​Baltimore, MD - The Maryland Higher Education Commission has extended the Maryland financial aid deadline to submit the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA, to June 1, 2024.  To support the application process, the commission launched a new webpage that will help Maryland students apply for federal and state financial aid for the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year. 

“The FAFSA is the application for most ​of Maryland’s need-based scholarships and grants,” said Maryland Higher Education Acting Secretary Dr. Sanjay Rai. “It is critical that when the application opens, our students are not only part of the federal financial aid process, but become eligible for more than $130 million in Maryland scholarships and grants available to them though the Maryland Higher Education Commission.”

In anticipation of the U.S. Department of Education plans to release the new FAFSA form by December 31, the Maryland Higher Education Commission is making sure everyone in Maryland who is impacted by the application delay can get up-to-date information. Students are encouraged to visit the website now to learn more about how to prepare to apply using the FAFSA form and to sign up for a FSA ID by creating a username and password at studentaid.gov.

“Creating a FSA ID now will allow Maryland students and families to be ready for the newly revised FAFSA when the federal government releases it,” said Maryland Higher Education Commission Chair Cassie Motz.  “As we prepare for the federal government's impending changes to the FAFSA, I commend the hard-working employees of the Maryland Higher Education Commission for being so proactive to support Maryland's students by offering FAFSA help sessions and extending the deadline to apply for Maryland state aid."  

While students will have until June 1, 2024 to file their FAFSA and qualify for Maryland scholarships, they are encouraged to file by March 1, 2024 if they want to be notified of their eligibility April 15, 2024.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the impact of the updated FAFSA projects an increase of 7,398 in Maryland Pell recipients, increasing the number of maximum Pell recipients in the state to 20,310 students. Across the U.S., the new form is expected to help 610,000 new students from need-based backgrounds receive Federal Pell Grants.