College financial aid deadlines
92 verified college financial aid deadlines, soonest first, starting November 1, 2026. Each date links to the school or agency page it came from.
What a college financial aid deadline is
On top of the federal and state forms, each college sets its own date for the aid it gives out itself, and that date is frequently earlier than its application deadline. Applying Early Decision or Early Action usually pulls the aid deadline forward with it. Schools describe these as priority dates rather than cutoffs, which is technically true and practically misleading: the money is finite and it is committed in order.
If you miss one: You can still be admitted and still receive federal aid. What you lose is a share of the college's own grant money, which at a private college is usually the largest single piece of an aid offer.
Every date we have
Verified against the page it came from, soonest first.
- Financial aidin about a monthCornell University
Financial aid application deadline for international applicants (Early Decision)
If you're an international applicant, your aid application is due the same day as your Cornell application, not two weeks later, and this is a hard deadline rather than a priority date. Cornell is need-aware for international students, so asking for aid is part of your admission review. The equivalent Regular Decision date is January 2. Read this one carefully because it's the harshest rule on Cornell's page.
If you miss it: If you don't apply for aid by this date, Cornell says you will never be eligible to apply for financial aid at any point in your entire undergraduate career there. That is not a one-year penalty, it's permanent, and it can make an admission offer unusable.
- Financial aidin about a monthVillanova University
Villanova financial assistance priority deadline for Early Decision I and Early Action
This is the one most students miss. If you apply Early Decision I or Early Action, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due the very same day as your application, November 1, not sometime later in the winter. Villanova says outright that late applicants are only aided if money is left over, so filing on time is what protects your need-based grant. Don't wait for an admission decision before you file.
If you miss it: File late and Villanova will only consider you for need-based institutional aid if funds remain. That can cost you thousands of dollars a year in grant money that would otherwise have been yours.
- Financial aidin about a monthVanderbilt University
Vanderbilt financial aid filing deadline for Early Decision I applicants
If you apply Early Decision I and want need-based aid, your CSS Profile and FAFSA are due the very same day as your application. This one catches people out because they focus on the essays and forget the aid forms exist. Since ED is binding, getting this in on time is the only way you'll see a preliminary aid offer in mid-December before you're locked in.
If you miss it: File late and you may not get a financial aid offer alongside your December admission decision, which means committing to a binding agreement without knowing your actual cost. You also risk losing institutional aid funds that make up the bulk of Vanderbilt's assistance.
- Financial aidin about a monthUniversity of Southern California
USC financial aid deadline for Early Decision applicants (FAFSA and CSS Profile)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about a monthHoward University
FAFSA priority deadline (Early Action / Early Decision)
Howard ties its aid deadline to the admission deadline: Early Action and Early Decision applicants must submit the FAFSA (or the Howard ISFAA form for international students) by November 1 for priority consideration. Note the 2027-28 FAFSA opens October 1, 2026, so the window is short.
If you miss it: Missing November 1 costs priority consideration for Howard's institutional scholarships and need-based aid.
- Financial aidin about a monthDuke University
Duke financial aid applications (CSS Profile and FAFSA) for Early Decision applicants
If you're applying Early Decision and want need-based aid, your CSS Profile and FAFSA are due the very same day as the application itself, not later. This matters more at Duke than at most schools because ED is binding, so this is your only chance to see an aid offer before you're already committed to enrolling. Duke says it provides your aid offer together with your offer of admission, but only if the aid paperwork is in. Do not treat the aid forms as a follow-up task after you submit the Common App.
If you miss it: You would likely receive your binding admission decision without an aid offer attached, meaning you'd be committed to Duke before knowing what your family actually pays. Duke states your total eligibility won't shrink, but the offer gets delayed.
- Financial aidin about a monthNew York University
NYU financial aid application deadline, Early Decision I
If you're applying Early Decision I and want any NYU scholarship or grant money, your CSS Profile is due by this date, nine days after your application itself. US citizens, permanent residents and federally eligible non-citizens also need the FAFSA, and New York residents should complete the state TAP application too. This is the deadline nobody reminds you about, and because ED I is binding you'd be locked into enrolling with a weaker aid package if you miss it.
If you miss it: NYU says you "may not qualify for the same amounts or types of funds" if you apply late. Since ED I binds you to enroll, missing this means committing to NYU before you know what it will actually cost you.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsUniversity of Notre Dame
Notre Dame financial aid priority deadline for Restrictive Early Action applicants
If you apply REA, this is when Notre Dame wants your FAFSA, CSS Profile, and IDOC documents in. It lands two weeks after your application is due, so it's very easy to submit the application, feel finished, and then forget the aid forms completely. Hitting this date is what gets your financial aid offer delivered alongside your admission decision in December, which is exactly when you need it to compare schools. Notre Dame's school codes are 001840 for the FAFSA and 1841 for the CSS Profile.
