The Free Application for Federal Student Aid or the FAFSA deadline is important, but waiting until the last minute to apply has consequences. The sooner you apply, the more financial aid you can receive. That’s why the FAFSA opening date is the most important than the deadline in our opinion.
The FAFSA starts accepting applications every Oct. 1 and closes June 30. While June 30 is the federal deadline, each institution has different deadlines. If you are enrolling for the 2022-23 school year, the FAFSA will be available on Oct.1, 2021. If you’re looking for federal aid while you’re in school, you’ll need to complete the FAFSA every year.
State and institutional FAFSA deadlines
Many states have their own scholarships and grants for local students attending an in-state college. These scholarships are often limited, which is another reason to fill out the FAFSA sooner rather than later. Also, state aid deadlines are often earlier than the general FAFSA deadline.
Here are the deadlines for each state for the 2022-23 school year:
Alaska - ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021, for Alaska Education Grant; by June 30, 2022, for Alaska Performance Scholarship
Arizona - Check with your financial aid administrator
Arkansas - July 1, 2022 for Academic Challenge and ArFuture Grant (fall semester) and January 10, 2023 for ArFuture Grant (spring semester)
California - March 2, 2022, for state financial aid programs and Cal Grant; Sept. 2, 2023 for community college Cal Grants
Colorado - Check with your financial aid administrator
Connecticut - Feb. 15, 2022
Delaware - April 15, 2022
Florida - May 15, 2022
Georgia - Check with your financial aid administrator
Hawaii - Check with your financial aid administrator
Idaho - March 1, 2022
Illinois - ASAP after Oct.1, 2020
Indiana - ASAP after Oct.1, 2020, for Adult Student Grant and Workforce Ready Grant; April 15, 2022, for Frank O’Bannon Grant and 21st Century Scholarship
Iowa - July 1, 2022
Kansas - April 1, 2022
Kentucky - ASAP after Oct. 1, 2022
Louisiana - July 1, 2023
Maine - May 1, 2022
Maryland - March 1, 2022
Massachusetts - May 1, 2022
Michigan - March 1, 2022
Minnesota - 30 days after term starts
Mississippi - Sept. 15, 2022, for MTAG and MESG Grants; April 30, 2022, for HELP Scholarship
Missouri - Feb. 1, 2022, for priority consideration; applications accepted through April 1, 2022
Montana - Dec. 1, 2022
Nebraska - Check with your financial aid administrator
Nevada - ASAP after Oct.1, 2020, for the Silver State Opportunity Grant; March 1, 2022, for the Nevada Promise Scholarship
New Hampshire - Check with your financial aid administrator
New Jersey - April 15, 2022, for 2022-23 Tuition Aid Grant recipients; Sept. 15, 2022, for fall and spring terms; Feb 15, 2023, for spring term only
New Mexico - Check with your financial aid administrator
New York - June 30, 2023
North Carolina - ASAP after Oct.1, 2020
North Dakota - ASAP after Oct.1, 2020
Ohio - Oct. 1, 2022
Oklahoma - ASAP after Oct.1, 2020
Oregon - ASAP after Oct. 1, 2020, for Oregon Opportunity Grant; March 1, 2022, for OSAC Private Scholarships; varies for Oregon Promise Grant
Pennsylvania - Aug. 1, 2022, for first-time applicants enrolled in community college, business, trade or technical school, hospital school of nursing, designated Pennsylvania Open-Admission institution or nontransferable two-year program; May 1, 2022, for all other applicants
Rhode Island - Check with your financial aid administrator
South Carolina - ASAP after Oct. 1, 2020, for SC Commission on Higher Education Need-based Grants; June 30, 2022, for Tuition Grants
South Dakota - Check with your financial aid administrator
Tennessee - Feb. 1, 2022, for State Grant and Tennessee Promise; Sept. 1, 2022, for State Lottery fall term; Feb. 1, 2022, for State Lottery spring and summer terms
Texas - Jan. 15, 2022
Utah - Dec. 4, 2020, for Regents’ Scholarship priority; Feb. 1, 2022, for Regents’ Scholarship; varies for other programs
Vermont - ASAP after Oct.1, 2020
Virginia - Check with your financial aid administrator
Washington - ASAP after Oct.1, 2020
Washington, D.C. - May 1, 2022, for priority consideration; May 31, 2022, for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant
West Virginia - March 1, 2022, for PROMISE Scholarship; April 15, 2022, for WV Higher Education Grant Program and WV Invests Grant
Wisconsin - Check with your financial aid administrator
Wyoming - Check with your financial aid administrator
For some programs, additional forms may be required. For specific details about your state’s deadline requirements, head to the Department of Education’s website.
