When is the Best Time to Apply For FAFSA? | SoFi

When it comes to applying with the FAFSA®, the sooner you apply, the better. If you apply early you'll have a better chance of receiving the highest amount of aid that you are eligible for. According to Dorothy Gilliard, the best time to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is on or around October 1 of every year—that is when the FAFSA for the following academic year becomes available. Even though individual colleges have very specific deadlines for when the FAFSA should be submitted, it’s imperative that if you’re filing a federal financial aid application for the first time, that you try to get that application in on or shortly after October 1st. You should do this so that you can be considered for all types of federal financial aid and for whatever it is you are deemed to be eligible to receive. The final deadline to submit the FAFSA is June 30th each year. Because some federal student aid programs have limited funds, it is recommended you apply to the FAFSA as soon as you can. Additionally, many states and colleges give out aid on a first-come, first-served basis which is another reason to get your FAFSA submitted early. For more information: https://www.sofi.com/learn/content/how-to-complete-fafsa-application/ Connect with SoFi: Subscribe to SoFi on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuoYE0bfkZCwaspBVQ59jfQ?view_as=subscriber?sub_confirmation=1 Like SoFi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoFi/ Follow SoFi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoFi Follow SoFi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofi/ Follow SoFi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sofi/