If you miss it: You won't lose your aid, but your offer gets delayed. Notre Dame says late applications still get full consideration, so the real cost is deciding about Notre Dame in December without knowing what you'd actually pay.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsUniversity of Miami
Financial aid deadline for Early Decision I and Early Action applicants
If you apply EDI or EA and you want need-based aid, your FAFSA, CSS Profile, and tax documents are due two weeks after the application itself. This is the deadline students forget, because it sits after November 1 and nobody reminds you. UM sends your estimated aid offer along with your admission decision, so missing this means being admitted with no aid package attached.
If you miss it: Submit late and you risk losing institutional need-based grant aid for the year, which at a school costing roughly $99,000 a year can mean tens of thousands of dollars.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsUniversity of Vermont
FAFSA priority deadline for Early Action and Early Decision I applicants
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsNortheastern University
Northeastern financial aid deadline for Early Decision I applicants
This is the one almost nobody warns you about. If you apply Early Decision I, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due just two weeks after your application, not in the spring. Northeastern aligns the FAFSA and CSS Profile deadlines so it can send your aid offer at the same time as your admission decision. Since ED is binding, getting this in on time is the only way to know what Northeastern will actually cost you before you're committed.
If you miss it: If your aid forms are late, you may be admitted under a binding agreement without an aid offer in hand, and you risk losing institutional need-based grant money for a commitment you cannot easily walk away from.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsCornell University
Financial aid priority date for domestic Early Decision applicants
If you're a U.S. student applying Early Decision and you want need-based aid, get your CSS Profile and FAFSA in by November 15, two weeks after the application itself. Cornell meets 100 percent of demonstrated need for admitted students, but only if your aid file is actually complete. Because ED is binding, you want your aid estimate in hand as soon as your admission decision lands in mid-December, and that only happens if you filed on time.
If you miss it: File late and your Cornell aid estimate may not be ready when your binding ED decision arrives, leaving you committed to Cornell without knowing what it will cost your family. You could also lose priority consideration and end up scrambling for documents in December.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsDuke University
Duke supporting financial aid documents for Early Decision applicants
This is the follow-up aid deadline that catches people out. Two weeks after your ED application and aid forms go in, Duke wants the backup paperwork, meaning your family's tax returns and similar income documentation. Keep checking your Duke applicant portal, because Duke requests additional documents there and the specific list varies by family. Ask your parents to pull the tax documents together in October so you're not chasing them in November.
If you miss it: Your aid file stays incomplete, so Duke can't finalize an aid offer to send with your binding ED decision, leaving you committed without knowing the cost.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsColumbia University in the City of New York
Early Decision financial aid application deadline
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsUniversity of Southern California
USC financial aid deadline for Early Action applicants (FAFSA and CSS Profile)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsUniversity of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan Early Decision financial aid deadline
If you apply Early Decision, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due just two weeks after your application. This one catches people out, because ED is binding and you're committing before you'd normally have aid figured out. File both by Nov. 15 and your aid package arrives right after your December decision, so you actually know what Michigan will cost before you're locked in.
If you miss it: Miss Nov. 15 and you may not get an aid package alongside your ED decision, which means committing to a binding offer without knowing your cost. You could also lose consideration for U-M grants and need-based scholarships.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsTulane University of Louisiana
Tulane need-based aid deadline for Early Decision I applicants (FAFSA and CSS Profile)
If you're applying Early Decision I, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due just two weeks after your application, and this is the deadline almost nobody warns you about. It matters more at Tulane than at most schools because ED is binding, and the only escape hatch Tulane offers is declining if the aid offer doesn't meet your calculated need. That escape hatch only exists if you filed the aid forms on time. Tulane's FAFSA code is 002029 and its CSS Profile code is 6832.
If you miss it: File late and you can be locked into a binding commitment without a need-based offer to evaluate. Tulane repeatedly conditions your right to decline on "if you applied for financial aid by Tulane's financial aid application deadlines," so a missed form can cost you both the aid and the ability to walk away.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsLoyola University Maryland
Loyola Maryland, financial aid application deadline for Early Action and Early Decision I
Loyola ties the aid deadline to the admission plan, and for the November plans they're the same day, November 15. That means filing the FAFSA within about six weeks of it opening. Loyola's FAFSA code is 002078.
