FAFSA Deadline Extension Announced

The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development has announced that the deadline to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, has been extended to to April 1st to receive the Access Missouri Grant. The two-month extension was extended due to the delayed released of the 2024-25 FAFSA.

The FAFSA normally opens on October 1st each year, but required updates put in place by the FAFSA Simplification Act delayed the release until the end of December. Although the 2024-25 FAFSA is now available online, it is considered a soft launch. The U.S. Department of Education says users who attempt to complete the form during the soft launch may experience interruptions, availability issues, and planned pauses for maintenance as they continue to work to improve the user experience. Additionally, they have advised that Federal Student Aid (FSA) will not transmit results to schools until later in January.

Eligible students who complete the FAFSA by April 1 will receive the Access Missouri Grant, although final award amounts will not be determined until later in the year. For more information about Access Missouri, visit dhewd.mo.gov. For financial aid questions, please call MDHEWD at 800-474-6757, option 4.

The final federal deadline to file the FAFSA for the 2024-25 academic school year is June 30, 2025, and the last day to file corrections or updates is Sept. 14, 2025. Students should also check with the college or university they plan to attend to determine if they have their own FAFSA deadline.

In October, MDHEWD launched a FAFSA website to help keep students informed about the 2024-25 FAFSA filing period and updates in the process. The new website includes information about what individuals can do to prepare, how to file, and what to review for the FAFSA. Along with easy-to-follow steps, students can access answers to frequently asked questions, infographics, and helpful blogs.