The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an excellent opportunity for students in need of college funding. It may be tedious to fill out, but those who receive financial aid will be glad they did. Before submitting, students should review their applications for completeness, accuracy and, of course, deadlines. The June 30th federal cutoff may be months away, but often overlooked state and college deadlines are not.

In addition to federal aid such as Pell Grants, Federal Work Study and loans, students may receive state and college aid based on the information provided in their FAFSA. To be eligible for assistance from one's state and school, students must meet federal, state and college deadlines.

Many states set closing dates between the months of March and May, so students should act quickly. The FAFSA deadlines for individual states are listed below, and college ones can be found by contacting the financial aid office at one's college or university of choice.

State Deadlines

Alabama  Check with your financial aid administrator Alaska  April 15, 2008 American Samoa  Check with your financial aid administrator Arizona  June 30, 2009 Arkansas For Academic Challenge - June 1, 2008; For Workforce Grant, check with your financial aid  administrator;For Higher Education Opportunity Grant - June 1, 2008 (fall term); November 1, 2008 (spring term) California For initial awards - March 2, 2008; For additional community college awards - September 2, 2008 - date postmarked Colorado  Check with your financial aid administrator Connecticut  February 15, 2008 Delaware  April 15, 2008 District of Columbia  June 30, 2008 Federated States of Micronesia  Check with your financial aid administrator Florida  May 15, 2008 Georgia  Check with your financial aid administrator Guam  Check with your financial aid administrator Hawaii  Check with you financial aid administrator Idaho  March 1, 2008  Illinois  First-time applicants - September 30, 2008 Continuing applicants - August 15, 2008 Indiana  March 10, 2008 Iowa  July 1, 2008 Kansas  April 1, 2008 Kentucky  March 15, 2008 Louisiana  July 1, 2008 Maine  May 1, 2008 Marshall Islands  Check with your financial aid administrator Maryland  March 1, 2008 Massachusetts  May 1, 2008 Michigan  March 1, 2008 Minnesota  30 days after term starts Mississippi  MTAG and MESG Grants - September 15, 2008 HELP Scholarship - March 31, 2008 Missouri  April 1, 2008 Montana  March 1, 2008 Nebraska  Check with your financial aid administrator Nevada  Check with your financial aid administrator New Hampshire  May 1, 2008 New Jersey  June 1, 2008 if you received a Tuition Aid Grant in 2007-2008 All other applications - October 1, 2008, for fall and spring terms; March 1, 2009, for spring term only New Mexico  Check with your financial aid administrator New York  May 1, 2009 North Carolina  March 15, 2008  North Dakota  March 15, 2008 Northern Mariana Islands  Check with your financial aid administrator Ohio  October 1, 2008 Oklahoma  April 15, 2008 for best consideration Oregon  Check with your financial aid administrator Palau  Check with your financial aid administrator Pennsylvania  All 2007-2008 State Grant and non State Grant recipients in degree programs- May 1, 2008; All other applicants - August 1, 2008 Puerto Rico  Check with your financial aid administrator Rhode Island  March 1, 2008 South Carolina  Tuition Grants - June 30, 2008 South Dakota  Check with your financial aid administrator Tennessee  For State Grant - March 1, 2008; For State Lottery - September 1, 2008 Texas  Check with your financial aid administrator U.S. Virgin Islands  Check with your financial aid administrator Utah  Check with your financial aid administrator Vermont  Check with your financial aid administrator Virginia  Check with your financial aid administrator Washington  Check with your financial aid administrator West Virginia  March 1, 2008 Wisconsin  Check with your financial aid administrator Wyoming  Check with your financial aid administrator

(State deadlines provided by the Department of Education)

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