When to Apply for Federal Financial Aid
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) uses income and tax information from two tax years prior. See the chart below to help you know when you can apply for federal financial aid and which tax year information you should use.
| Academic Year (Fall, Spring, Summer) |
Date You Can Start Applying for Aid | FAFSA Application Year | Income Based on Tax Year |
| 2023-2024 | October 1, 2022 | 2023-2024 | 2021 |
| 2024-2025 | December 31, 2023 | 2024-2025 | 2022 |
| 2025-2026 | December 1, 2024 | 2025-2026 | 2023 |
Spring 2024
| Date | Day | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | Thur | Attempted credits calculated for financial aid SAP (11:59 p.m.) ** |
| Jan | 18 | Thur | Financial Aid Census: Pell, TEACH & State Grant awards are based on enrollment as of 11:59 p.m. |
| Jan | 23 | Tue | Financial aid applied to NDSU account balances |
| Feb | 1 | Thur | Incoming Freshmen Scholarship Deadline |
| Mar | 1 | Fri | Currently Enrolled Students Scholarship Deadline |
| Apr | 1 | Mon | Transfer Students Scholarship Deadline |
| May | 19 | Sun | Health Professions Student Scholarship Deadline |
Summer 2024 (All Sessions)
| Date | Day | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun | 20 | Thur | Attempted credits calculated for financial aid SAP (11:59 p.m.) ** |
| Jun | 20 | Thur | Financial Aid Census: Pell, TEACH & State Grant awards are based on enrollment as of 11:59 p.m. |
| Jun | 25 | Tue | Financial aid begins applying to NDSU account balance once enrollment requirements are met. |