If you miss it: Missing this date delays or forfeits the need-based aid offer that Loyola otherwise delivers alongside the admission decision.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison
2027-28 FAFSA due for priority consideration at UW-Madison
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsUniversity of Central Florida
UCF priority date for FAFSA
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsNortheastern University
Northeastern financial aid deadline for Early Action applicants
If you apply Early Action, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due December 1, a full month after your application. Northeastern deliberately lines the two aid forms up so your aid offer can arrive with your admission decision in February. Put this on your calendar separately from the November 1 application date, because they are not the same deadline.
If you miss it: Submit late and your aid offer may not arrive with your decision, and you can lose access to Northeastern institutional grant funds that are awarded to on-time filers first.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsNorthwestern University
Northwestern financial aid deadline for Early Decision applicants
If you're applying Early Decision and want need-based aid, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are both due by December 1, 2026, a full month after your application itself. This one catches people out because it lands after you've already submitted and stopped thinking about deadlines. Northwestern meets full demonstrated need, so this is the paperwork that determines your actual price. Your tax materials then go through IDOC by December 5.
If you miss it: Because ED is binding, submitting aid materials late is especially risky: you could be committed to enrolling before you have a complete aid package, or lose need-based Northwestern Scholarship money you were otherwise eligible for.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsWake Forest University
Wake Forest need-based aid priority filing date (Early Decision I and Early Action)
If you're applying Early Decision I or first-generation Early Action, this is when your FAFSA, CSS Profile, and tax documents need to be in. It's roughly two weeks AFTER the November 15 application deadline, so don't assume you're done once the application is submitted. File by this date and Wake Forest expects to send your aid notification starting December 15, which matters enormously with ED I since you're bound to enroll and want the aid number before that commitment hardens.
If you miss it: File late and you may be committed to a binding ED I offer without knowing what you'll pay. Applications are reviewed in the order received, so late filers risk delayed notification and less time to appeal.
- Financial aidin about 2 monthsEmory University
Early Decision I financial aid materials deadline
If you apply Early Decision I and need aid, your CSS Profile, IDOC tax documents, and FAFSA all have to be in by this date. Emory begins releasing aid packages in December 2026, so filing on time is what lets you see your actual cost before your binding deposit comes due in January. Because ED I is binding, you're agreeing to enroll before you can compare offers elsewhere, which makes getting this package on schedule the only real financial protection you have.
If you miss it: File late and you may be asked to commit to a binding agreement without knowing what Emory will actually cost you. Late materials can also delay or shrink your award.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsPennsylvania State University, University Park
Penn State recommended FAFSA filing date for new students
The FAFSA is the free federal form that decides what grants and loans you qualify for. Penn State asks first-time students to file it by December 15 so the aid offer arrives with or shortly after the admission decision. Penn State's federal school code is 003329.
If you miss it: Filing after December 15 can delay your aid offer and may cost you limited Penn State grant money that is awarded on a first-come basis.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsTulane University of Louisiana
Tulane need-based aid deadline for Early Action applicants (FAFSA and CSS Profile)
If you apply Early Action, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due December 15, roughly five weeks after your application itself. Tulane requires both forms for institutional gift aid, not just the FAFSA, and it treats these as priority deadlines for being considered for all forms of aid. Put the aid forms on your calendar as a separate task from the application, because they have a separate date. Tulane's FAFSA code is 002029 and its CSS Profile code is 6832.
If you miss it: Missing the priority date can drop you out of consideration for Tulane's own need-based gift aid, which is the largest and most negotiable part of most offers. Late filers are considered after the priority pool.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsUniversity of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan suggested financial aid filing date
This isn't a hard cutoff, it's U-M's suggested filing date for Early Action and Regular Decision applicants. Get your FAFSA and CSS Profile in by Dec. 15 and, if you're admitted, you'll get a preliminary aid package sooner rather than waiting. That matters when you're comparing offers from several schools in the spring.
If you miss it: Nothing is forfeited, but your aid offer arrives later. You could end up making a May 1 decision with less time to compare Michigan's package against other schools.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsUniversity of Georgia
FAFSA priority deadline for need-based aid
This is the one almost nobody tells you about, and it lands weeks before UGA's Regular Decision deadline. UGA gives priority consideration for its limited need-based funds, meaning federal campus-based aid and OSFA scholarships, only to students whose FAFSA is processed by December 15. UGA warns that these funds can run out before everyone in the priority group is even awarded. File the FAFSA as early as you can and list UGA's federal school code, 001598.
