When Is the FAFSA Due?

Federal student aid deadlines vary by school and state

By

Updated on September 29, 2022

Two college students use a laptop in a dorm room — Photo:
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Getting ready to head to college can be busy and hectic. But before you ever register for classes, pick a major, or pack for your dorm room, you’ll need to file a FAFSA.

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on time should be at the top of your college-prep checklist. You must file a FAFSA (or FAFSA renewal) each school year to access federal student aid. But the FAFSA is also used to determine your eligibility for student aid offered by states and colleges.

Key Takeaways

There are three deadlines for your FAFSA—one for your state, another for your college, and the last for federal aid.
Despite having deadlines throughout the year, it's best to get your FAFSA in as soon as possible to receive the maximum amount of funding.
You can go back and make corrections or change schools on your FAFSA if need be. But if you miss the deadline, you may have to wait until the following year to receive aid.

So when is the FAFSA due? There are actually three major FAFSA due dates for different types of student aid: your college’s deadline, your state’s deadline, and the federal deadline for the FAFSA. Here’s how to figure out when each FAFSA is due.

Your College FAFSA Deadline

The FAFSA opens on October 1 for the following school year. For example, students could have filed their applications for the 2022-23 school year as early as Oct. 1, 2021. It’s a good idea to complete the FAFSA as soon after Oct. 1 as possible if you’re hoping to receive grants or scholarships from your college.

Many schools set FAFSA priority deadlines, which is when the FAFSA is due if you want to maximize your consideration for student aid from your college. Each college sets its own FAFSA priority deadline. Some colleges’ FAFSA deadlines are as early as Nov. 1, a month after the form opens, and others are as late as Aug. 1, right before the school year begins.

With this wide range of deadlines, it’s best to check your school’s calendar or ask the financial aid office so you know your college’s FAFSA due date.

State FAFSA Deadlines

Most state student aid programs require you to file a FAFSA, but each state sets its own FAFSA deadline. Here are some key points to keep in mind as you look into state student aid and FAFSA deadlines:

Some states require students to submit additional forms to be considered for state student aid, and others don’t.
Some states accept FAFSAs and award aid—until funds run out. Submitting a FAFSA early will improve your chances of receiving aid.
Some states set priority deadlines for the FAFSA (similar to colleges). You’ll have a better chance of receiving aid if you apply by the priority deadline, but you can still apply between the priority and regular deadlines.
Some states have separate deadlines for specific grant or aid programs, so keep that in mind as you’re prioritizing your college-prep to-dos.
Watch out for “processed by” deadlines. For example, Florida’s FAFSA deadline is the date by which your form must be processed, not just submitted.

Note

Check your state’s student aid office for information and deadlines to apply, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your college’s financial aid office for further assistance and information.

Here’s an overview of state student aid and FAFSA deadlines for the 2023-24 school year.

