When should I complete my FAFSA?

The financial aid priority deadline for obtaining financial aid is 10 days before the first day of your term. You can review term starts dates on our Academic Calendar

The earliest you can complete the FAFSA for the following year is October. When completing the FAFSA, you will use tax information from 2 years prior and will be required to directly transfer tax information to your FAFSA from the IRS. This direct transfer of data reduces the likelihood of errors and saves you time.

An example timeline of what FAFSA to complete, and when:

Start Term FAFSA CSU Global Deadline FAFSA to Complete FAFSA Opened on StudentAid.gov
Fall A 2026 (7/20/2026) 7/10/2026 2026/27 FAFSA 10/1/2025
Fall A 2027 (7/19/2027) 7/9/2027 2027/28 FAFSA 10/1/2026
Fall A 2028 (7/17/2028) 7/7/2028 2028/29 FAFSA 10/1/2027