StudentAdvisor Blog

State FAFSA Deadlines for 2012 - 2013

By Dean Tsouvalas
StudentAdvisor.com Editor-in-Chief 

The FAFSA is your first and most important step to getting the money you need to help you pay for college.  And we have all the FAFSA Deadlines for 2012 - 2013.

Federal Deadline:

FAFSA applications for the 2012-2013 school year must be submitted by midnight Central Time, June 30, 2013. Any corrections or updates to an existing application can be submitted by midnight Central Time, September 15, 2013. 

College Deadlines:

Some colleges set a different financial aid deadline than the state and federal deadlines. They may also have additional forms their financial aid department needs from you in order for you financial aid application to be considered complete. If the college deadline is significantly earlier than the state and federal deadline, have that deadline take priority. You should also ask your college about their definition of an application deadline – whether it is the date they receive your FAFSA, or the date your FAFSA is processed.

State Deadlines:

To be considered for state-funded financial aid such as grants and need-based scholarships you should submit your FAFSA before your state's deadline. Each state has a different FAFSA deadline for this. Find your state's deadline in the listings below. Keep in mind that your state of residence is often used to determine your eligibility for state-funded financial aid:

Alabama	Check with your financial aid administrator.
Alaska	AK Education Grant and AK Performance Scholarship – June 30, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
American Samoa	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Arizona	Check with your financial aid administrator.
Arkansas	For Academic Challenge – June 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For Workforce Grant – check with your financial aid administrator. For Higher Education Opportunity Grant – June 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
California	For initial awards – March 2, 2012. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency. For additional community college awards – September 2, 2012 – date postmarked. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Colorado	Check with your financial aid administrator.
Connecticut	February 15, 2012. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Delaware	April 15, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
District of Columbia	June 30, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. Additional form may be required. For priority consideration, submit application by May 15, 2012. Contact your state agency for more information.
Federated States of Micronesia	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Florida	May 15, 2012 – date processed.
Georgia	Check with your financial aid administrator.
Guam	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Hawaii	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Idaho	Opportunity Grant – March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Illinois	As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted.
Indiana	March 10, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
Iowa	July 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time; earlier priority deadlines may exist for certain programs.
Kansas	April 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
Kentucky	As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted.
Louisiana	June 30, 2013 (July 1, 2012 recommended)
Maine	May 1, 2012, by midnight, Central Time.
Marshall Islands	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Maryland	March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
Massachusetts	May 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Michigan	March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
Minnesota	30 days after term starts by midnight, Central Time.
Mississippi	MTAG and MESG Grants – September 15, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. HELP Scholarship – March 31, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
Missouri	April 2, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
Montana	March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Nebraska	Check with your financial aid administrator.
Nevada	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
New Hampshire	New Hampshire is not offering a state grant this year.
New Jersey	2011-2012 Tuition Aid Grant recipients – June 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. All other applicants – October 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time, for fall and spring terms; March 1, 2013 by midnight, Central Time, for spring term only.
New Mexico	Check with your financial aid administrator.
New York	June 30, 2013 by midnight, Central Time. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
North Carolina	As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted.
North Dakota	April 15, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Early priority deadlines may exist for institutional programs.
N. Mariana Islands	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Ohio	October 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
Oklahoma	March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Oregon	OSAC Private Scholarships – March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. Oregon Opportunity Grant – February 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
Palau	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Pennsylvania	All first-time applicants at a community college; a business/trade/technical school; a hospital school of nursing; or enrolled in a non-transferable 2-year program – August 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. All other applicants – May 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time.
Puerto Rico	Check with your financial aid administrator.
Rhode Island	March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
South Carolina	Tuition Grants – June 30, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. SC Commission on Higher Education – As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted.
South Dakota	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Tennessee	For State Grant – As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted. For State Lottery – September 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Texas	Check with your financial aid administrator.
U.S. Virgin Islands	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Utah	Check with your financial aid administrator.
Vermont	As soon as possible after January 1, 2012. Awards made until funds are depleted. Additional form may be required.
Virginia	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.
Washington	Check with your financial aid administrator.
West Virginia	Promise Scholarship - March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency. WV Higher Education Grant Program - April 16, 2012 by midnight, Central Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
Wisconsin	Check with your financial aid administrator.
Wyoming	Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.

Time to Fill Out the FAFSA! Are You Ready to Apply for Financial Aid?

By Dean Tsouvalas
StudentAdvisor.com Editor-in-Chief

The FAFSA is your first and most important step to getting the money you need to help you pay for college.

What is the FAFSA?
The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the application for U.S. government financial aid for college, including need-based Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), National SMART Grants, TEACH Grants and more.

The FAFSA’s purpose is to determine how much money you and your family can contribute to paying for your college education. Since most states, colleges and private sponsors of need-based scholarships want you to apply for federal financial aid first, the FAFSA also helps make you eligible for thousands of non-federal grants and scholarships.

