When is the FAFSA due?

Concerns & risks

You were trying to plan ahead for college aid, but you can't find a straight answer on when the FAFSA is due.

Late filers can miss aid.

Causes & evidence

There's a federal deadline, but states and schools often have earlier ones. See FAFSA basics.

What to do

1. Check the federal deadline on StudentAid.gov.
2. Check your state's deadline.
3. Check each school's priority date.

Common mistakes: Common mistakes: only looking at the federal deadline. Federal aid generally has a late deadline at the end of the award year, but many states and colleges set much earlier priority deadlines, and some state aid is first-come, first-served. Look up each school's financial aid page and your state's higher education agency for their dates, and write the earliest one on your calendar. Filing early also gives you time to fix mistakes or respond to verification requests. Don't wait until you're accepted to file; you can list schools you've applied to. Check StudentAid.gov for the current year's dates, since they can change. If you miss a priority deadline, still file: you may qualify for federal aid like a Pell Grant even if some school money is gone.

Speed Man tip: File as early as you can.

Wrap-up: Several deadlines. States earlier. File early.