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Education

LA fires prompt financial aid deadline extension

Students, some in pairs, walk past a multi-storied building, set against a cloudy sky.
In response to the recent fires, the Los Angeles Community College District temporarily moved in-person classes online, including at East Los Angeles College.
(
Jackie Orchard
/
LAist
)

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Topline:

As massive fires continue to burn in the region, students in L.A. and Ventura counties now have an extra month to apply for financial aid for college. The new deadline is April 2, 2025.

Why now: Daisy Gonzales, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission, said the agency wants to give students who’ve been affected by the fires "additional time to apply for aid as they navigate this extremely challenging time.”

Good to know: For students who live in other parts of the state, the deadline is still March 3, 2025.

The backstory: Assembly Bill 2500, signed into law in September, allows CSAC to extend financial aid application deadlines when students are affected by natural disasters or a state of emergency. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for L.A. and Ventura counties last week.

Need help applying? CSAC continues to host Cash for College workshops, both in-person and online.

How to apply: The 2025 FAFSA form is finally open.

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