Students are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the deadline each academic year to be eligible for aid, like grants, loans and work-study jobs.

While you can file the 2024-25 FAFSA as late as June 2025, there are earlier state and college deadlines you should be aware of.

The 2024-25 FAFSA Opening and Deadline

The FAFSA for the 2024-25 school year opened in December 2023 and closes on June 30, 2025. If you still need financial aid for the 2023-2024 school year, you can apply until June 30, 2024.

CSS Profile Deadlines

In addition to the FAFSA, many public and private institutions use the CSS Profile to determine your financial aid package. CSS Profiles collect financial information outside of what the FAFSA covers to determine a family’s ability to pay for college.

The CSS Profile generally opens on October 1 for the following academic year and application deadlines vary by school.

College Board, a nonprofit organization, administers the CSS Profile and suggests that you fill it out at least two weeks before the earliest CSS Profile priority filing deadline at each school you’re considering attending.

Get an FSA ID First

Before you fill out the 2024-25 FAFSA, you’ll need to create an FSA ID. The FSA ID is required to sign the FAFSA and to check your student aid status on StudentAid.gov. Applying for an FSA ID should take less than 10 minutes.

Why You Should File Your FAFSA Early

Filing the FAFSA early improves your chances of receiving financial aid that’s awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

For instance, work-study program funding may run out if you file too late. You’re also more likely to meet state or college deadlines if you file the FAFSA as soon as possible.

Federal FAFSA Deadline for the 2024-25 Academic Year

The final date to file the FAFSA for the 2024-2025 academic year is June 30, 2025, but you can miss out on aid for semesters by filing late.

State and School FAFSA Deadlines

The federal deadline for filing the FAFSA is always June 30, but state and school deadlines can differ.

For instance, Alaska asks students to submit their FAFSA and apply for the Alaska Education Grant shortly after December 31, 2023 for the next academic year because the award is only offered until the money runs out. Arkansas has a deadline of July 1, 2024 to obtain grant funds for the fall term of the 2024-25 academic year.

Schools and states often use the financial data submitted on FAFSA as a starting point for evaluating a student’s financial needs. If a school doesn’t receive your information before calculating award packages, it greatly reduces your chances of receiving financial aid for the upcoming year.

Note: State grants and scholarships may require additional applications beyond the FAFSA. You should contact your state student aid agency for details.

School Deadlines Beyond FAFSA Deadlines

Individual scholarship and grant deadlines are just as important as the school’s FAFSA deadline. University grants may be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, where those who qualify are the most likely to receive them if they apply as early as possible. Each school may also send out financial aid award letters on different dates.

When you narrow your list of colleges, ask the financial aid offices at your top schools for the application deadlines and opening dates that apply to your unique financial and academic situation. Schools you apply to may need additional applications beyond the FAFSA for specific scholarships and grants.

Make Changes to the FAFSA as Needed

After you submit the FAFSA, you may need to make changes, such as adding or deleting a school from your list. If you make a FAFSA change, you may want to notify your state department of education if a state school is now your top choice when it wasn’t before. In certain states, adding a state school as a top choice could put you in the running for state grants.

Report Special Circumstances

If a special circumstance happens since the last tax year reported on the FAFSA, you can contact a school’s financial aid administrator to request a reassessment of your aid. This is useful to report major financial changes due to events like a change in employment or housing status.

Each school has its own process for handling special circumstances. Contact your school as soon as possible because reporting a change in finances may increase your aid eligibility.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When does the FAFSA open?

The FAFSA is usually available for submission starting October 1, the year prior to the school year you’re seeking financial aid for. However, for the 2024-25 school year, the FAFSA opened in December 2023.

The official FAFSA deadline is June 30, 2025, which gives students time to apply for financial aid at any point in the school year. But to get the most federal, state and school aid you can qualify for, submit it as close to the opening date as possible. Many schools and states also set their own deadlines far earlier than June 30 each year.

How long does FAFSA take to process?

A digital FAFSA form takes three to five days to process, according to the U.S. Department of Education. After submitting the FAFSA, you’ll get a summary that lists your estimated financial need. This report replaces the Student Aid Report (SAR) after the 2023-24 award year.

How do I apply for the FAFSA?

Visit StudentAid.gov to file a new FAFSA form or submit corrections to an existing application. You’ll log in with your FSA ID and follow the prompts on the screen. If you’re a dependent student, a parent must also fill out their portion of the form using their own FSA ID.

When applying for financial aid, expect to provide personal information as well as prior tax and income data. To speed up the process, gather documentation such as tax returns, W-2 forms, proof of untaxed income and account information for bank and investment accounts.

What is the FAFSA used for?

The FAFSA collects information about your and your family’s income, assets and family size. The government uses that information to identify your financial resources and what additional help you might need to pay for school.

Colleges, states and some private scholarship organizations use the FAFSA to help determine students’ eligibility for aid. You may also have to fill out a form provided by your state to qualify for state grants and potentially from your college to qualify for specific scholarships.

Which FAFSA do I fill out?

Fill out the FAFSA for the school year you’re pursuing financial aid for. So, if you’re attending college for the first time starting in the fall of 2024, fill out the 2024-25 FAFSA.

If you’re a returning student, you can renew your FAFSA pre-filled with the information you previously provided. That should mean spending less time on the form once you’re no longer a first-year student.

If you’re taking summer courses and need to fill out a FAFSA beforehand, your school may require the FAFSA from either the previous school year or the upcoming school year. Check with the school to confirm its policies.