The deadlines for receiving FAFSA financial aid vary depending on the student’s circumstances, state of residence, and school she/he is attending or plans to attend. Some schools and states have different deadlines than the Federal Government and require additional paperwork. Also, students should check to see what is their school’s definition of an application deadline is. Some are receipt dates, while for others its the process date. As with all important applications and paperwork, its never a bad idea to turn in your forms early.
The Federal Government recommends that you submit your FAFSA requirement as close to, but not before, January 1st. That is, if a student wants to apply for financial aid for the 2009-2010 school year, submit your FAFSA as soon after January 1, 2009 as you can. Most schools require that FAFSA forms are submitted by spring in order to receive preference for the school’s financial aid for the following academic year. Students should check their school’s website or speak with a financial aid advisor.
The actual final deadlines posted by the Government are much later than that. The deadline for the 2007-2008 school year is June 30, 2008 for FAFSA on the Web, the primary FAFSA submission tool. Corrections to these forms must be completed by September 22, 2008. For the 2008-2009 school year, FAFSA forms must be submitted by June 30, 2009, while corrections have to be submitted by September 15, 2009.

Tags: FAFSA, Financial Aid