If you are in high school and about to graduate, you’ve learned over the years that deadlines are imperative. Homework needs to be submitted at a certain time, tests are scheduled for a specific date, and presentations need to be prepared in advance so you are ready when your teacher calls upon you to present what you know.
The same is true when it comes to financial aid. There is a date and time for you to present all your financial aid paperwork. When applying for any grant, scholarship, or loan, you will find there is always a specified deadline for all materials to be submitted.
When filling out the FAFSA, here are some important points to remember about deadlines:
- The Federal Aid deadline for online FAFSA applications is midnight Central Standard Time, June 30, 2016 if you are applying for the 2016-2017 school year.
- If you find that you made a mistake and need to update and or make corrections, they must be sent by midnight Central Standard Time on September 17, 2016.
- Each state has a different deadline for when your federal financial aid must be submitted. See a list of states and their deadlines here. If you are filling out a hard copy of the FAFSA, all state deadlines are located on the front of the FAFSA. The state deadlines may match up with the federal deadline or it may be due as much as a year before the federal deadline.
- Your school also has a deadline that may be different than the FAFSA deadline and your state deadline. Contact all colleges you are interested in attending for their deadlines for federal financial aid.
- In addition, you should clarify with your school if they consider the date they receive your FAFSA or the date your FAFSA is processed as the deadline date.
- There are lots of “Do’s” when it comes to meeting financial aid deadlines, however there is an important “Do Not”. Do not submit your FAFSA too early. That may sound a little backwards, however, it is true and important to remember. If you submit your FAFSA earlier than January 1 for the academic year you are applying for, your application will not be processed, even though you submitted it.
- If you miss the FAFSA Deadline you are not out of luck for financial aid options, please click here to read about Missing the FAFSA deadline and your critical next steps.
We are aware that keeping up with scheduling classes, securing housing, and submitting paperwork galore can be very time consuming and even overwhelming for some. That's why we're here to help. Reach out if you have any questions!
