FAFSA timing question - son graduating high school but taking gap year before 2025 college start

The 2025-2026 FAFSA (which is what your son needs) will open in December 2024. That's when you should apply for his freshman year starting fall 2025. The new FAFSA timeline has applications opening in December rather than October like previous years. Just make sure you're using 2023 tax information when you fill it out - that's the "prior-prior year" they require now.

my daughter did a gap year too!! Make him apply to schools NOW before the gap year so he has acceptance letters already. That's what we did. Then he can defer enrollment but already know where he's going. Then do FAFSA in Dec 2024 like the other person said.

just wanted to say gap years are AWESOME my son did one and it was the best decision ever!! He was so much more motivated when he started college

Financial aid professional here. For a Fall 2025 start, complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA which opens December 2024. However, there are some important nuances to consider: 1. Have your son apply to colleges NOW (Spring 2024) and then request deferment for his acceptance. Many schools allow this. 2. Check with each specific college about their gap year policies - some may require a separate application explaining the gap year plans. 3. Some schools have institutional scholarships with early deadlines, even for deferred students. These are separate from FAFSA. 4. Your son's income during the gap year generally won't affect his aid eligibility since FAFSA uses 2023 tax info for the 2025-2026 academic year. The new FAFSA is more streamlined but making sure you understand each school's specific requirements for gap year students is critical.

I'm in almost the exact same boat! My daughter is taking a gap year before starting in 2025. We just went through the college application process this year so she has her acceptances, and now she's requesting deferrals. Most schools have been really accommodating. The financial aid offices told us to wait until the 2025-2026 FAFSA opens (Dec 2024) to apply for aid. The advantage is we can use all of 2024 to get our finances in order before applying. Good luck with your son's gap year!

Word of warning - I tried calling FAFSA directly to ask about a gap year for my son last year and was on hold for LITERALLY 3 hours before getting disconnected. Tried again the next day, same thing. Their customer service is absolutely terrible since the new system launched. I eventually found my answer online but wow was it frustrating.

IMO gap years are a waste of time and money!!! Tell your son to just go to college NOW while hes still in student mode. My nephew took a gap year and never ended up going to college AT ALL. Now he works at a warehouse making $17/hr when he could have had a DEGREE!

To follow up on my earlier comment - make sure you understand the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation before you fill out the FAFSA next December. The new FAFSA uses the SAI instead of the old EFC, and it calculates financial need differently. Since you have time before applying, I'd recommend researching how income and assets affect the SAI. The calculations changed with the 2024-2025 FAFSA, and many families were surprised by their results.

dont forget that scholarship deadlines are often different from FASFA! some scholarships have really early deadlines even for 2025 students!

One more important note: Since your son will be taking a gap year, verify whether any income he earns during the gap year might impact his student contribution for the SAI calculation on the 2026-2027 FAFSA (his sophomore year). While it won't affect his first year of college (since that uses 2023 tax data), substantial earnings in 2024 could potentially impact his aid package for his second year. This shouldn't discourage him from working during his gap year, but it's something to be aware of for future planning. Consider setting aside some of those earnings in a 529 plan if possible, as they receive more favorable treatment in the FAFSA calculation than funds in a standard savings account.

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter, I want to echo what others have said about applying to colleges NOW while requesting deferrals. We found that most schools were very accommodating, but each had slightly different requirements for gap year plans. Some wanted just a brief explanation, others wanted more detail about how the gap year would contribute to her academic goals. One thing I wish I had known earlier - check if your state has any specific deadlines for need-based aid that might be different from federal deadlines. Our state grant program had an earlier priority deadline that we almost missed because we were focused on the federal FAFSA timeline. Also, keep all your 2023 tax documents organized and easily accessible since you'll need them when the 2025-2026 FAFSA opens in December 2024. The new FAFSA is supposed to be more user-friendly, but having everything ready beforehand definitely helps the process go smoother.

Great question! I'm in a similar situation with my daughter who's also planning a gap year before fall 2025. From what I've researched, the key timeline is December 2024 when the 2025-2026 FAFSA opens. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given - make sure to check if any of the schools your son is interested in have priority deadlines for institutional aid that might be earlier than the federal deadline. Some colleges have their own scholarship deadlines in January or February, so you'll want to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after it opens in December. Also, I've found it helpful to create accounts on each college's financial aid portal now, even before applying. That way when it's time to submit documents, everything is already set up. The gap year definitely adds some complexity to the timeline, but it sounds like you're asking the right questions early!