2024-2025 Academic Year

For 2024-2025, the FAFSA and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) release was delayed to December 2023. The deadline for Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship was also extended to May 2, 2024. 

December 2023: The FAFSA and California Dream Act Application (CADAA) open for the 2024-25 academic year. Start early and prepare to submit your application by the May 2, 2024 state priority deadline. Deadlines for some private scholarships or college institutional aid programs may be earlier. Check with each college you are considering so you meet all deadlines.

May 2, 2024: The deadline for priority state aid has been extended to May 2, 2024. Students should complete their application before this date to be considered for Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship.

Students who initiated, but did not complete a financial aid application before May 2 can still complete their applications to be considered on-time for the priority deadline. This will not require any additional action on the part of the student.  

September 3, 2024: If you will be attending a California Community College in 2024-25, your Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship deadline is September 3, 2024, due to September 2 falling on the Labor Day holiday.

2025-2026 Academic Year

For 2025-2026, CSAC is anticipating an announcement from the Department of Education to confirm an official application launch date. If you would like to receive real time financial aid application updates from CSAC, subscribe to our email service or follow us on social media! 

If the FAFSA and CADAA are released on October 1, 2024 as planned, the state priority deadline for the 2025-26 academic year will be March 3, 2025, due to March 2 falling on a weekend. The Community College deadline will be September 2, 2025.

(Last updated June 18, 2024)

In subsequent years, we expect applications will open on October 1; 
the state priority deadline will be March 2 (September 2 for California Community College students), unless the date falls on a weekend or holiday.

What Happens Next?

Once you submit your financial aid application, there might be additional actions required of you from CSAC.  Make sure that your email is current so that you can complete the actions in a timely manner. 

Create a free WebGrants 4 Students account to check on your Cal Grant and GPA status at: https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov/

Want to be notified of important deadlines? Subscribe to CSAC’s email service or follow us on social media!

Need help completing the FAFSA or CADAA? CSAC hosts free Cash for College webinars and workshops where financial aid experts are ready to help answer your questions! Register or learn more here.