If you miss it: File after December 15 and you drop out of the priority pool for UGA's limited need-based grants and scholarships. That money is first-come and can be gone entirely, costing you thousands a year in aid you would otherwise qualify for.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsWestern Carolina University
Financial aid deadline to apply for federal loans and need-based grants
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsClemson University
Clemson FAFSA priority deadline for first-year students
Clemson's FAFSA priority deadline for incoming first-year students is January 1, much earlier than its April 1 date for continuing students. Filing by then is required for need-based scholarships, the federal SEOG grant, and Federal Work-Study.
If you miss it: A FAFSA after January 1 costs you consideration for Clemson need-based scholarships, SEOG, and Work-Study.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsVanderbilt University
Vanderbilt financial aid filing deadline for Early Decision II applicants
Applying Early Decision II means your CSS Profile and FAFSA are due January 1, the same day as your application. Because ED II is binding, you want your aid offer in hand in mid-February when the decision arrives. Start the CSS Profile in the fall rather than over winter break, since it asks for detailed parent financial information you may need time to gather.
If you miss it: Filing late can delay or reduce your aid package, and with a binding plan you could end up committed to Vanderbilt before knowing what you'll pay. Institutional aid is the largest share of Vanderbilt's assistance and it isn't guaranteed for late filers.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsWake Forest University
Wake Forest need-based aid priority filing date (Early Decision II and Regular Decision)
If you're applying ED II or Regular Decision, your FAFSA, CSS Profile, and tax documents are due the same day as the application itself. Wake Forest promises to meet the full demonstrated financial need of regularly admitted students, but only if the paperwork is in and processed. Regular Decision aid notifications go out in early April, about three to four weeks before you have to decide.
If you miss it: Applications are reviewed in the order received, so filing late can push your aid notification past the point where you can compare offers or appeal. Late filing can also mean you don't have an aid number before the May 1 enrollment decision date.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsUniversity of Miami
Financial aid deadline for Early Decision II and Regular Decision applicants
If you apply ED II or Regular Decision, your financial aid paperwork is due the same day as the application itself, not later. That means the FAFSA, the CSS Profile for both custodial and noncustodial parents, and your tax documents all have to be in on January 5. Don't leave the aid forms for after you hit submit on the Common App.
If you miss it: Filing after January 5 puts your institutional need-based aid at risk for the whole year, and UM only issues a confirmed aid offer after it reviews a completed file.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsBoston University
Financial aid deadline for Regular Decision and ED 2
For Regular Decision and Early Decision 2, BU needs both your CSS Profile and your FAFSA by the application deadline to consider you for university-funded need-based aid. This isn't a soft priority date, it's the deadline, and BU-funded grants are where most of the real money is for the majority of families. Use CSS code 3087 and FAFSA code 002130, and include your Social Security number on the Profile, the FAFSA, and the Common App. If your parents are divorced or separated, your noncustodial parent has to file a separate Profile, so give yourself weeks, not days.
If you miss it: You risk losing BU-funded need-based grant aid, which can run to tens of thousands of dollars a year, even if you're still admitted on the academic side.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsEmory University
Early Decision II financial aid materials deadline
Applying Early Decision II means your CSS Profile, IDOC tax documents, and FAFSA are due January 6, just five days after your application. That is a tight turnaround over the winter holidays, so start gathering tax documents in December rather than after you submit. Emory starts releasing ED II aid packages in February 2027, ahead of your March 1 deposit.
If you miss it: Because ED II is binding, missing this leaves you owing a commitment to Emory without a finalized aid package in hand. Late filing can also reduce your award.
- Financial aidin about 3 monthsNew York University
NYU financial aid application deadline, Early Decision II
Applying Early Decision II means your CSS Profile is due January 10, nine days after the application itself. Add the FAFSA if you're a US citizen, permanent resident or federally eligible non-citizen, plus New York TAP if you're a state resident. Because ED II is binding, getting this in on time is the only way to know what NYU will actually cost you before you're committed.
If you miss it: Late aid applications may not receive the same amounts or types of funding. With a binding ED II offer you'd be obligated to enroll regardless of how thin the resulting aid package turns out to be.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsWilliam & Mary
FAFSA and CSS Profile priority date (Early Decision II)
If you apply Early Decision II, W&M wants both your FAFSA and your CSS Profile filed by mid-January so it can get you an aid estimate before your deposit is due. Because ED II is binding, this is the only window you get to see numbers before you're locked in. File both forms as soon as your family's tax information is ready rather than waiting.