State	State FAFSA Deadline
Alabama	Talk to your financial aid office
Alaska	Alaska Education Grant: ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022, Alaska Performance Scholarship: June 30, 2023
Arizona	Talk to your financial aid office
Arkansas	Academic Challenge: July 1, 2023, ArFuture Grant (fall term): July 1, 2023, ArFuture Grant (spring term): Jan. 10, 2024
California	State financial aid programs: postmarked by March 2, 2023
Colorado	Talk to your financial aid office
Connecticut	Priority deadline: Feb. 15, 2023
Delaware	May 15, 2023
District of Columbia	Priority deadline: May 1, 2023
Florida	Processed by May 15, 2023
Georgia	ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022
Hawaii	Talk to your financial aid office
Idaho	Opportunity Grant priority deadline: March 1, 2023
Illinois	ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022
Indiana	ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022
Iowa	July 1, 2023
Kansas	Priority deadline: April 1, 2023
Kentucky	ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022
Louisiana	July 1, 2024, though by Feb. 1, 2023, is recommended
Maine	May 1, 2023
Maryland	March 1, 2023
Massachusetts	Priority deadline: May 1, 2023
Michigan	May 1, 2023
Minnesota	30 days after term starts
Mississippi	MTAG and MESG Grants: Oct. 15, 2023, HELP Scholarship: April 30, 2023
Missouri	Priority deadline: Feb. 1, 2023, Deadline: April 1, 2023
Montana	Priority deadline: Dec. 1, 2022
Nebraska	Talk to your financial aid office
Nevada	Silver State Opportunity Grant: ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022, Nevada Promise Scholarship: March 1, 2023
New Hampshire	Talk to your financial aid office
New Jersey	2022-23 Tuition Aid Grant recipients: April 15, 2023, All other applicants, fall and spring terms: Sept. 15, 2023, Spring term only: Feb. 15, 2024
New Mexico	Talk to your financial aid office
New York	June 30, 2024
North Carolina	ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022
North Dakota	ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022
Ohio	Oct. 1, 2023
Oklahoma	Talk to your financial aid office
Oregon	Oregon Opportunity Grant: ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022, OSAC Private Scholarships: March 1, 2023, Oregon Promise Grant: Contact your state agency
Pennsylvania	First-time applicants enrolled in community college or trade schools: Aug. 1, 2023, All other applicants: May 1, 2023
Rhode Island	Talk to your financial aid office
South Carolina	SC Commission on Higher Education Need-based Grants: ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022, Tuition Grants: June 30, 2023
South Dakota	Talk to your financial aid office
Tennessee	State Grant: March 15, 2023 if you previously received funding, Tennessee Promise: March 1, 2023, State Lottery for fall term: Sept. 1, 2023, State Lottery for spring and summer terms: Feb. 1, 2024
Texas	Priority deadline: Jan. 15, 2023
Utah	Talk to your financial aid office
Vermont	ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022
Virginia	ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022. Students ineligible for federal student aid can complete the Virginia Alternative State Aid Application.
Washington	ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022. Students ineligible for federal student aid can complete the Washington Application for State Financial Aid.
West Virginia	PROMISE Scholarship: March 1, 2023, WV Higher Education Grant Program: April 15, 2023, WV Invests Grant priority: April 15, 2023
Wisconsin	Talk to your financial aid office
Wyoming	Talk to your financial aid office

Federal FAFSA Deadline

As mentioned, the FAFSA opens annually for the following school year on Oct. 1. For the 2023-24 school year, for example, students could start submitting a FAFSA on Oct. 1, 2022.

But how long do you have after that to submit the form? The federal deadline to submit the FAFSA is June 30 of the school year it’s for. For the 2023-24 school year, for example, the federal FAFSA deadline is June 30, 2023.

Note

If you need to make corrections or updates to your FAFSA, the deadline is Sept. 9, 2023.

Fill Out Your FAFSA Early

Filling out the FAFSA early is one of the best things you can do to prepare for the upcoming school year. Not only will it get this task out of the way, it can improve your chances of getting more student aid. By getting it in early, you can more easily meet state and school priority deadlines to be considered for specific aid programs or scholarships.

Additionally, many student aid programs have limited funding; they award aid to eligible students until their funds run out. Applying earlier gives you a solid chance of snagging some of that funding for yourself.

Lastly, completing a FAFSA early can help you see what student aid you’re offered. If it’s not enough to cover your full costs, you’ll still have time to figure out where to get extra money for college. By the time your term starts, you’ll have the financial side of college fully settled—and hopefully, you’ll be able to focus more on your studies and less on how to pay for them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you fill out the FAFSA before applying to schools?

Yes. Go ahead and include up to 10 colleges you’re planning to apply to. If you need to add or change schools later, you can make corrections to the FAFSA.

Can you make changes to your FAFSA after submitting?

Yes, you can check your FAFSA status after submitting and make changes or corrections if needed. If you’re correcting an error, you can log into the FAFSA online portal and select “Make FAFSA corrections.” You can also ask your college’s financial aid office for further help and info.

What happens if you miss the FAFSA deadline?

Your best move is to make every effort to get your FAFSA in by the deadlines. If you miss a deadline, you can still try to get help.

College FAFSA deadline: Reach out to your school’s financial aid office for help.
State FAFSA deadline: Contact your state’s education agency.

The federal FAFSA deadline is hard and fast. If you miss it, you will be ineligible to submit this form or access federal student aid for that school year.

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Sources

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Federal Student Aid. "3 FAFSA Deadlines You Must Know."
Federal Student Aid. "How Do I Add a College to My FAFSA Form?"
Federal Student Aid. "How to Correct or Update Your FAFSA Application."