What Are the Deadlines for FAFSA?

The federal deadline for FAFSA is June 30 each year, meaning if you need financial aid for the 2026—2027 school year, you have until June 30, 2027 to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Beginning with the 2019—20 FAFSA, you will be able to submit your FAFSA as early as October 1 preceding the year for which you need aid.

The Department of Education deems an application’s receipt date and time to be when the application (correction, if any) has been successfully submitted.

When should FAFSA be completed?

For the 2026—2027 academic year, the FAFSA must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on June 30, 2027. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on Sept. 12, 2027. ¹

Here’s a complete, state-by-state list of financial aid deadlines

What does priority deadline for FAFSA mean?

Priority deadline is the date by which students are encouraged to submit the FAFSA to have the best chance for receiving financial aid. Schools, state agencies, and scholarship programs often set earlier priority deadlines, but none go beyond the federal cutoff.

States and colleges set their own FAFSA deadlines that are typically much earlier than the federal one, with the earliest on February in Connecticut, quickly followed by California, Idaho, Maryland and Oregon in early March, to name a few.

Some states award financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis or until the money runs out.

1. Alaska
2. Illinois
3. Kentucky
4. North Carolina
5. South Carolina
6. Washington
7. Vermont

With the switch to an earlier FAFSA open date, it’s wise to check with the financial aid office of the school(s) you are interested in attending as each school may have a different deadline for FAFSA.

You may also want to ask your school about their definition of an application deadline — whether it is the date they receive your FAFSA, or the date your FAFSA is processed so you can be absolutely sure your forms are submitted on time.

What if I missed the FAFSA deadline?

As long as your FAFSA is submitted by the federal deadline of June 30, you will be eligible to receive federal student aid — including a Federal Pell Grant and other financial aid.

Even if you’re a latecomer, you can still qualify for federal aid, but not for state-funded aid programs. However, if you miss the June 30 federal deadline, you’re no longer eligible to submit that year’s FAFSA form.

Regardless what your state and college require in terms of deadline, it’s almost always in your best interest to submit your FAFSA as soon as it becomes available on October 1 before the state runs out of aid.