If you miss it: W&M warns that late filers may not get an aid decision before the deposit deadline, which for ED II is Feb. 15. You would be committing to enroll without knowing what you'll pay, and grant consideration is not guaranteed after the priority date.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsUniversity of Notre Dame
Notre Dame financial aid priority deadline for Regular Decision applicants
If you apply Regular Decision, this is when your FAFSA, CSS Profile, and IDOC documents need to be in. It's eleven days after your application deadline, so build it into the same push rather than treating it as a separate spring task. Meeting it is what gets your aid offer to arrive with your admission decision in March instead of trickling in later. Notre Dame's school codes are 001840 for the FAFSA and 1841 for the CSS Profile.
If you miss it: Late aid applications still get full consideration, so you don't forfeit money. What you lose is timing: your offer may not arrive with your decision, leaving you comparing schools in April without a real number for Notre Dame.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsVillanova University
Villanova financial assistance priority deadline for Early Decision II and Regular Decision
If you're applying Early Decision II or Regular Decision, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due January 15, the same day as your application. Villanova explicitly warns that late aid applicants only get funded if money is still available, so treat this as a hard deadline rather than a suggestion. You'll get your aid notification on February 15 if you're ED II and April 1 if you're Regular Decision.
If you miss it: Filing after January 15 puts you at the back of the line for need-based institutional grants, and Villanova states you'll only be aided if funds remain. That can turn an affordable offer into an unaffordable one.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsTarleton State University
Financial Aid Priority Deadline
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsJohns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins, financial aid application deadline for Regular Decision
By this date your whole Hopkins aid file, FAFSA plus CSS Profile, must be complete for Regular Decision and Early Decision II. Hopkins meets full demonstrated need, so this is what makes a $90,000-a-year school affordable. The FAFSA code is E00473.
If you miss it: An incomplete aid file on January 15, 2027 means no need-based Hopkins scholarship in the offer letter.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsNortheastern University
Northeastern financial aid deadline for Early Decision II applicants
Applying Early Decision II means your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due January 15, two weeks after your application. Because ED II is binding, you want that aid offer in hand when your decision arrives on March 1. Start gathering tax returns and family financial information well before the holidays so this doesn't collide with your application work.
If you miss it: A late filing can mean a binding admission with no aid package attached, and reduced or delayed institutional need-based grant funding.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsTexas A&M University-College Station
Aggie Assurance priority deadline - submit FAFSA or TASFA
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsTulane University of Louisiana
Tulane need-based aid deadline for Early Decision II applicants (FAFSA and CSS Profile)
For Early Decision II, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due the same day as the application itself, so there's no grace period to catch up afterward. Since ED II is binding, filing these on time is what preserves your ability to decline if Tulane's offer doesn't meet your calculated need. Build the aid forms into the same work session as the application. Tulane's FAFSA code is 002029 and its CSS Profile code is 6832.
If you miss it: File late and you risk a binding commitment with no need-based offer to weigh, plus you can fall out of the priority pool for Tulane's institutional gift aid.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore
UMES, FAFSA priority funding deadline (University Grant and SEOG)
This is the earliest institutional aid deadline of any Maryland public university. File the FAFSA by January 15 and you may be eligible for priority funds like the University Grant and SEOG, first come, first served until the money runs out.
If you miss it: File after January 15 and the University Grant and SEOG money will likely already be gone, no matter how much need your family shows.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsNorthwestern University
Northwestern financial aid deadline for Regular Decision applicants
If you apply Regular Decision, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due February 1, 2027, which is about four weeks after your application. Don't let it slide just because your application is already in. Northwestern awards need-based aid only and commits to meeting demonstrated need, so this filing is what sets your family contribution. Tax materials follow through IDOC by February 5.
If you miss it: Filing late can delay or reduce your need-based Northwestern Scholarship, and you may not have a complete aid offer in hand when you're deciding among schools in April.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsDuke University
Duke financial aid applications (CSS Profile and FAFSA) for Regular Decision applicants
If you're applying Regular Decision and need aid, both the CSS Profile and the FAFSA are due by February 1, which is about four weeks after your actual application. Duke meets full demonstrated need, so this form is what determines whether you pay full price or close to nothing. After you file, watch your Duke applicant portal, because Duke often requests extra documents such as tax returns and business records. This is also the deadline that governs any Duke scholarship requiring demonstrated financial need.
