FAFSA Deadlines: When is the FAFSA Due?
We've looked at several aspects of the FAFSA, including the FAFSA ID and the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Today, we'll examine a very common question related to the FAFSA, when is it due?
Check out our Guide to the FAFSA >>
What is the FAFSA?
First of all, let's clarify what the FAFSA is. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid -- otherwise known as the FAFSA -- is a form families need to fill out in order to receive federal financial aid.
The form is made available to families October 1 of each year for the following financial aid year. For example, the 2020-21 FAFSA was available to be completed beginning October 1, 2019.
When is the FAFSA due?
This is where things can begin to get confusing, as there is no one official deadline for the FAFSA. There are varying deadlines for the FAFSA. These deadlines are mainly determined by two factors:
The type of student and admission that is being applied for
The school that the student is applying to
How do you determine the FAFSA deadline for your college?
Incoming Freshmen
In general, incoming freshmen are required to submit their FAFSA earlier than returning students. Beyond that, incoming freshmen that are applying early -- Early Decision or Early Action -- are required to submit their FAFSA before those that are applying for General Admission.
Freshmen applying for Early Action or Early Decision could be required to have their FAFSA submitted as early as November 1. That's right, that gives families just 30 days from when it's made available to complete the FAFSA.
Deadlines vary and can even carry into the new year, landing closer to February or March for General Admission applicants.
Returning Students
When it comes to returning students, deadlines are not nearly as early, in general. Returning students could see deadlines in April or May.
Contact your school for the official deadline
Regardless of your admission type or year in college, students should check with the school(s) they are applying to in order to determine the deadline for submission of the FAFSA. Students can do this by calling the school directly, reaching out via email, or simply checking out the financial aid section of the school's website.