Why You Need to Fill Out the FAFSA
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education provides over $100 billion in new education grants, student loans and work-study stipends to more than 14 million college and career school students. Filing a FAFSA gives you access to a number of these need-based grants and subsidized student loans.

Federal student aid also includes unsubsidized student loans, which are not income-restricted. That means even if your income is too high to qualify you for a subsidized loan, you may still be able to get an unsubsidized student loan.

A survey done by the National Postsecondary Student Aid revealed that almost half the students who are eligible for federal student aid do not even apply. There are many reasons for this, but the bottom line is: that’s a lot of money left on the table.

TIP: File your FAFSA as early as possible! Some federal financial aid is allotted on a first come, first served basis. File your FAFSA as soon after January 1 of each year as possible to ensure you are awarded the maximum amount of financial aid you are eligible for.

FAFSA for Federal and State Financial Aid
The same FAFSA you file to apply for federal financial aid is forwarded by the US Department of Education to each student’s state higher education assistance agency. State financial aid is most commonly received in the form of grants, scholarships and loans. Eligibility requirements, award amounts, repayment and interest terms and application deadlines for state financial aid varies from state to state.

Although you can file one FAFSA for both federal and state financial aid, be sure to know the deadline date for the state financial aid application since it varies according to state. Deadlines are firm so if you do not apply on time, you will not be eligible to receive state financial aid for the entire following academic year. Check your state’s higher education agency to find out what kind of grant programs you may be eligible for.

FAFSA Deadlines
Pay attention to the deadlines! There are federal and state deadlines, and your colleges may also have a deadline.  Visit http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/deadlines.htm to check your state deadlines.

For more information please check out the Free StudentAdvisor Guide to FAFSA

Applying for Student Aid: Taking the Fear out of FAFSA

With FAFSA deadlines right around the corner first time applicants and their parents are becomingly increasingly more anxious. Today's post is dedicated to helping you overcomb those fears about applying for student aid. For more information on the FAFSA, step-by-step instructions to filling out the form and other tips please read our Free FAFSA Guide.

For many families with high school seniors, February is dedicated to tackling the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  

“A lot of people are afraid of it,” says Betty Williams, director of financial aid at Coker College in Hartsville, SC. “But it’s not hard.”

Here’s how to take the fear out of FAFSA. 

First, take careful note of requirements and deadlines. “Know the aid application requirements for each of the schools to which you’re applying,” advises Helen Nunn, director of financial aid at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa.“Some will only require the FAFSA, but may have an early (February 1 or 15) deadline. Others will require the CSS PROFILE or their own institutional aid application. Some will require financial data from the non-custodial parent, in the case of divorce. So you need to know what you’ll have to provide.”

“Schools will publish their deadlines, as will state grant programs,” says Nunn. “Find the earliest deadline imposed by any of your schools and don’t miss it!”

You can lose money by putting off your application, so don’t procrastinate.

“Don't wait until you’ve been admitted to a college,” says Pat Watkins, director of financial aid at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. “Some applicants are concerned that their admission to a college may be jeopardized if they apply for financial aid. In many instances this is not the case. Admission to the college is made regardless of ability to pay. List all of the colleges you are considering on your FAFSA. Some funds are limited. By waiting, you may miss out on some scholarships.”

Get your paperwork ready, even if you don’t yet have your 2010 tax information.

“You’ll need your social security number, driver’s license, alien registration card (if you are not a U.S. citizen), and financial documents, including tax information, current bank statements, business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, and stock, bond and other investment records,” Mary Ellen Duffy, director of financial aid at Albright College in Reading, Pa. (Help potential students learn about Albright so write a review of Albright College.)

You can estimate your tax information if you don’t yet have it, says Nunn. “You do not need to wait to have a completed 2010 1040/A/EZ to apply. However, you need to give the best estimate you possibly can, as your financial aid will be based on these numbers and be subject to verification later,” she says. “Locate your federal tax forms – student’s and parents’. Put them together with your end-of-year 2010 paystubs. Use the two together to create your estimate.”  You can correct and update the information later.

Once you’ve got it filled out, don’t forget to sign.

“The most common FAFSA error is missing signatures,” says Williams. “The form will be rejected and that delays processing.”  If you’re completing your FAFSA online, don’t forget to sign it with your PIN or by printing out the pages and mailing them in.

Keep good records during the whole process. “Keep copies of everything you submit and track when you complete each item” recommends Nunn. “Put everything in a file for easy reference and retrieval.” 

Worried about making a mistake on your student aid application? Download our free StudentAdvisor FAFSA Guide.

FAFSA State Deadlines - Don't Miss These FAFSA Dates

One of the most common FAFSA mistakes is simply missing the deadline.  So to help you avoid that, we've put together the 2010 - 2011 FAFSA Deadlines for each state.  For more information on the FAFSA, step-by-step instructions to filling out the form and other tips please read our Free FAFSA Guide.

