Every year, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens so students can apply to receive federal student aid like work-study, grants, and federal loans.
It’s important that you stay on top of the FAFSA deadlines and submit your financial aid applications annually to maximize your chances of receiving federal student aid.
In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the FAFSA deadlines so you can make affording your college education easier.
When Does the FAFSA Open? What is the FAFSA Deadline?
There are two dates that you should remember as you file the FAFSA: June 30th and October 1st. Every year, the FAFSA opens on October 1st and is due on June 30th at 11:59 PM CT.
The FAFSA opens a year before the academic year you plan to file for. For example, the 2022-23 FAFSA has been open since October 1st, 2021 and is due on June 30th, 2023. The FAFSA for the 2021-22 academic year has been open since October 1st, 2020, and was due on June 30th, 2022.
However, there are different FAFSA deadlines for state and institutional aid. If you want to qualify for financial aid offered by your state like grants and scholarships, you must submit the FAFSA by your state’s application deadline. To receive financial aid from your school, you must submit your FAFSA by the deadline outlined by your institution.
What Tax Information Do I Submit On the FAFSA?
If you are a dependent student, you will submit your parent(s)’ financial information (family income, tax information, etc.) on the FAFSA.
Because the FAFSA for each school year opens one year before that school year, you report your tax information from the year before the current one.
Let’s clear that up a bit.
Let’s say that you are filing your FAFSA for the 2022-23 academic year. The application has been open since October 1st, 2021. You submit your income/tax information from 2020 because the 2021 tax has not been filed yet (the 2021 tax returns were due on April 18th, 2022).
The FAFSA opened for the 2021-22 academic year on October 1st, 2020. One year before 2020 is 2019, so you submit your 2019 tax information and income.
| Academic Year | FAFSA Open Date | Federal FAFSA Deadline | Which Year’s Income/Taxes Needs to be reported |
| 2025-26 | October 1st, 2024 | June 30th, 2026 | 2023 |
| 2024-25 | October 1st, 2023 | June 30th, 2025 | 2022 |
| 2023-24 | October 1st, 2022 | June 30th, 2024 | 2021 |
| 2022-23 | October 1st, 2021 | June 30th, 2023 | 2020 |
| 2021-22 | October 1st, 2020 | June 30th, 2022 | 2019 |
When Should You Actually File the FAFSA?
Even though the application window for the FAFSA is nearly two years, submitting your application as soon as possible is crucial.
Some financial aid is awarded based on a first-come, first-served basis, such as work-study aid, state aid, and institutional aid. So, you should file the FAFSA as close as possible to the October 1st opening date. This is crucial to receiving as much financial aid as you are eligible for.
All FAFSA Deadlines
State and Institutional FAFSA Deadlines
While the FAFSA is used to award federal student aid, institutions and states also use the FAFSA to award financial aid of their own.
Institutional and state FAFSA deadlines are usually earlier than June 30th, the federal FAFSA deadline. You will need to check the FAFSA deadlines of your state and the institutions you plan to apply to.
For example, the priority FAFSA deadline for the state of Connecticut was February 15, 2022 for the 2021-2022 school year. For Idaho, the FAFSA deadline was March 1st, 2022 to receive priority consideration for the state’s Opportunity Scholarship.
If you are going to attend a university outside of your home state, you may not qualify for state financial aid, though this depends on the state. For example, in California, undergraduate students who are attending university out-of-state are not eligible to receive the Cal Grant.
Federal FAFSA Deadline
The federal FAFSA deadline for the 2022-23 school year is June 30th by 11:59 PM CT. Any changes or errors that need to be addressed in the FAFSA must be submitted by September 10th, 2022 by 11:59 PM CT.
FAFSA Deadline Q&A
When Does the FAFSA Open?
The FAFSA opens every year on October 1st for all states.
Is FAFSA First-Come, First-Served?
While not all federal financial aid is given on a first-come, first-served basis, there is some federal financial aid that is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis like work-study.
When Should I Submit the FAFSA?
You should submit your FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1st so that you have a better chance of receiving more financial aid.
Do I Fill Out The FAFSA Before I Get Accepted?
Yes, you can and should submit your FAFSA before applying or being accepted to college. Even though you won’t receive a financial aid package until you are admitted to a school, it is best to fill out your FAFSA as soon as possible so that you do not miss out on financial aid that is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Should I Fill Out the FAFSA If My Parents Make a Lot of Money?
Yes, you should fill out the FAFSA even if your parents make a lot of money. You never know what you’ll qualify for, and most schools use the information you provide on the FAFSA to determine what scholarships and grants are awarded to who.
Even if you don’t meet the financial aid eligibility requirements to receive aid, you can still find out what federal loans you qualify for.
When Is the FAFSA Due for the Next School Year?
The FAFSA is due by 11:59 PM CT on June 30, 2023 for the 2022-23 school year. Any corrections and/or updates must be submitted by 11:59 PM CT on September 10th, 2023.
Closing Thoughts From the Nest
If there’s anything to take away from this article, it’s these two dates: October 1st and June 30th. Remember to submit your FAFSA as soon as possible after the October 1st opening date so that you won’t have to worry about any federal, state, or institutional deadlines.
If you have already missed the FAFSA deadline, consider the following:
- Apply for scholarships and grants. You can apply for state, institutional, and private scholarships at any time of the year. Scholarships and grants are essentially free money for college. Take advantage of this.
- Consider private student loans. Student loans should be your last option if financial aid (federal student loans, work-study, etc.), scholarships, and grants don’t quite cover college costs. In order to see what private student loan options you qualify for, submit a free application with Sparrow today.
- Appeal your financial aid award. If you don’t think you received as much aid as you qualified for or had any unusual financial changes, appeal your financial aid package to have your award reconsidered.