Missed FAFSA June 30 deadline - can my 2024 grad still get financial aid for Fall?
My son just graduated high school in May and we completely dropped the ball on his FAFSA application. I knew about the June 30 deadline but with all the graduation chaos it completely slipped my mind. Now it's July and I'm panicking because he's supposed to start college in August. Is there ANY way to still get financial aid for Fall 2025 semester? Can he apply late? Are there exceptions? What about private loans? He got into his dream school but without financial aid I don't see how we can make it work. Any advice appreciated - this mom is freaking out!
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QuantumQuest
There's good news and not-so-good news. The good news is that the federal FAFSA deadline (June 30) is for the entire 2024-2025 academic year, so technically you can still submit a FAFSA until June 30, 2026. However, individual colleges and states have their own deadlines which are typically much earlier, and many priority deadlines have passed. Here's what you should do immediately: 1. Complete and submit the FAFSA anyway - RIGHT NOW 2. Contact your son's college financial aid office to explain the situation 3. Ask about institutional aid still available 4. Inquire about payment plans that might help spread costs 5. Look into private scholarships (many have rolling deadlines) Although you missed priority deadlines, federal direct loans are still available throughout the year as long as the FAFSA is submitted. Your son can still qualify for Unsubsidized Direct Loans even if you missed deadlines for need-based aid.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•Thank you so much! We'll fill out the FAFSA today and I'll call the school tomorrow. I know we messed up but it's a huge relief to hear he can still get something. Do you know if the Parent Plus loans are still available too? That might help us bridge whatever gap is left.
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Jamal Anderson
i was in the same exact sitch last yr when my daughter graduated!! We did the fafsa in like august and she still got her loans but missed out on most of the grants. def do it ASAP and call the school!!
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Zoe Dimitriou
•That gives me hope! Did your daughter get both subsidized and unsubsidized loans or just unsubsidized? I've heard the subsidized ones are better but not sure if those are still available after the deadline.
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Mei Zhang
The FASFA site is always so confusing. One thing to check on your son's college website is their specific financial aid deadlines - some schools have different deadlines than the federal one. Some might have exceptions for first time applicants too.
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Liam McGuire
•This is important advice. Each school has three potential deadlines: their institutional aid deadline (usually earliest), state aid deadline (varies by state), and the federal deadline (June 30). Most schools post all these deadlines on their financial aid website pages. While the OP has missed the first two deadlines at most schools, completing the FAFSA now will still allow access to federal Direct Loans, which can be processed even into the fall semester in most cases.
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Amara Eze
Definitely fill out that FAFSA today! Even if your late! My son got some aid even tho we were like 2 months past the priority date. Not as much as we would've but something is better than nothing right? 👍
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Giovanni Ricci
I had a similar situation with my daughter last year. One thing that really helped was getting on the phone with someone from Federal Student Aid directly to figure out our options. The online system kept giving errors because we were past some deadlines. I wasted hours trying to get through their phone system until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to an actual FSA agent in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. The agent walked me through exactly what forms we still could submit and what aid was still available. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Definitely worth it to talk to an actual human who can look at your specific situation.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•Thank you for this! I'll check it out. The website has been confusing me already so talking to a real person would be so helpful.
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NeonNomad
You should also look into private student loans as a backup plan. Companies like Sallie Mae, Discover, and SoFi offer them year-round regardless of FAFSA deadlines. Interest rates aren't as good as federal loans but it's an option if you need to fill gaps. Some can be approved pretty quickly too if you need the money soon for fall semester.
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Liam McGuire
•While private loans are an option, I'd strongly recommend exhausting all federal loan options first through the FAFSA, even if submitted late. Federal loans offer much better protections, forgiveness options, and typically lower interest rates than private alternatives. The Parent PLUS loan mentioned earlier is still available through FAFSA submission, and often has better terms than private loans. If credit is a concern for the PLUS loan, the student may become eligible for additional unsubsidized federal loans.
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Amara Eze
Wait isn't there like emergency financial aid too?? My nephew got something called emergency aid when his parents lost their jobs mid semester. Maybe ask the school about that?
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QuantumQuest
•Emergency aid is typically for current students who experience unexpected financial hardships during the academic year, not for incoming students who missed application deadlines. However, it's still worth asking the financial aid office about all available options, including any special consideration for first-year students who missed deadlines.
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Liam McGuire
Some additional advice based on working in financial aid: 1. When you contact the school's financial aid office, ask specifically about their "Professional Judgment" process. Some offices can make adjustments for special circumstances. 2. Your state may have separate grant/scholarship applications still open. Not everything is tied to FAFSA deadlines. 3. Check if your son's school has an institutional methodology (like the CSS Profile) separate from FAFSA - sometimes there are different deadlines. 4. Ask about work-study opportunities that might still be available for fall. 5. Many schools hold back a portion of their institutional aid for late applicants or special circumstances. Don't panic - there are often more options than appear at first glance.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•Thank you for these specific tips! I didn't know about the Professional Judgment option. His school does use the CSS Profile - I'll check if that deadline is different. I think I'm starting to see a path forward here. Appreciate everyone's help so much!
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
this is y the whole system sucks!! why make it so complicated with so many deadlines?? my brother missed deadlines too and ended up having to take a gap year bc he couldnt afford school. the whole financial aid system is designed to trip people up i swear
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Mei Zhang
•It is confusing! I spent like 3 hours trying to figure out which forms my daughter needed. They could definitely make the process clearer.
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Zoe Dimitriou
Update: I wanted to thank everyone for their advice! We submitted the FAFSA today and I've scheduled a call with the financial aid office tomorrow morning. I also found out his school has a special consideration form for late applicants that we're filling out tonight. There's still hope! I'll let you know how it goes after we talk to the school.
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QuantumQuest
•Great news! The special consideration form is exactly what you need in this situation. Be completely honest about why you missed the deadline, and focus on your willingness to complete everything now. Most schools want to help students attend - they just have processes that need to be followed, even if late.
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