Federal Deadline: Online applications must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight Time, June 30, 2012.

Any corrections or updates must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight Time, September 15, 2012.

State Deadlines:
Each state has a different deadline. See the listing below.
College Deadlines:
Each college may have a different deadline. Check with the college(s) you are interested in attending. You may also want to ask your college about their definition of an application deadline – whether it is the date they receive your FAFSA, or the date your FAFSA is processed.

Alabama - Check with your financial aid administrator.

Alaska -

• AK Education Grant – April 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
• AK Performance Scholarship – June 30, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.

Arizona -Check with your financial aid administrator.

Arkansas -

• For Academic Challenge – June 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
• For Workforce Grant – check with your financial aid administrator.
• For Higher Education Opportunity Grant – June 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.

California

• For initial awards – March 2, 2011. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
• For additional community college awards – September 2, 2011 – date postmarked. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.

Colorado- Check with your financial aid administrator.

Connecticut- February 15, 2011. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.

Delaware - April 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.

District of Columbia - June 30, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.

Florida - May 15, 2011 – date processed.

Georgia - Check with your financial aid administrator.

Hawaii -Check with your financial aid administrator.

Idaho - Opportunity Grant – March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.

Illinois - As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.

Indiana - March 10, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time.

Iowa - July 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time; earlier priority deadlines may exist for certain programs.

Kansas - April 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.

Kentucky -As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.

Louisiana - June 30, 2012 (July 1, 2011 recommended)

Maine - May 1, 2011

Maryland - March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time.

Massachusetts - May 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.

Michigan - March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time.

Minnesota - 30 days after term starts by midnight, Central Daylight Time.

Mississippi

• MTAG and MESG Grants – September 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
• HELP Scholarship – March 31, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.

Missouri - April 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.

Montana - March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.

Nebraska - Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.

Nevada - Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.

New Hampshire - May 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.

New Jersey

• 2010-2011 Tuition Aid Grant recipients – June 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
• All other applications – October 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time, for fall and spring terms;
• March 1, 2012 by midnight, Central Daylight Time, for spring term only.

New Mexico - Check with your financial aid administrator.  Additional form may be required.

New York - June 30, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. Applicants encouraged to keep a record of their submission by printing out their online FAFSA confirmation page or obtaining proof of mailing the FAFSA. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.

North Carolina -Check with your financial aid administrator.

North Dakota -March 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.

Ohio - October 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.

Oklahoma -March 15, 2011

Oregon

• OSAC Private Scholarships – March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time.
• Oregon Opportunity Grant – As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.

Pennsylvania

• All 2010-2011 State Grant recipients and all non-2010-2011 State Grant recipients in degree programs – May 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
• All other applicants – August 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.

Rhode Island -March 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Standard Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.

South Carolina

• Tuition Grants – June 30, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
• SC Commission on Higher Education – As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.

South Dakota -Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.

Tennessee

• For State Grant – As soon as possible after January 1, 2011. Awards made until funds are depleted.
• For State Lottery – September 1, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.

Texas -Check with your financial aid administrator.

Utah -Check with your financial aid administrator.

Vermont - Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.

Virginia -Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.

Washington -Check with your financial aid administrator.

West Virginia - April 15, 2011 by midnight, Central Daylight Time. For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.

Wisconsin -Check with your financial aid administrator.

Wyoming -Check with your financial aid administrator. Additional form may be required.

For more information on the FAFSA, step-by-step instructions to filling out the form and other tips please read our Free FAFSA Guide.

©2010 fafsa.gov. All rights reserved.

Why Should I Fill Out The FAFSA?

The simple answer is: Fill out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, if you are interested in getting help to pay for college.

For far too long, students entering college have been asked to choose between two unappealing options: pay sky-high tuition bills upfront or accumulate enormous amounts of student loan debt from the moment they graduate and enter the work force.

The U.S. Department of Education provides around $100 billion a year or so in government student aid for college, and now StudentAdvisor.com's Free FAFSA Guide aims at helping you get your fair share of it. Two-thirds of students receive at least some financial aid today, so it’s important to know where to look.

Whether you are going it alone without the help of your parents, a single mom looking to return to school, or the parent of a college sophomore who will need federal assistance to pay for school again next year, we have the facts, tips, and advice you need to get through the somewhat overwhelming process of filling out the FAFSA. 

The FAFSA is your first and most important step to getting the money you need to help you pay for college.

The FAFSA guide, a 26-page digital magazine, offers facts, tips, and advice on how to get through the somewhat overwhelming process of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Among the articles:

• the step-by-step process to completing the FAFSA form
• an explanation on how financial aid is calculated
• 10 common FAFSA mistakes and how to avoid making them

Each year, the U.S. Department of Education provides over $100 billion in new education grants, student loans, and work-study stipends to more than 14 million college and career school students. Filing a FAFSA gives you access to a number of these need-based grants and subsidized student loans.

Get the free FAFSA Guide now!

How to Find Grants and College Scholarships