The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA, and the California Dream Act Application, known as CADAA, recently opened for the 2025-26 academic year. Last year, the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office introduced a new FAFSA application which provided applicants with a more streamlined user experience. The CADAA application also underwent similar changes, per the FAFSA Simplification Act.

Students and their contributors — those individuals required to provide information for a student’s financial aid application — use the 2025-26 FAFSA form or the 2025-26 CADAA form to apply for financial aid.

Deborah Agee, executive director of UC Davis Financial Aid and Scholarships encourages applicants to apply by March 3 to maximize their aid eligibility.

“Apply as early as possible,” Agee said. “Sit down with your contributors this holiday break and fill out your aid application. It only takes a couple of minutes and saves you from added stress down the line.”

Before you begin

Applicants should consult the UC Davis 2025-26 FAFSA and UC Davis 2025-26 CADAA web pages before they start their applications. On these pages, individuals find ample application resources such as tips, common mistakes to avoid, important things to note and information on what to expect after they file.

What to expect after you file

Once complete, applicants for both FAFSA and CADAA receive emails confirming they successfully submitted their financial aid application. To check the status of an application, visit Federal Student Aid for FAFSA or the California Student Aid Commission for CADAA. Applicants obtain access to their personalized UC Davis aid package through MyAwards, the UC Davis financial aid portal, after UC Davis Financial Aid and Scholarships receives valid submission summaries from the appropriate aid departments.