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When is the 2022-2023 FAFSA Deadline?
Are you a high school or college student who is applying for financial aid using the FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid? If so, you need to meet the proper FAFSA deadline!
See Also: Our step-by-step FAFSA guide to complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA!
Jump ahead to:
Financial aid is an area where you want to be first in line, as opposed to last in line. In fact, some types of financial aid, such as the Federal SEOG award, may depend on when exactly you apply.
Remember, you will also have to apply for financial aid for each year that you are in school so these deadlines hold true for both first-year freshman students and returning students.
Read on to learn more about all of the deadlines you will need to keep track of (and what to do if you miss any of your deadlines).
Federal 2022-2023 FAFSA deadlines
The three big FAFSA deadlines that students need to keep in mind for the 2022-2023 FAFSA are:
- FAFSA Opens: October 1, 2021
- FAFSA Closes: June 30, 2023
- FAFSA Corrections: September 10, 2023
School FAFSA deadlines
Each school sets their own deadline for submitting the FAFSA, so make sure to check in with your school about their deadlines. These are typically much earlier than state or federal deadlines, so they’re the ones you’ll want to be the most aware of! Students typically submit their FAFSA along with their college application. This allows them to receive a financial aid package with their acceptance. What’s more, schools that aren’t need-blind use FAFSA need to help determine admissions.
Also see: Scholarships360’s free scholarship search tool
State financial aid deadlines for 2022-2023
Each state also has its own financial aid deadline for aid awarded by the state. Keep on reading to learn about the state-specific deadlines that you should know about!
| State | Deadline |
| Alabama | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Alaska | Alaska Education Grant funds are available until depleted (so students should apply ASAP after October 1, 2021) Alaska Performance Scholarships are also only available until depleted. To receive priority consideration, you will need to submit your application by June 30, 2022. |
| American Samoa | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Arizona | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Arkansas |
July 1, 2022 for Academic Challenge and ArFuture Grant fall term January 10, 2023 for ArFuture Grant spring term |
| California |
March 2, 2022 (for most CA-specific financial aid programs) Additional community college Cal Grants: September 2, 2022 |
| Colorado | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Connecticut | February 15, 2022 |
| Delaware | April 15, 2022 |
| District of Columbia |
August 19, 2022 for priority consideration August 26, 2022 for DC Tuition Assistance Grant |
| Federated States of Micronesia | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Florida | May 15, 2022 |
| Georgia | ASAP after October 1, 2021 |
| Guam | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Hawaii | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Idaho | March 1, 2022 (Priority Deadline) |
| Illinois | ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021 |
| Indiana | ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021 |
| Iowa | July 1, 2022 (some awards may have even earlier deadlines). |
| Kansas | April 1, 2022 (Priority Deadline) |
| Kentucky | ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021 |
| Louisiana | July 1, 2023 (however, July 1, 2022 is the recommended deadline). |
| Maine | May 1, 2022 |
| Marshall Islands | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Maryland | March 1, 2022 |
| Massachusetts | May 1, 2022 (Priority Deadline) |
| Michigan | March 1, 2022 |
| Minnesota | 30 days after your term starts. |
| Mississippi | October 15, 2022 for MTAG and MESG Grants April 30, 2021 for HELP Scholarships |
| Missouri | February 1, 2022 (Priority Deadline) |
| Montana | December 1, 2022 (Priority Deadline) |
| N. Mariana Islands | April 30, 2022 (Priority Deadline) |
| Nebraska | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Nevada | ASAP after October 1, 2021 for Silver State Opportunity Grant March 1, 2022 for Nevada Promise Scholarships |
| New Hampshire | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| New Jersey | April 15, 2022 for the 2022–23 Tuition Aid Grant. September 15, 2022 for Fall and Spring terms. February 15, 2023 for Spring term only. |
| New Mexico | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| New York | June 30, 2023 |
| North Carolina | ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021 |
| North Dakota | ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021 |
| Ohio | October 1, 2022 |
| Oklahoma | ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021 (funding is first come, first served). |
| Oregon | Oregon Opportunity Grant: ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021 (funding is first come, first served).OSAC Private Scholarships: March 1, 2022. Oregon Promise Grant: Contact your state agency. |
| Palau | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Pennsylvania | August 1, 2022 for community college, business, trade, technical school, hospital school of nursing, nontransferable 2-year program, or any designated Pennsylvania Open-Admission institution. May 1, 2022 for all other applicants. |
| Puerto Rico | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Rhode Island | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| South Carolina | SC Commission on Higher Education Need-based Grants: As soon as possible after Oct. 1, 2021 Tuition Grants: June 30, 2022. |
| South Dakota | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Tennessee |
February 1, 2022 for state grants and the Tennessee Promise September 1, 2022 for state lottery for the fall term February 1, 2023 for state lottery for the spring term |
| Texas | January 15, 2022 (priority deadline) |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Utah | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Vermont | ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021 |
| Virginia | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Washington | ASAP after Oct. 1, 2021 |
| West Virginia | March 1, 2022: PROMISE Scholarship. April 15, 2022: WV Higher Education Grant Program and WV Invests Grant. |
| Wisconsin | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
| Wyoming | Contact your financial aid administrator. |
What happens if you miss the FAFSA deadline?
If you happen to miss the FAFSA deadline or state financial aid deadline, you should get on the phone ASAP with your college’s financial aid office. Seriously. Get off of this webpage and immediately contact a financial aid officer to explore your options.
If it’s not too late, you might be able to appeal for financial aid and merit scholarships. Here are some tips for making your appeal, as well as an example appeal letter.
However, if you are in a situation where you have exhausted all options through your college, then you have three main options:
Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each of these options…
Scholarships
Scholarships are free money that does not need to be repaid (similar to need-based financial aid that you may secure through the FAFSA. There are many different types of scholarships for lots of different types of students.
However, scholarships can be a bit unpredictable if you will be requiring a large amount of scholarship dollars to pay for college. Some colleges and organizations do offer full ride scholarships, but these are extremely competitive for even the strongest students.
Ultimately, scholarships can be a good option if you received a strong merit scholarship from a college or if you were not expecting to receive a large amount of need-based financial aid.
Gap year
If you have a high amount of demonstrated financial need and have not had luck with scholarships, a gap year may be your next best option. This will allow you to defer your college acceptance for a year. This means that you will be able to make your financial aid deadlines and qualify for the proper amount of financial aid.
The biggest downside to a gap year is that not all colleges will permit you to do a gap year (generally, you will need to apply and receive permission from the college). Additionally, gap year students will have to start their college education a year later. This can be unappealing for some students, but gap year experiences can have many benefits.
Related: Taking a gap year: Everything you need to know
Alternative financing
Finally, alternative financing, such as Income Share Agreements or student loans, can be an option if you miss the FAFSA deadline. The upside to this option is that receiving this type of financing is more predictable–virtually all students will be able to secure some sort of ISA or student loan financing.
The downside to this option is that both student loans and ISAs need to be paid back. This can be particularly true for students who would qualify for a high amount of need-based financial aid. Student loans and ISAs can be useful if used properly, but we always recommend that students sit down and work out the numbers to see what their post-college debt or income repayment plan would look like.
Next Steps
