FAFSA 2025-2026 deadline for September 2025 classes - when must I apply?

The federal FAFSA deadline for the 2025-2026 academic year is June 30, 2026, but DONT WAIT THAT LONG!!! Schools have their own deadlines that are MUCH earlier, usually Feb-April 2025. Some financial aid is first-come first-served so earlier = better chances. Check each school's financial aid website for their specific priority deadline!!

This can be really confusing! Each deadline means something different: - Federal FAFSA deadline (June 30, 2026): Last day to submit for federal aid consideration - State deadlines: Vary by state, usually earlier (some as early as January/February 2025) - School priority deadlines: When schools want your FAFSA to guarantee consideration for ALL aid types If you submit after a school's priority deadline but before their final deadline, you might still get some aid, but the school-specific scholarships and grants might be gone. Federal loans are usually still available. I'd recommend completing your FAFSA in December 2024 or January 2025 at the latest. You can use estimated tax info and correct it later if needed.

The MOST important date to know is your specific college's priority deadline. For fall 2025 enrollment, most schools set priority deadlines between February-April 2025, though some competitive schools have earlier dates. For the 2025-2026 academic year: - FAFSA opens: December 2024 - Federal deadline: June 30, 2026 (but this is mainly irrelevant for your situation) - School priority deadlines: Typically Feb-April 2025 (check each school) - State deadlines: Vary widely Missing a priority deadline doesn't mean you get zero aid, but it does mean you might miss out on institutional grants and scholarships, which are often limited. Federal aid like Pell Grants and loans usually remain available. With complicated tax situations, I suggest using the FAFSA's IRS Data Retrieval Tool when it becomes available. If you need to estimate initially, you can always make corrections later.

Everyone gave good advice about deadlines, but I want to mention something important about your "complicated tax situation." For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you'll be using 2024 tax information (this changed from the prior year lookback system). If your situation involves business income, multiple W-2s, investment income, or rental properties, start organizing documentation early. The Better FAFSA has specific sections for each income type and requires more detailed reporting than the old form. Also, keep in mind that if your financial situation changes significantly between 2024 and when your daughter starts in September 2025, you can submit an appeal for professional judgment to the financial aid office.

Getting through to someone at the Federal Student Aid office to ask these deadline questions is IMPOSSIBLE sometimes. I spent 3 hours on hold last month trying to get a straight answer about priority deadlines for my son. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that held my place in line and called me back when an agent was available. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I spoke with confirmed that while the federal deadline is June 2026, most schools require FAFSA submission by March 2025 for priority consideration. Some even earlier! Definitely check with each school your daughter is applying to.

fyi ur gonna wanna check for CSS Profile deadlines too if any of her schools require that. some private colleges want both FAFSA and CSS Profile and the deadlines can be different. CSS usually has earlier deadlines than FAFSA.

my daughter started last fall and we did fafsa in January and it was fine. but one time we waited till April for my son and he got waaaaay less money from the school. so dont procrastinate! the financial aid ppl told us the march deadline was just a "suggested" one but that was NOT true

Thank you everyone for the helpful information! Based on all your advice, we're going to aim to complete the FAFSA in December 2024 when it first becomes available. I'll make sure to check each school's specific priority deadline and look into whether they require the CSS Profile too. I'm going to start gathering our 2024 tax documents early so we're prepared. Really appreciate all the insights!