FAFSA opened October 1, 2024, and remains open through June 30, 2025

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2024–25 school year opened on October 1, 2024. You can submit it anytime between that date and June 30, 2025. There is no single deadline that applies everywhere — your actual deadline depends on which school you are attending and whether you are seeking federal loans, grants, or both.

The federal government processes FAFSA submissions continuously throughout this window. Schools use your submission date to determine your place in the order for aid distribution, especially for grants that have limited funding. The earlier you submit, the better your chances of receiving the full amount of aid you are may have access to to, because some grant programs run out of money partway through the year.

Even if you miss your school's priority deadline (which varies by institution), you can still submit FAFSA through June 30, 2025, and you will still be considered for federal loans and some grants. However, state grants and school-specific aid often have earlier cutoff dates, so submitting late may mean losing access to those funds.

Key Takeaways

  • FAFSA for 2024–25 is open from October 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, with no single national deadline.
  • Your school's priority deadline — usually between January and March — determines when you should submit to receive the full amount of aid available.
  • Submitting early increases your chances of receiving grants that have limited funding, because those funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • State grants and school-specific aid often close before the June 30 federal deadline, so check your school's website for its own cutoff date.
  • You can still submit FAFSA after your school's priority deadline and receive federal loans, but you may lose access to state and institutional grants.

Why your school's deadline matters more than the federal deadline

Each school sets its own priority deadline for FAFSA submission — this is the date by which they want your form in so they can package your aid on time. Priority deadlines typically fall between January 15 and March 1, though some schools set them as late as April or May. If you submit after your school's priority deadline, you may still receive federal aid, but you will be lower in the queue for grants that the school controls.

Schools use priority deadlines to manage their aid budgets. They know how much grant money they have to distribute and they award it in the order applications arrive. If you submit in February and another student submits in May, and the school runs out of grant money by June, you get your full award and the May applicant gets only loans. This is why submitting early — ideally by your school's priority deadline — directly affects how much money you receive.

To find your school's priority deadline, visit its financial aid website or call the financial aid office. Do not assume it is the same as another school's deadline. Each institution sets its own date.

State grant deadlines often close before June 30

While the federal FAFSA window stays open through June 30, 2025, most states close their grant programs much earlier. State grant deadlines vary widely — some states close their programs in March, others in May or June. If you miss your state's deadline, you lose access to state grant money, even though you can still submit FAFSA and receive federal loans.

For example, some states prioritize applications received by March 1, and applications arriving after that date receive reduced awards or no state grant at all. Other states use a rolling deadline where funds are distributed until the money runs out, which can happen anywhere from April through June depending on how many students apply.

Check your state's higher education agency website to find your state grant deadline. This deadline is separate from your school's priority deadline and separate from the federal June 30 deadline. You need to know all three dates to understand when you should submit.

What happens if you submit after your school's priority deadline

Submitting FAFSA after your school's priority deadline does not disqualify you from aid. You will still receive federal loans (Stafford loans, PLUS loans, and Perkins loans if your school offers them). You will also still be considered for federal grants like the Pell Grant, though these are awarded based on financial need and available funding, not submission order.

However, you will likely receive less institutional aid — grants and scholarships that come directly from your school. Schools distribute their own grant money in order of application, so late submissions go to the back of the line. If the school's grant budget is exhausted before your application is processed, you will receive only loans and federal grants, not school grants.

Late submission also affects your financial aid package timing. Schools typically send aid packages to students who meet the priority deadline by late March or April. If you submit late, your package may not arrive until May or June, leaving you less time to plan and less time to request changes if something is wrong.

How to submit FAFSA and what you need

You submit FAFSA online at fafsa.gov. You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and driver's license number (if you have one). You will also need information about your income and assets, your parents' income and assets (if you are a dependent student), and the schools you want to attend.

Before you start, gather your most recent tax return, W-2 forms, and any records of untaxed income. If you are a dependent student, you will need your parents' tax information as well. The form itself takes 20 to 30 minutes to complete if you have all your documents ready.

You can start FAFSA anytime after October 1, 2024. You do not have to finish it in one sitting — you can save your progress and return later. Once you submit, the federal government processes your information and sends you a Student Aid Report (SAR) that shows what you reported. Your schools then use that information to build your financial aid package.

What to do if you miss your school's priority deadline

If you realize you have missed your school's priority deadline, submit FAFSA immediately anyway. You will still receive federal aid, and you may still receive some institutional aid if the school has not exhausted its grant budget. The sooner you submit after the deadline, the better your chances of receiving school grants.

Contact your school's financial aid office and explain your situation. Some schools will reconsider your aid package or make adjustments if you have a documented reason for the late submission (such as a family emergency or a system error on the FAFSA website). Financial aid offices have some discretion to adjust aid packages, and they may be able to help you.

Do not wait until June to submit just because the federal deadline is June 30. The longer you wait, the less institutional aid will be available. Submit as soon as you can, even if it is after the priority deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit FAFSA after June 30, 2025?

No. June 30, 2025, is the final date the federal government accepts FAFSA submissions for the 2024–25 school year. After that date, you cannot submit for this year. If you need aid for the next school year, you will submit a new FAFSA when that year's window opens.

Do I have to submit FAFSA by January 1?

No. The federal window does not close until June 30. However, most schools have priority deadlines between January and March, so submitting by early February gives you the best chance at receiving the full amount of aid your school has available. Check your specific school's deadline.

What if I do not know which school I want to attend yet?

You can still submit FAFSA without listing a school. You can add schools to your application later, and they will receive your information. However, submitting without schools means you will not know what your aid package looks like until you add a school and it processes your FAFSA. It is better to submit with at least one school listed so you can see your aid options.

If I submit FAFSA in June, will I still get aid?

You will still receive federal loans and federal grants like the Pell Grant. However, you will likely miss your school's priority deadline and your state's grant deadline, so you will not receive institutional or state grants. You will receive only federal aid, which is usually less than the total package available to students who submit earlier.

Can I update my FAFSA after I submit it?

Yes. You can log back into fafsa.gov anytime before June 30, 2025, and make changes to your information. If your income changes, your family situation changes, or you made an error, you can correct it. Schools will see the updated information, though it may affect your aid package if the changes happen after your school has already processed your original submission.