Can my high school senior apply for 2023-2024 FAFSA for summer classes before 2025-2026 aid kicks in?
My daughter is graduating high school in May and has already completed her 2025-2026 FAFSA (got her SAI score back last week). She just told me she wants to take a few summer classes at her university before fall semester starts, but we're confused about financial aid. Would she need to complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA for summer classes that start in June 2025? With all the glitches and delays from the FAFSA rollout, I'm worried applying for last year's form might somehow mess up her already-approved aid for the upcoming school year. Has anyone navigated this summer school situation before? The financial aid office at her school is impossible to reach by phone!
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Summer Green
This is a common question! For summer 2025 classes, most schools actually use the 2025-2026 FAFSA that your daughter already completed. Summer sessions are typically considered part of the upcoming academic year for financial aid purposes, not the previous year. So she likely doesn't need to complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA at all. Have her check with her specific school though, as some institutions handle summer differently.
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Amun-Ra Azra
•That's such a relief! I was worried she'd have to go through the whole application process again. Do you know if summer aid typically covers the full cost or is it reduced compared to regular semester aid?
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Gael Robinson
I went through this with my son last yr. You def DON'T wanna mess with the 2023-2024 form now! Most schools use the upcoming year's FAFSA for summer classes. But some schools have a separate summer aid application on top of the FAFSA. Check the financial aid website for her specific school!!
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Amun-Ra Azra
•Thank you! I'll have her check their website tonight. Did your son get decent aid for his summer classes? I'm worried they'll prioritize fall/spring students.
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Edward McBride
Okay so I had this EXACT situation with my daughter last year, and it was super confusing. Here's what I learned: summer financial aid is tricky and depends on: 1. When your school's fiscal year starts (some start July 1, others June 1) 2. How many credit hours she's taking in summer (needs to be at least half-time for most aid) 3. Whether she's used up her annual loan/grant limits during the previous fall/spring Most schools consider Summer 2025 as part of the 2025-2026 year, but CALL HER SPECIFIC SCHOOL to verify! Don't assume anything with FAFSA stuff.
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Darcy Moore
•this is rite BUT actually sumer can count as end of previous yr OR start of next yr depend on sch00l policy!! my bros school let him choose which FAFSA to use for summer aid based on which wuld give better aid package!!
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Dana Doyle
Financial aid advisor here. For summer 2025 classes, your daughter will use her 2025-2026 FAFSA that she's already completed. There's absolutely no need to complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA at this point. Here's why: 1. The 2023-2024 FAFSA covers Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024 2. The 2024-2025 FAFSA covers Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025 3. The 2025-2026 FAFSA covers Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 There are a few complexities though: - Some schools require a separate summer aid application in addition to the FAFSA - Aid may be limited if she's used her annual maximum during regular terms - Summer courses must meet minimum enrollment requirements (usually 6+ credits) I recommend she contact her school's financial aid office directly to confirm their specific process for summer aid.
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Amun-Ra Azra
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! One follow-up question - she'll technically still be a high school student during early June when classes start (graduation is mid-June). Will that cause any problems with her aid eligibility?
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Liam Duke
I tried calling financial aid offices about summer classes for my son last year and spent HOURS on hold. Totally frustrating! You should check out Claimyr.com - they held my place in the phone queue and called me when an agent was ready. Saved me like 2 hours of hold time! They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Super helpful for getting through to FSA or university financial aid offices.
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Manny Lark
•Does this actually work??? I've been trying to reach financial aid for THREE DAYS with no luck. The website says they're experiencing high call volume and to try again later. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
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Liam Duke
•Yes! It really worked for me. I was skeptical too but was desperate after trying for days. They just hold your place in line and call you when someone picks up. Definitely worth it when you're dealing with FAFSA issues.
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Manny Lark
DON'T APPLY FOR LAST YEAR'S FAFSA!!!! I made this mistake and it caused a HUGE NIGHTMARE with my financial aid. The systems got confused, my aid was delayed for MONTHS, and I had to submit extra verification documents. Summer 2025 should use the 2025-2026 FAFSA. But fair warning - summer aid is usually MUCH LESS than regular semester aid. They burned through most of their grant money by summer so expect more loans than grants.
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Amun-Ra Azra
•Oh no, that sounds awful! Thank you for the warning. Did you eventually get everything sorted out? And did you find summer classes worth it despite the reduced aid?
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Summer Green
Also - make sure your daughter checks if her school offers any special summer scholarship programs! Many universities have reduced tuition for summer terms or special programs for incoming freshmen taking summer classes. My daughter got a "Summer Start" scholarship that covered almost half her summer tuition. It wasn't even part of the regular financial aid package - it was a separate application on the university website.
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Amun-Ra Azra
•That's a great tip! I had no idea there might be summer-specific scholarships. I'll have her look into this right away.
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Dana Doyle
One other important consideration: If your daughter will be taking summer classes as a new freshman, some universities require her to attend an orientation before she can register for any classes, including summer ones. Make sure she's completed all enrollment steps and is officially admitted before applying for summer aid. Also, confirm whether her high school graduation date affects eligibility - some schools won't disburse aid until they have final high school transcripts showing graduation.
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Amun-Ra Azra
•Excellent point about the orientation requirement. She did get accepted and pay her deposit already, but I'll check about the transcript timing. That could definitely be an issue if they need proof of graduation before classes start in early June!
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Edward McBride
After checking with my daughter's school about her summer classes, I found out there's another important consideration: federal aid annual limits! For example, if your daughter is eligible for $6,895 in Pell Grant for the entire 2025-2026 year, and uses $1,500 for summer classes, she'll only have $5,395 left for fall and spring combined. Same with loans - there's an annual borrowing limit. Make sure she's strategic about how she uses her aid throughout the full academic year!
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Rita Jacobs
•this is such a good point!!! i wish someone told me this b4 i used up most of my aid for summer then had hardly anything left for fall 😠had to get a second job
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Darcy Moore
my brohter did summer classes and the financial aid didnt come thru until like 2 weeks AFTER classes started!! so make sure u have $$ to cover costs until aid disbursement!! his school gave tuition extension but not for books or housing!!
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Amun-Ra Azra
•Thanks for the heads up! That's definitely something we need to plan for. Did your brother's full aid package eventually come through?
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