The 2024-25 FAFSA has no federal deadline, but your school may have one

The U.S. Department of Education does not set a closing date for the 2024-25 FAFSA. You can submit it anytime during the 2024-25 school year — which runs from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. However, your individual school, state, or scholarship program may have its own deadline that is much earlier. Missing a school deadline can cost you money even if the federal form stays open.

The 2024-25 FAFSA opened on December 1, 2023, later than usual because of technical problems with the new form. Schools and states set their own priority deadlines — typically in February, March, or April — to have time to process forms and award aid before students enroll in the fall. If you submit after a school's deadline, you may still get aid, but you could lose out on grants and work-study positions that run out of money.

Key Takeaways

  • The federal FAFSA stays open through June 30, 2025, but your school's deadline is usually much earlier — check your school's website or financial aid office for the exact date.
  • Submitting by your school's priority deadline increases your chances of receiving grants and work-study, which have limited funding.
  • If you miss your school's deadline, you can still submit the FAFSA, but you may receive only loans or no aid at all.
  • Some states have their own FAFSA deadlines separate from school deadlines — verify both if you are attending school in a different state than where you live.

Why school deadlines matter more than the federal deadline

Schools use FAFSA information to award their own money — grants, scholarships, and work-study jobs — and these funds are limited. A school that receives 5,000 FAFSA forms but has only enough grant money for 3,000 students will award based on who submitted first. Submitting by the priority deadline puts you in the first group considered for that money.

Federal loans (Stafford loans, Parent PLUS loans) have no deadline and no funding limit, so you can borrow them anytime during the school year. But institutional aid — money the school itself controls — often runs out. If you submit the FAFSA in May and your school's deadline was March 1, you may be offered only loans, not grants.

How to find your school's FAFSA deadline

Your school's financial aid office publishes its deadline on the admissions or financial aid website. Search "[school name] FAFSA deadline" or call the financial aid office directly — they can tell you the exact date and what happens if you miss it. Some schools have a single deadline; others have rolling deadlines (earlier deadlines get priority, but you can still submit later).

If you are undecided between schools or applying to multiple schools, check the deadline for each one. Use the earliest deadline as your target date. You can submit one FAFSA and it goes to all the schools you list, so you only fill it out once.

State FAFSA deadlines separate from school deadlines

Some states have their own FAFSA deadline for state grant programs. For example, California, New York, and Illinois all have state-level deadlines that differ from individual school deadlines. If you are attending school in a state different from your home state, check both your school's deadline and your school's state deadline.

You can find state deadlines through your state's higher education agency website or by searching "[state name] FAFSA deadline." State grants often have smaller pools of money than federal loans, so missing a state deadline can mean losing thousands of dollars in assistance programs.

What to do if you miss a deadline

If you miss your school's priority deadline, submit the FAFSA anyway. Schools continue to process forms throughout the year, and you may still receive some aid — usually loans rather than grants. Contact your school's financial aid office after you submit to let them know you missed the deadline and ask what aid is still available.

Some schools will reconsider your aid package if you have a documented change in circumstances (job loss, family illness, unexpected expense). If something significant happened between the deadline and when you submit, mention it when you contact the financial aid office. They cannot may provide additional aid, but they can explain what options remain.

Submitting early to avoid problems

The FAFSA system sometimes experiences delays or errors, especially when many people submit close to a deadline. Submitting weeks before your school's deadline gives you time to fix problems if something goes wrong. If you submit in early February for a March 1 deadline and an error appears, you have time to contact the financial aid office and correct it before the deadline passes.

You will need your Social Security number, driver's license or state ID number, and tax information (yours and your parents' if you are a dependent). Gather these documents before you start so you do not have to search for them mid-form. If you do not have a Social Security number, contact your school's financial aid office — they can explain your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit the FAFSA after June 30, 2025?

No. The federal FAFSA closes on June 30, 2025, and you cannot submit it after that date. If you are starting school in fall 2025 and miss this date, you will not be able to file a FAFSA for that year. You can file for the 2025-26 school year starting October 1, 2025.

What happens if I submit after my school's deadline but before June 30?

Your school will still process your FAFSA, but you may receive only loans, not grants or work-study. Contact the financial aid office to ask what aid is available. Some schools have multiple deadline tiers — missing the first deadline does not disqualify you, but it reduces the aid you can receive.

Do I need to resubmit the FAFSA each year?

Yes. You must file a new FAFSA for each school year you attend. The 2024-25 FAFSA is only for the 2024-25 school year. For 2025-26, you will file a new form starting October 1, 2025. Each year has its own deadline.

What if my school does not have a published deadline?

Call the financial aid office and ask. Every school that receives federal student aid must have a deadline, even if it is not prominently posted. They can tell you the date and explain whether submitting late affects your aid package.

Can I submit the FAFSA for multiple schools at once?

Yes. You list all the schools you want to attend on one FAFSA form, and it goes to all of them. You only fill out the form once. Each school will process it according to its own deadline, so if one school's deadline is March 1 and another's is April 15, the first school will review your form by March 1 and the second by April 15.