The FAFSA opens October 1 and you should submit it as soon as possible after that date
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) becomes available to fill out on October 1 each year. This is the official start date set by the U.S. Department of Education. You can submit your FAFSA anytime from October 1 through the end of June of the following year, but submitting early matters because some aid runs out as the year goes on.
Schools and states award aid on a first-come, first-served basis for certain funds. If you wait until April or May, some grants and work-study positions may already be gone. Submitting in October or November gives you the best chance at the full range of aid your school has available.
The FAFSA you submit in October applies to the school year that starts the following fall. So the FAFSA you submit in October 2024 covers the 2024–2025 school year (fall 2024 through summer 2025). This can be confusing because the application year and the school year do not match up on the calendar.
Key Takeaways
- FAFSA opens October 1 each year and closes June 30 of the following year, but submitting by November or December gives you access to more aid.
- The FAFSA you submit in fall 2024 covers the school year starting fall 2024, not the following fall.
- Each school has its own priority deadline, usually in February or March, and missing it can reduce your aid package even if you submit the FAFSA on time.
- You must resubmit the FAFSA every year you are in school; submitting once does not cover multiple years.
- If you miss the June 30 deadline, you can still submit after that date, but you may lose access to some types of aid.
Why submitting early matters more than meeting the deadline
You have until June 30 to submit, but that does not mean you should wait. Schools distribute federal grants, state grants, and work-study jobs throughout the year. Once those funds are used up, they are gone for that year. A student who submits in October may receive a grant that a student submitting in May will not.
Federal loans are different — they do not run out. But grants and work-study do. If you submit the FAFSA in January instead of October, you are competing for a smaller pool of money. Some schools also use FAFSA information to award their own institutional aid, and that money also depletes as the year goes on.
The best practice is to submit by mid-November if you can. This puts you in the first wave of applications and maximizes your chances of receiving all the aid you are may have access to to.
School-specific priority deadlines are separate from the FAFSA deadline
Your school may have a priority deadline that is earlier than June 30. This is not the FAFSA deadline — it is the school's own cutoff for awarding aid from its budget. Priority deadlines are commonly February 1, February 15, or March 1, but they vary by school.
If you submit the FAFSA after your school's priority deadline, the school will still process it, but you may receive a smaller aid package. The school has already distributed much of its grant money to students who submitted earlier. You can find your school's priority deadline on its financial aid website or by calling the financial aid office.
Some schools have a final deadline that is later than the priority deadline but earlier than June 30. Missing the final deadline can disqualify you from certain aid at that school. Always check your specific school's website for both dates.
You must submit a new FAFSA every year you are in school
Submitting the FAFSA once does not cover you for multiple years. If you are a first-year student, you submit in October 2024 for the 2024–2025 school year. When you return as a sophomore, you must submit a new FAFSA in October 2025 for the 2025–2026 school year.
This happens every year until you graduate or stop attending school. Many students forget to resubmit and lose aid as a result. Mark October 1 on your calendar each year as a reminder. If you are already in school when October 1 arrives, submit the FAFSA for the next school year right away.
What happens if you submit after June 30
You can submit the FAFSA after June 30, but you lose access to some aid. Federal Pell Grants and federal work-study are no longer available after June 30. Federal loans may still be available depending on your school and your year in school, but you will not receive the full range of aid you might have gotten if you submitted on time.
If you miss the June 30 deadline, contact your school's financial aid office immediately. They can tell you what aid is still available and help you understand how the late submission affects your package. Some schools may make exceptions or have alternative funding, but you have to ask.
Timeline for the 2024–2025 school year
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2024 | FAFSA opens; you can begin submitting |
| October–November 2024 | Best time to submit; most aid is still available |
| December 2024–January 2025 | Still early; good chance of receiving full aid |
| February–March 2025 | Many schools' priority deadlines fall here; some aid may be depleted |
| April–June 2025 | Late submission; grants and work-study may be unavailable |
| June 30, 2025 | Final deadline; Pell Grants and work-study no longer available after this date |
How to know if you have submitted for the current school year
Log into your FAFSA account at studentaid.gov using your FSA ID. Your dashboard will show you which school years you have submitted a FAFSA for. If you see the current school year listed, you have already submitted. If it is not there, you need to submit now.
You can also check with your school's financial aid office. They can tell you whether they have received your FAFSA for the current year. If you have submitted but your school has not received it yet, there may be a processing delay — this is normal and usually resolves within a few weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I submit the FAFSA before October 1?
No. The FAFSA system does not open until October 1. If you try to submit before that date, the website will not let you. October 1 is a hard start date every year.
Do I need to submit the FAFSA every semester or just once a year?
Once per school year. You submit one FAFSA in fall that covers fall and spring semesters, plus summer if you attend. You do not submit separate forms for each semester.
What if my school's priority deadline has already passed?
Submit the FAFSA anyway. You will still receive some aid, though your package may be smaller than if you had submitted by the priority deadline. Contact your school's financial aid office to ask what is still available.
If I submit the FAFSA in June, will I still get aid for the fall semester?
You may receive federal loans, but federal grants and work-study will not be available. Your school may also have less institutional aid left to distribute. Submitting in June is very late and will significantly reduce your aid package.
What if I am a returning student and forgot to submit for this year?
Submit immediately, even if it is past your school's priority deadline. Contact your financial aid office the same day you submit the FAFSA and explain the delay. Some schools can adjust your aid package or offer alternative funding if you have a valid reason for the late submission.