Priority Processing FAFSA® Deadline

 

 

New students starting in Fall 2025(August 2025) must complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA when it becomes available around December 1, 2024 at studentaid.gov. Our office does not collect or review the CSS Profile.

FAFSA help is available through StudentAid.gov via email, chat, phone, and virtual assistant at https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact. Submit your FAFSA as soon as it becomes available to avoid deadlines.

The priority deadline is the date by which you should have filed your FAFSA. This date gives a reasonable amount of time for the student/parent to correct any errors, resolve federal database mismatches and provide any additional documentation requests from the Department of Education and Catholic University. This date also gives Catholic University the time required to review and complete any federal or institutional verification.

The priority deadline is most important for prospective undergraduate students since these students need their complete financial aid package to make a final decision on what school they will be attending. Filing your FAFSA by the priority deadline and promptly responding to any requests for additional documentation will result in the student receiving their Financial Aid Notification letter on the earliest date.

Late Processing FAFSA Deadline

Applications received after the late deadline are processed on a rolling basis. Because we work with limited funds in the campus-based federal and university need-based programs, aid from these programs are awarded on a funds-available basis. Aid offers made after the late deadline may contain only direct aid, such as Pell Grants (for exceptionally needy students who qualify) and loans from the Federal Direct Loan programs.

Graduate applicants should also consult with their academic department regarding any scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships deadlines.

Late FAFSA Federal Submission Deadlines

2024–25 Academic Year
The FAFSA form must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on June 30, 2025. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on Sept. 1, 2025.

2025–26 Academic Year
The FAFSA form had to be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central time (CT) on June 30, 2026. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on Sept. 1, 2026.

Graduate Students

All graduate university scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships are awarded by the respective academic departments. These awards are not administered by the Office of Student Financial Assistance or the Office of Admissions. Therefore, graduate students should contact their respective academic departments concerning deadlines and application procedures. The Office of Student Financial Assistance only processes graduate students for federal loan eligibility, therefore graduate students are processed on a rolling basis as FAFSA applications are received, until our Federal Loan FAFSA Processing Deadline. All departmental awards must be coordinated with any federal or commercial loans. Reduction of loan amounts may result if departmental awards are received after loan eligibility is determined. 

Federal Loan FAFSA Processing Deadline

In order for the Office of Student Financial Assistance to process you for your federal loan eligibility for the fall term, we must receive your completed, valid FAFSA results from the U.S. Department of Education by November 10 of that term. If you are applying for federal loans for the full academic year (fall and spring) or for the spring term only, we must receive your completed valid FAFSA results from the U.S. Department of Education by April 10 of the spring term.

Summer Loans

In order for the Office of Student Financial Assistance to process your federal loan eligibility for the summer term, we must receive your completed valid FAFSA results from the U.S. Department of Education three weeks before the end of the last summer session for which you are registered.

 Financial Aid Offer Letter Mailing Dates (Estimated)

Financial Aid Offer Letters go out on a rolling basis after the mailing dates listed above.