Oct. 1 should be considered a holiday in higher education—it marks the opening of the FAFSA window for the next academic year. To be considered for federal student aid for the 2022-2023 academic year, make sure to fill out your FAFSA on, or close to, Oct. 1, 2022. It’s especially important to complete the FAFSA sooner rather than later because some aid is awarded on a first come, first served basis.
States and colleges have their own deadlines for applying for state and institutional financial aid. Visit your school’s website to find out their deadlines and visit the Federal Student Aid website to view specific state FAFSA deadlines—especially if you’re applying to colleges in different states. If you’re a returning FAFSA filer, you may remember your school and state deadlines, but make sure to double-check in case any timelines have changed.