-27, the maximum award is $7,395, according to the federal award announcement. That makes the general cutoff an SAI of 14,790 under the Federal Student Aid Handbook’s eligibility formula. These figures apply to 2026-27; families should check federal guidance for 2027-28 amounts.

The SAI is an index calculated from application information that colleges use to determine financial aid eligibility.

Another change adds the foreign earned income exclusion to adjusted gross income when determining eligibility for maximum and minimum Pell Grants. This can affect families whose income earned abroad was excluded from U.S. taxable income, according to federal eligibility guidance.

The law also excludes certain assets from the calculation, including qualifying small family businesses, farms where the family lives and family-owned commercial fishing businesses.

Students whose nonfederal grants and scholarships equal or exceed their full cost of attendance are ineligible for Pell Grants, according to the federal handbook. This rule applies beyond athletic scholarships.

Next steps for seniors

The district encourages families to apply early because some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Its financial aid page lists March 2, 2027, as the priority filing date for students seeking aid at most four-year colleges and universities. Families should also check each college’s requirements because earlier deadlines may apply.

O’Reilly told the Outlook that completing an application can help students discover aid they did not know they qualified for and make college more accessible.

The district lists an application workshop Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hillsdale High School library, 3115 Del Monte Ave. in San Mateo. No RSVP is required.

Another workshop is scheduled Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Capuchino High School’s College and Career Center, 1501 Magnolia Ave. in San Bruno. The district says an RSVP form will be posted in late November.

Students and families may attend either workshop regardless of their home school, according to the district’s workshop page. Additional free assistance is available through Cash for College.