The federal deadline for the 2027–28 FAFSA is 11:59 p.m. Central time on June 30, 2028, with corrections allowed until September 12, 2028. That's the final cutoff, though, and the dates that matter come far sooner: states and colleges set their own, often a year earlier, and some aid is first-come, first-served. The 2027–28 form is already open, so the best time to file is now.
Federal Student Aid says it plainly: since some aid is limited, you have to meet the deadlines. Missing a state deadline doesn't affect your eligibility for federal aid, so file even if a date has passed, but state grants may be gone.
- Oct. 1, 2026Many states say apply as soon as possible after this date
- Jan. 15, 2027Texas priority deadline
- March 2, 2027California's state aid deadline (postmarked)
- May 1, 2027Pennsylvania (most students) and Massachusetts priority
- June 30, 2028Federal deadline, 11:59 p.m. Central time
- Sept. 12, 2028Last day for corrections and updates
Stand: October 2026 · Source: studentaid.gov, FAFSA application deadlines (2027–28). Colleges set their own dates too.
Which form for which year
- Open nowthe 2027–28 form is available to students and contributors
- June 30, 2028federal submission deadlinecorrections by Sept. 12, 2028
- 12 minutestypical time for a student's sectionper Federal Student Aid
- 2025 taxesthe income year the form asks about
Sources: studentaid.gov (FAFSA application; filling out the FAFSA form).
The 2027–28 FAFSA covers school attended between July 1, 2027 and June 30, 2028. The 2026–27 form is still available for the current school year, which ends June 30, 2027. If you're applying for a summer session, ask the college's financial aid office which form to submit.
The 2027–28 form asks for income and tax return information from 2025. If a marital status has changed since that tax return, the Federal Student Aid site explains how to report it. The tax information can be transferred from the IRS with consent, and the transcript guide helps if you need the numbers on paper.
State deadlines: a sample
Every state has its own, and Federal Student Aid lists them all. The table samples the 2027–28 list; a few say "as soon as possible after Oct. 1, 2026" rather than giving a date.
| State | 2027–28 deadline |
|---|---|
| Texas | Jan. 15, 2027, priority |
| California | March 2, 2027 (postmarked) for most state aid |
| Florida | May 15, 2027 (date processed) |
| Pennsylvania | May 1, 2027 for most students; Aug. 1, 2027 for first-time community college, trade and similar applicants |
| Massachusetts | May 1, 2027, priority |
| Michigan | July 1, 2027, priority |
| North Carolina | June 1, 2027 for UNC schools and community colleges; ASAP after Oct. 1, 2026 for private institutions |
| New York | June 30, 2028 |
| Ohio | Oct. 1, 2027 |
| Georgia, Illinois, Virginia, Washington | As soon as possible after Oct. 1, 2026 |
| New Jersey | April 15, 2027 for 2026–27 Tuition Aid Grant recipients; Sept. 15, 2027 for other fall-and-spring applicants |
Some states list several programs with different dates: Mississippi, Tennessee and Nevada have separate dates for different grants. Alabama sends you to the college's financial aid office. Federal Student Aid says to check your state higher education agency's website for the most up-to-date date.
College deadlines
Schools can have their own, and the definition differs: the deadline could be the date your FAFSA is processed, or the date the school receives your processed data. Ask each college on your list which one it means and put those dates in your calendar before anything else.
What to gather
Source: studentaid.gov. Missing a state deadline doesn't change your eligibility for federal aid.
The student needs a verified FSA ID. Parent or spouse contributors each need their own email address, because each person fills in their own part. Federal Student Aid says students typically finish their section in 12 minutes or less, and you need income and asset information if the form asks. Keep the documents together the way the college paperwork scenario suggests, and use the tax organizing guide for the 2025 forms.
If a parent's or student's tax return is late, see the tax filing deadline page for how extensions work. You must apply for aid every year, so this is a yearly errand rather than a one-off.
Keeping the dates in one place
Write down three things per college: the school's own deadline, your state's date and the federal date. A shared calendar for the family works well. Take a screenshot of the submission confirmation and keep the FSA ID recovery details with it.
Paperlock can hold the tax returns, W-2s and award letters in a Face-ID-locked vault and read the amounts and dates, so "what was our 2025 AGI?" is a question, not a search. The dates and rules here come from Federal Student Aid; for your own state or school, confirm with them.