UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State will extend its offer acceptance deadline from May 1 to May 15, 2024, for incoming first-year students enrolling in the summer or fall 2024 terms. The extension comes after the U.S. Department of Education announced that colleges and universities would not receive 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data from applicants until the first half of March. This delay will ultimately result in students receiving their financial aid offers from the University later than usual this year.   

The Undergraduate Admissions Office and Office of Student Aid hope to provide prospective students and their supporters with additional time to consider the cost of attendance amidst delayed aid awarding timelines.  

“In order to make an informed decision, students and families must have all pieces of the equation in front of them,” said George Zimmerman, executive director of Undergraduate Admissions at Penn State. “Because of the anticipated FAFSA delays, we will do everything we can to work with our future Penn Staters as they make their college decision.”  

Incoming students can take advantage of the extended deadline to explore Penn State’s extensive offerings and ask any questions necessary to make an informed decision about their college choice. Students ready to commit to Penn State are encouraged to accept their offer of admission on the MyPennState portal as soon as they are ready to take their next steps. 

Incoming first-year students seeking more information about changes to the 2024-25 FAFSA should visit the Office of Student Aid website. Returning students who are filing the 2024-25 FAFSA are not impacted by this change and should file their FAFSA as usual.