FAFSA open now? Confused about October vs December deadlines for 2025-2026

The FAFSA for 2025-2026 opened on October 1st, 2024. This is the standard opening date each year, though last year (2024-2025) was an exception when they delayed until December due to the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. You're definitely not "behind everyone else" - most students complete it between October and February. Take your time to gather the right documents (2023 tax returns, W-2s, bank statements) and submit accurately rather than rushing.

Your parent might be thinking of last year when they had that huge delay. My brother applied in December last year but normally it opens in October. Not sure about "most people" applying already tho, that sounds like advisor pressure tactics lol

It's always been October 1st for like twenty years until last year when they rolled out the new "simplified" FAFSA that was an absolute DISASTER. They delayed until December, the website crashed constantly, nobody could log in, and millions of students got their financial aid packages months late. Classic government efficiency! They promised this year would be smoother with the October opening but I'm seeing the same glitches already. My daughter tried three times this week and keeps getting error codes.

Financial aid counselor here - the correct date is October 1st, 2024 for the 2025-2026 FAFSA. However, there's an important distinction to make regarding deadlines: - Federal FAFSA deadline: June 30, 2026 (very far away) - State grant deadlines: Vary by state, many are "as soon as possible after October 1" or specific dates like March 1st - College priority deadlines: Usually between January-March for maximum aid consideration The most important deadlines are your specific college's priority deadline (for institutional scholarships) and your state's grant deadline. These are the "real" deadlines that matter for maximizing your aid. While you're not late submitting now, I wouldn't wait until June!

Honestly the whole FAFSA thing is a mess right now. I tried filling it out last week and the contributor section kept glitching when my mom tried to complete her part. We called the help number and sat on hold for TWO HOURS before getting disconnected. Now we're trying again but the SAI calculator part isn't even loading.

Don't stress about being "behind" - there's no advantage to being first. My financial aid package was exactly the same when I applied in October vs when my roommate applied in January. Your SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation is based on the info you provide, not when you provide it. Just make sure you hit your school's priority deadline!

Update: I checked my school's financial aid page and our priority deadline is February 15th, so I have some time! I'm gathering all the documents this weekend and will try to submit next week. Thanks everyone for the helpful info!

As someone who just went through this process, I can confirm it opened October 1st! The confusion about December is totally understandable because that's when it opened last year due to all the technical issues. I submitted mine in November and had no problems getting aid. One tip: even though you have until February 15th, I'd suggest submitting by end of January if possible. Some schools process applications in batches and earlier submissions sometimes get reviewed first for certain merit-based aid. Also, if there are any issues with your application, you'll have time to fix them before the deadline. Don't rush this weekend though - accuracy is way more important than speed!

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble with the contributor access (parent section), make sure your parent creates their own FSA ID BEFORE you start the FAFSA. I made the mistake of trying to do everything at once and it created a huge headache. Also, the system seems to work better in the mornings - I had way fewer glitches when I logged in around 8-9 AM compared to evenings when everyone's probably trying to access it. Don't let the October vs December confusion stress you out too much, you're definitely not behind!