The Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant) Program regulations at 34 CFR 690.83(a) establish the deadline by which a school must submit student payment data each award year. As required by these regulations, and consistent with the Federal Register published on Dec. 11, 2025, the final deadline for schools to electronically transmit Pell Grant records for the 2025–26 award year to the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System is Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026.
Existing regulations for drawing and returning funds and reporting disbursements supersede this deadline. By meeting these regulatory requirements, a school should be able to fully reconcile to a zero cash > net accepted and posted disbursements (NAPD) balance (net drawdowns = NAPD) shortly after making final disbursements for the award year, rather than waiting for the final processing deadline. Schools participating in the Pell Grant Program are also able to officially confirm closeout via the School Balance Confirmation page on the COD website.
Sept. 30, 2026, is also the final deadline for funds availability for the 2020–21 Pell Grant award year. After that time, schools will be unable to draw down or adjust further funds via G5 (although refunds of cash will still be accepted), and the award year will not be accessible via the COD System to process any further awards or disbursements for that award year. As such, schools must complete all final reconciliation activities well before this final deadline and in accordance with disbursement reporting timelines and the data submission (closeout) deadline defined above.
The COD System must receive, and subsequently accept, all actual disbursements with a disbursement date from Sept. 30, 2026, through Oct. 1, 2026, no later than 8 a.m. Eastern time (ET) on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, to generate the appropriate funding level increase prior to the G5 shutdown. The COD System will continue accepting 2025–26 Pell Grant award and disbursement data through the Sept. 30, 2026, grant deadline. However, G5 will not fund these disbursements until it reopens on Oct. 1, 2026. Schools should ensure that 1) they obtain all necessary reports and 2) they submit and the COD system accepts all applicable 2025–26 origination, disbursement, and change records prior to the processing deadlines.
Schools can find specific information about Pell Grant reconciliation and closeout in Volume 4, Chapter 5 of the FSA Handbook and in the COD FAQs on the COD website. Schools should also refer to the following Electronic Announcements related to the Sept. 30, 2026, processing deadline:
A school can request extended processing for the 2025–26 award year via the COD website beginning Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, one day prior to the data submission deadline as follows:
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Through Feb. 1, 2027 – For natural disasters, other unusual circumstances, or an administrative error made by the U.S. Department of Education (ED).
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Through May 3, 2027 – For a student enrolled in a clock-hour or nonterm credit-hour educational program who re-enters within 180 days after initially withdrawing and the school is reporting a disbursement within 15 days of the re-enrollment but after Sept. 30, 2026.
However, a school should not submit a request until after it has completed reconciliation of all program records as well as its research and is ready to submit new or increased award or disbursement data to the COD System. If necessary, a school may also request additional extensions of an initially approved period through May 3, 2027. If granted, any additional extension period will be no more than 30 calendar days in length.
Upon request, ED may grant administrative relief or extended processing for the following reasons:
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An administrative or processing error made by ED or one of its operating partners or an event, such as a natural disaster or other unusual circumstance beyond the school's control, prevented the school from meeting the deadline.
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The school needs to request unreported funds based upon a program review or initial audit finding in accordance with 34 CFR 690.83(d) or 34 CFR 691.83(d).
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The school is allowed to make a late disbursement in accordance with 34 CFR 668.164(g).
Schools can find instructions for requesting extended processing in Volume 4, Chapter 5 of the FSA Handbook and in the COD FAQs on the COD website.
If you have questions or need help with closeout activities, contact the FSA Partner and School Relations Center at 1-800-848-0978. Starting Aug. 28, 2026, the contact center is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. You may also email CODSupport@ed.gov.