If you miss it: Duke states your total aid eligibility won't be reduced, but your offer gets delayed and may not arrive with your admission decision, so you'd be deciding between schools in April without knowing Duke's real price.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsUniversity of Vermont
FAFSA priority deadline for Early Decision II and Regular Decision applicants
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsOhio State University-Main Campus
Ohio State FAFSA financial aid priority date
February 1 is Ohio State's priority date for financial aid, and it comes well after you apply but still matters a lot. File the FAFSA with Ohio State's school code 003090 by then to get maximum consideration for grants, need-based aid and Federal Work-Study. Note that the FAFSA opens December 1 for this cycle, so you have about two months. You can still file after February 1, but you'll be considered for whatever is left rather than the full pool.
If you miss it: Filing late doesn't disqualify you from federal aid, but Ohio State explicitly says filing before the priority date gives you maximum aid consideration. Limited-pool institutional grants and Federal Work-Study can be exhausted, so a late FAFSA can quietly cost you thousands in aid you would otherwise have received.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsWilliam & Mary
FAFSA and CSS Profile priority date (Regular Decision)
This is the one almost nobody tells you about: W&M's need-based aid priority date falls almost a month after your application is in, and it's easy to submit the Common App on Jan. 5 and then forget the money forms. File both the 2027-28 FAFSA (code 003705) and the 2027-28 CSS Profile (code 5115) by Feb. 1. Both forms opened October 1, 2026, so you can do this well before the date. Missing it doesn't cost you admission, it costs you grant dollars.
If you miss it: W&M states in bold terms that applications received after these dates will not be guaranteed grant consideration, and that funds are limited. You can still file late, but you may end up choosing between schools on May 1 with no W&M aid number.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsVanderbilt University
Vanderbilt financial aid filing deadline for Regular Decision applicants
If you apply Regular Decision, your CSS Profile and FAFSA are due February 1, a month after your application itself. That gap is easy to forget once you've hit submit on the application in January, so put this on your calendar separately. Get it in and your aid offer arrives with your decision in late March.
If you miss it: Missing this priority date can push your aid offer past your decision deadline or cost you institutional grant money that's awarded to on-time filers first. You could be choosing between colleges in April without knowing what Vanderbilt would actually charge you.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsDrexel University
Drexel FAFSA priority submission deadline
February 1 is Drexel's FAFSA priority deadline for all fall decision plans, Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision. The FAFSA is what qualifies you for federal and state need-based aid.
If you miss it: Filing after February 1 can cost federal and state need-based awards that are given out in priority order.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsTowson University
Towson, FAFSA priority deadline for TU need-based grants
This is the one families miss. Towson wants both the FAFSA and a complete admission application, transcripts included, by its February 1 priority date to put you in line for Towson's own need-based grant money.
If you miss it: Missing this date takes you out of priority consideration for Towson's institutional need-based grants, even if they are admitted.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsHoward University
FAFSA priority deadline (Regular Decision)
Regular Decision applicants to Howard must file the FAFSA by February 1, the same day as the application, for priority aid consideration. Howard cannot quote award amounts until both the application and the FAFSA have been received and reviewed.
If you miss it: A late FAFSA means your Howard admission letter may arrive with no aid offer attached.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsTemple University
Financial aid priority deadline
February 1 is Temple's financial aid priority deadline. Temple's own grant programs, the Temple University Grant, Fly in 4 Grant, and Temple Promise grant, all require the FAFSA by this date. The FAFSA is the only form needed for most aid at Temple; its school code is 003371.
If you miss it: A FAFSA after February 1 disqualifies you from Temple's institutional grants, which are typically the largest need-based awards Temple gives.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsTexas Christian University
TCU deadline for all applicants to submit the CSS Profile and FAFSA for priority funding
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsUniversity of Southern California
USC financial aid deadline for Regular Decision applicants (FAFSA and CSS Profile)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 4 monthsEmory University
Regular Decision financial aid materials deadline
If you apply Regular Decision and want need-based aid from Emory, your CSS Profile, IDOC tax documents, and FAFSA are all due February 10, 2027. This one falls after your January 1 application, so it is easy to submit your application and then forget the aid piece entirely. Emory begins sending Regular Decision aid packages in April 2027, alongside admission decisions. Emory also runs an Emory Advantage program covering tuition for families under a published income threshold, but you only qualify by filing these forms.
If you miss it: Missing this can delay your aid package past the point where you can compare offers, or reduce the grant aid you're offered. Need-based Emory grants are the largest single lever on your actual cost.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsNortheastern University
Northeastern financial aid deadline for Regular Decision applicants
If you apply Regular Decision, your FAFSA and CSS Profile are due February 15, six weeks after your January 1 application. This is a separate deadline from your application and it is easy to forget once you've hit submit. Northeastern aligns the FAFSA and CSS Profile dates so it can send your aid offer alongside your April 1 decision.
