FAFSA® Submission Timelines and Other Financial Aid Deadlines

There are three key dates students should circle in their calendars every year: October 1st, June 30th, and September 15th. If you have any questions about school-specific deadlines, you should talk to your aid administrator.

• October 1st  – FAFSA® opens for the next academic year
• June 30th  – FAFSA® closes for the current academic year
• September 15th – Deadline to make FAFSA® corrections for the previous academic year

In simpler terms:

Academic Year	FAFSA® Opens	Federal Deadline	Corrections
2021-2022	October 1, 2020	June 30th, 2022	September 15, 2022
2022-2023	October 1, 2021	June 30th, 2023	September 15, 2023

 

If you ever wondered why the FAFSA® asks for financial information from two years prior to the application year, it’s due to the date the FSA opens the FAFSA®. Students who file their 2018-2019 FAFSA® on October 1st, 2017 would not yet have filed their 2017 taxes.

Keep Track of School and State Deadlines, too

While the federal FAFSA® allows students to file their FAFSA® after the school year is already over, that doesn’t mean schools and states are equally lenient. You can find this information online, but you can also talk to the college aid administrator.

School Deadlines

Many colleges and states have their own financial aid deadlines, which could affect the amount of aid you receive. While those colleges and states will still accept your FAFSA® for federal aid, they may not use your FAFSA® to judge your candidacy for school and state-provided financial aid.

While the federal FAFSA® deadline generally corresponds to the end of the school year, school deadlines often align with the beginning of the academic calendar. Students already enrolled in college may be required to file their FAFSA® no later than the beginning of the Fall semester if they want to receive their federal aid for the following year.

Students who are still going through the application process may find that their FAFSA® deadlines are even earlier. Some college aid administrators may request that financial aid paperwork is submitted to meet the same deadlines as applications for enrollment. That window is usually between November and January, 8-10 months before the school year begins.

The last deadline that students must remain aware of is the tuition deadline set by their college. If you fail to pay for your classes on time, your college may prevent you from registering for classes for the following semester, or even drop you from your current courses.

Check your college’s website or ask your college’s financial aid administrator for a list of important financial aid dates so you don’t miss any crucial deadlines. If you miss your college’s deadline, be sure to also contact your college’s financial aid office. They will give you instructions on how to move forward and receive the maximum amount of financial aid.

State Financial Aid Deadlines

Just as there is a deadline for federal financial aid, each state has its own deadline for the financial aid they provide for students. Many state deadlines come in the spring before the start of the academic calendar, so it’s important for students to file their FAFSA® as early as possible.

Student Aid deadlines by state for the 2020-2021 school year, can be found below.

State Deadlines

Just as there is a deadline for federal financial aid, each state also has its own deadline for the financial aid they provide for students. Many state deadlines come in the spring before the start of the academic calendar, so it’s important for students to file their FAFSA® as early as possible.

Student Aid deadlines by state for the 2020-2021 school year, can be found below:

Alabama	Contact your financial aid administrator
Alaska	June 30th, 2022 – Alaska grants and scholarships are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply before the deadline.
American Samoa	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Arizona	Contact your financial aid administrator
Arkansas	June 1st, 2022, by midnight CT. For a workforce grant, be sure to contact your financial aid administrator.
California	March 2, 2022 – This deadline applies to any California financial aid program.
Colorado	Contact your financial aid administrator
Connecticut	February 15th, 2022 – For priority consideration, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT.
Delaware	April 15th, 2022, by midnight CT
District of Columbia	May 1st, 2022 – For priority consideration, be sure to submit your FAFSA® application by the deadline. May 31st, 2022– For the DC Tuition Assistance Grant  (DCTAG), be sure to complete the DC OneApp and submit any required documents by the deadline, to be given priority consideration.
Federated States of Micronesia	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Florida	May 15th, 2022 – All Florida state aid applications are due this day.
Georgia	Contact your financial aid administrator.
Guam	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Hawaii	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Idaho	March 1st, 2022 –  For priority consideration, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT.
Illinois	After October 1st, 2021 –  Grants and scholarships are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
Indiana	After October 1st, 2021 –  Grants and scholarships are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
Iowa	July 1st, 2022, by midnight CT. Additional forms may be required.
Kansas	April 1st, 2022 – For priority consideration, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT.
Kentucky	After October 1st, 2022 –  Grants and scholarships are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
Louisiana	July 1st, 2022 – However, it is recommended that you submit the application by July 1st, 2020 to receive more grants.
Maine	May 1st, 2022 – For priority consideration, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT.
Marshall Islands	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Maryland	March 1st, 2022 – For priority consideration, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT.
Massachusetts	May 1st, 2022 – For priority consideration, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT.
Michigan	March 1st, 2022 by midnight CT
Minnesota	30 days after term starts, by midnight CT. For more information contact your financial aid administrator.
Mississippi	April 30th, 2021 – If you’re interested in the HELP scholarship, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT. October 15th, 2020 – If you’re interested in the MTAG and MESG grants, be sure to submit your applications by midnight CT.
Missouri	February 1st, 2022 – For priority consideration, be sure to submit your application by the deadline. However, applications are accepted through April 1st, 2019 by midnight CT.
Montana	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Nebraska	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Nevada	After October 1st, 2021 –  Grants are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens. April 1st, 2022 – If you’re interested in the Nevada Promise scholarship, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT.
New Hampshire	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
New Jersey	April 15th, 2022 – For the 2020-2021 Tuition Grant, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT. Sept. 15th, 2022 – To apply for the Fall and Spring terms, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT. February 15th, 2022 – To apply for the Spring term submit your application by midnight CT.
New Mexico	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
New York	June 30th, 2022 – Submit your application by midnight CT.
North Carolina	After October 1st, 2021 –  Grants are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
North Dakota	After October 1st, 2021–  Grants are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
N. Mariana Islands	April 30th, 2021 – For priority consideration, be sure to submit your application by midnight CT.
Ohio	October 1st, 2021 by midnight CT
Oklahoma	After October 1st, 2021 –  Grants are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
Oregon	After October 1st, 2021 –  Grants are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
Palau	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Pennsylvania	May 1st, 2021 by midnight CT. August 1st, 2022 – This deadline applies to all first-time applicants.
Puerto Rico	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Rhode Island	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
South Carolina	After October 1st, 2022 –  Grants are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens. June 30th, 2022 –  If you are interested in Tuition Grants, be sure to apply by midnight CT.
South Dakota	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Tennessee	February 1st, 2022 –  Deadline for State Grants and awards are made until funds are depleted.
Texas	After October 1st, 2021 –  Grants are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
U.S. Virgin Islands	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Utah	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Vermont	After October 1st, 2021 –  Grants are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
Virginia	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Washington	After October 1st, 2021 –  Grants are made until funds are depleted. So make sure you apply ASAP after the 2020-2021 FAFSA® opens.
West Virginia	March 1st, 2022 –  This deadline applies to the PROMISE scholarship. April 15th, 2022 – This deadline applies to the WV Higher Education Grant Program.
Wisconsin	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.
Wyoming	Contact your financial aid administrator. Additional forms may be required.

Financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is recommended students file their FAFSA® as soon as possible to ensure the best financial aid offer. 

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Frequently Asked Questions