When To Apply For Federal Financial Aid

If you want to apply for Federal Financial Aid, you will need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year. Here are some important dates to keep in mind:

2020-2021 FAFSA

• You should fill out this FAFSA you plan to attend college from July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021
• Can be filed October 1, 2019 - June 30, 2021
• You will use income and tax information from 2018

2021-2022 FAFSA

• You should fill out this FAFSA you plan to attend college from July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022
• Can be filed October 1, 2020 - June 30, 2022
• You will use income and tax information from 2019

If you plan to attend summer classes, you should contact your college’s financial aid office to determine which application they accept for summer sessions.

Keep in mind that while the FAFSA deadline for federal aid is June 30, your state and school probably have earlier FAFSA deadlines for students who want to receive the state’s or school’s aid. For some states, the deadline is “as soon as possible after October 1.” Some states may have limited financial aid funds—and you could miss out on aid if you wait until the last minute to apply.

Check with your school’s financial aid office or consult its website to make sure you are aware of the school’s financial aid deadlines. To maximize your potential aid, you should submit a FAFSA form as early as possible after October 1.