when does fafsa close

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) federal deadline to submit the application for the 2025-2026 academic year is June 30, 2026, by 11:59 pm Central Time. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by September 14, 2026, by 11:59 pm Central Time. Typically, FAFSA opens on October 1 of the year before the academic year starts, and remains open until June 30 of the academic year or the end of the academic year, whichever comes first. For example, for the 2025-2026 school year, FAFSA will open on October 1, 2024, and close on June 30, 2026. Although the federal deadline is June 30, students are encouraged to file as early as possible to maximize financial aid chances since some state and college deadlines might be earlier.