If you miss it: File late and your aid offer may not arrive with your admission decision, leaving you deciding by May 1 without knowing your real cost, and you may lose Northeastern institutional grant dollars.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsCornell University
Financial aid priority date for domestic Regular Decision applicants
If you're a U.S. student applying Regular Decision and you need aid, your CSS Profile and FAFSA are due February 15, roughly six weeks after your application. This is the deadline students most often overlook because it sits well after you've already submitted and stopped thinking about Cornell. Cornell meets full demonstrated need, so filing on time is the difference between a real aid offer and no offer at all.
If you miss it: File after the priority date and your aid file may not be processed in time for your late-March decision, which can leave you choosing between colleges in April without knowing Cornell's price. Late filers also risk losing priority for the limited work-study and institutional grant processing window.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsTulane University of Louisiana
Tulane need-based aid deadline for Regular Decision applicants (FAFSA and CSS Profile)
If you apply Regular Decision, February 15 is your date for both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. Tulane is blunt that you need both forms, not just the FAFSA, to be considered for its own need-based gift aid. This is also the date Tulane ties to its No Loan Assistance Scholarship for families under $75,000, so file even if you assume you won't qualify. Tulane's FAFSA code is 002029 and its CSS Profile code is 6832.
If you miss it: Missing February 15 can cost you consideration for Tulane institutional grant aid worth tens of thousands per year, including the NOLA Scholarship. You may still get federal aid, but the school's own money is where the priority deadline bites.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsUniversity of Nevada-Reno
Scholarship and financial aid deadline (Fall 2027 start)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsColumbia University in the City of New York
Regular Decision financial aid application deadline
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsLoyola University Maryland
Loyola Maryland, financial aid application deadline for Regular Decision
The Regular Decision application is due January 15, but the financial aid file isn't due until February 15, a full month later, and it's a separate submission. Families who assume they're the same date scramble in January or forget February 15 entirely.
If you miss it: Miss February 15 and Loyola will not have a need-based aid package ready when the admission decision arrives in mid-March.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsSalisbury University
Salisbury, FAFSA priority deadline for SU aid
Salisbury sets a priority date of March 1 for the FAFSA, the free federal aid form. The university's wording is 'In order to be considered for priority aid, you must submit your FAFSA by March 1st.' Maryland's own state aid deadline lands on the same day, so one filing covers both.
If you miss it: File after the priority date and you may be shut out of Salisbury institutional grant money entirely.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County
UMBC, FAFSA priority deadline for university need-based aid
File the FAFSA, the free federal aid form, by UMBC's encouraged priority date to stay in line for UMBC's own need-based grants. The most recently posted date was March 1. List UMBC's federal school code, 002105, or UMBC can't see your results.
If you miss it: Filing after the priority date can mean losing UMBC institutional grant money that has already been committed to earlier filers.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsFarmingdale State College
Financial aid (FAFSA) preferred deadline
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsWest Virginia University
FAFSA priority deadline
WVU's FAFSA priority deadline is March 1. WVU states that FAFSAs filed after this date will not be considered for certain aid, specifically the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and Federal Work-Study.
If you miss it: A FAFSA after March 1 loses eligibility for SEOG grant money and Work-Study at WVU.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsVirginia Tech
FAFSA priority deadline
March 1 is Virginia Tech's FAFSA priority deadline for need-based aid. The FAFSA is the free federal financial aid form. Note this is later than the January 22 scholarship deadline, so do not use March 1 as your only reminder.
If you miss it: Filing after March 1 can cost you limited need-based grant funds that Virginia Tech awards in priority order.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsUniversity of Colorado Boulder
Apply for financial aid by this date for full scholarship consideration
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsBowie State University
Bowie State, institutional need-based funds deadline
Bowie State lists a separate March 1 deadline specifically for its own in-house need-based financial aid, on top of the federal FAFSA. This is money Bowie controls directly and awards to students whose FAFSA shows financial need. The same March 1 date also applies to Maryland state aid programs.
If you miss it: Miss March 1 and you are out of the running for Bowie's institutional need-based grants for the year.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsFrostburg State University
Frostburg State, FAFSA priority deadline for institutional aid
Frostburg's FAFSA priority date is March 1. Frostburg is blunt about it: you can still file later, but doing so 'will significantly reduce the likelihood of receiving state, institutional and foundation awards.' This date covers Maryland state aid too.
