FAFSA closes on June 30 each year, but your state or school may have an earlier deadline

The federal FAFSA form closes on June 30 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. That is the last day you can submit a FAFSA for the academic year that started in the fall. However, your state government or your specific school may require you to submit earlier — sometimes as early as February or March — to receive certain types of aid.

Missing the federal June 30 deadline means you cannot receive federal student loans, federal grants, or federal work-study for that academic year. If you miss your state or school deadline, you lose access to state grants and school-based aid, even if you submit the FAFSA before June 30. Many students lose thousands of dollars because they do not know their school has its own earlier cutoff.

The FAFSA for the 2024–2025 school year opened on October 1, 2023, and closes on June 30, 2024. The FAFSA for the 2025–2026 school year opens on October 1, 2024, and closes on June 30, 2025. This schedule repeats every year.

Key Takeaways

  • The federal FAFSA deadline is June 30 each year, but your school or state may close their aid funds weeks or months earlier.
  • Submitting after your school's deadline means you lose access to state grants and school-based aid, even if the federal form is still open.
  • You can find your school's FAFSA deadline on its financial aid website or by calling the financial aid office directly.
  • If you miss the June 30 federal deadline, you cannot receive federal loans or grants for that academic year, though you may still be able to borrow private loans.

Why schools and states close FAFSA before June 30

Schools and states set their own deadlines because they have a limited amount of grant money to distribute. Once that money runs out, no more students receive grants for that year, even if the federal FAFSA is still open. A school that receives 5,000 FAFSA forms but only has grant funding for 3,000 students will award grants to the first 3,000 who submit, then tell later applicants there is no money left.

State governments do the same thing. A state may have enough grant funding to cover students who submit by March 15, but not students who submit in May or June. The earlier you submit, the better your chances of receiving state grant money.

Federal loans and federal work-study do not have the same funding limits, so the June 30 federal deadline is firm but less urgent than your school or state deadline. However, federal loans still require a completed FAFSA, so missing June 30 means you lose access to those too.

How to find your school's FAFSA deadline

Your school's financial aid office publishes its FAFSA deadline on the school's financial aid website. Look for a page titled "FAFSA Deadline," "Financial Aid Timeline," or "Important Dates." The deadline is usually listed alongside other key dates like when aid will be disbursed and when you must respond to your aid offer.

If you cannot find the deadline online, call your school's financial aid office directly. They can tell you the exact date and what happens if you submit after that date. Some schools have rolling deadlines — they award aid on a first-come, first-served basis until money runs out — while others have a hard cutoff date after which they do not accept new FAFSA forms.

If you are applying to multiple schools, write down each school's deadline and set reminders. Schools in the same state may have different deadlines, and schools in different states almost always do.

What happens if you miss your school's deadline but submit before June 30

If you submit the FAFSA after your school's deadline but before the federal June 30 deadline, you will still receive federal loans and federal grants. However, you will not receive any school-based aid or state grants that school has already distributed. Your financial aid package will be smaller, and you may have to borrow more in federal loans to cover the gap.

Some schools will still consider you for aid if you submit shortly after their deadline, especially if you have a documented reason for the delay — a family emergency, a technical problem with the FAFSA website, or a change in your enrollment status. Contact your school's financial aid office and explain your situation. They cannot may provide they will have money left, but they can tell you whether it is worth submitting late.

What happens if you miss the June 30 federal deadline

If you do not submit the FAFSA by June 30, you cannot receive federal Pell Grants, federal loans, or federal work-study for that academic year. You also cannot receive state grants that require a completed FAFSA. The academic year is closed, and you will have to wait until the next FAFSA opens on October 1 to apply for the following year.

If you are already enrolled in school and miss the deadline, you may still be able to pay for the remainder of the year using private student loans, payment plans through your school, or out-of-pocket funds. Private loans do not require a FAFSA and have their own application process, but they typically charge higher interest rates than federal loans.

If you miss the June 30 deadline for the year you are already attending, you cannot go back and get federal aid for that year. Plan ahead for the next academic year by submitting your FAFSA as soon as it opens on October 1.

State FAFSA deadlines vary widely

Most states have FAFSA deadlines between February and April, but some states close earlier and some later. California's deadline is typically March 2. New York's is May 1. Texas does not have a state-level deadline for most grants, but individual Texas schools do. You must check your specific state and school, not assume a deadline based on another state.

Some states offer additional grant programs beyond the federal Pell Grant, and those state programs have their own deadlines. For example, Illinois has a separate deadline for its Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant. If you live in a state with multiple grant programs, each one may close on a different date.

Your state's higher education agency website lists all state grant deadlines. Search for "[your state] FAFSA deadline" or "[your state] financial aid deadline" to find the official page. If you cannot find it, call your state's higher education agency directly — the number is on the state website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit the FAFSA after June 30?

No. The federal FAFSA closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 30 each year. You cannot submit after that date for that academic year. You will have to wait until October 1 when the FAFSA for the next academic year opens.

What if my school's deadline already passed?

Contact your school's financial aid office immediately. Some schools will still accept late FAFSA forms if you have a documented reason for the delay. Even if your school has no grant money left, you may still receive federal loans if you submit before June 30. It is worth asking.

Does the FAFSA deadline change every year?

The federal deadline is always June 30. Your school and state deadlines may change from year to year, so check their websites each fall when the new FAFSA opens. Do not assume this year's deadline is the same as last year's.

What if I submit the FAFSA on June 30 at 11:50 p.m.?

As long as you submit before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 30, your FAFSA will be accepted by the federal government. However, it may still be late for your school or state deadline. Check those deadlines separately.

Can I get federal loans if I miss the June 30 deadline?

No. Federal loans require a completed FAFSA, and the FAFSA closes on June 30. If you miss that deadline, you cannot receive federal loans for that academic year. Private loans do not require a FAFSA and may be available, but they charge higher interest rates.