If you miss it: Filing after March 1 sharply reduces the chance of receiving any Frostburg institutional or foundation award.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsPortland State University
Priority deadline to apply to PSU and complete the FAFSA to be considered for Tuition Free Degree
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsCoppin State University
Coppin State, FAFSA deadline for institutional and federal aid (2027-28)
Coppin State has already published this date for the 2027-28 aid year, the year you'd start college. Submit the FAFSA by March 1, 2027 for the maximum institutional and federal aid. It's also a hard deadline for Maryland state aid, including MHEC grants.
If you miss it: File after March 1, 2027 and you can lose both Coppin institutional aid and all Maryland state grant eligibility for the year.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsBrigham Young University-Idaho
BYU-Idaho 2027-2028 Need-Based Scholarship Priority Deadline (complete the 2027-2028 FAFSA by this date)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsUniversity of New Hampshire-Main Campus
Financial Aid Priority Date (recommended FAFSA submission date to UNH)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsMorgan State University
Morgan State, FAFSA priority deadline for institutional aid
Morgan's priority date for the FAFSA is March 1, the same day as the Maryland state scholarship deadline, so one filing covers both. Morgan says it 'gives students a better opportunity to receive federal, state and institutional funds.'
If you miss it: Filing after March 1 puts you behind everyone else for Morgan's own grant and scholarship funds.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsNorth Carolina State University
NC State FAFSA priority filing deadline
March 1 is NC State's FAFSA priority filing date. NC State awards need-based grant funding first-come, first-served among priority filers, so earlier is better. NC State's federal school code is 002972.
If you miss it: Filing after March 1 drops you out of first-priority consideration for NC State need-based grants, which are awarded until the money runs out.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsWest Chester University of Pennsylvania
WCU Priority Deadline for FAFSA
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsUniversity of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan financial aid deadline for Early Action and Regular Decision
This is the real cutoff for Early Action and Regular Decision applicants. The Office of Financial Aid must have your FAFSA, your CSS Profile, and any documents they've requested from you by March 1. Note it comes a month after the Feb. 1 application deadline, so don't assume submitting your application finished the job. If your FAFSA gets rejected for a missing signature you can blow this deadline without realizing it, so check that it processed.
If you miss it: U-M says you may not be considered for all aid programs if you file later, which can mean losing out on U-M grants and need-based scholarships worth thousands a year. Filing late also risks not having an aid offer in hand by the May 1 enrollment deadline.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsWilliam & Mary
Financial aid final filing date (ED II and Regular Decision)
March 1 is the hard backstop for your FAFSA and CSS Profile if you applied Early Decision II or Regular Decision. It's not the target, the priority date is, but if you slipped past Feb. 1 this is the point at which you should stop procrastinating. W&M will still accept forms after March 1, but grant consideration is no longer guaranteed and your aid decision may not arrive before you have to commit.
If you miss it: File after this and you may reach the May 1 deposit date with no aid offer from W&M, forcing you to accept or decline blind. Limited institutional grant funds may already be committed to on-time filers.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsUniversity of Maryland, College Park
UMD College Park, FAFSA priority deadline for university aid
The FAFSA is the free federal form that decides need-based aid, and UMD uses it to hand out its own grant money too. The last published priority date was March 1. Filing by then puts you in line for UMD's own need-based funds, which run out.
If you miss it: Filing after the priority date means you are considered only for whatever institutional need-based money is left over, which is often none.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsNew Mexico State University-Main Campus
NMSU FAFSA priority deadline
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsCalifornia State University-Long Beach
CSULB financial aid priority application deadline (FAFSA/CADAA), Fall 2027
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 5 monthsUniversity of Southern California
USC Cal Grant application deadline
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 6 monthsEl Paso Community College
Financial aid priority date (complete applications received by this date get priority for need-based aid)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 6 monthsCollege of Staten Island CUNY
Financial aid application priority deadline (Fall)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 7 monthsKean University
Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program Application Deadline (fall semester admission only)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 8 monthsUniversity of Central Oklahoma
Aid year priority processing deadline for Fall (complete file by June 30)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 9 monthsUniversity of California-San Diego
Deadline to submit additional financial aid documents for UC San Diego priority aid funding
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, which is separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 9 monthsGeorgia Gwinnett College
Financial aid priority document submission deadline - fall semester (completed FAFSA, verification, and all requested documents)
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
- Financial aidin about 10 monthsPortland State University
Deadline to apply to PSU to be considered for many of PSU's Free & Discounted Tuition Programs
This is the school's own financial aid deadline, separate from the federal FAFSA date and usually earlier. It's the date the school uses to decide who gets its own money.
If you miss it: Miss it and you may still receive federal aid, but the school's own grants are often gone.
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