Deadlines for financial aid application can vary, depending upon whether you are applying for federal financial aid, state financial aid, or financial aid directly from the schools you apply to.

Since many deadlines can be involved in the financial aid application process, it pays to be organized. Know which deadlines are approaching. It is easy to miss a deadline, and an opportunity for aid, when so many deadlines need to be remembered.

To apply for financial aid, use the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA is a comprehensive form and is used to apply for financial aid from all sources: federal, state, and educational institutions.

Deadlines for financial aid applications are subject to change. For the 2008-2009 school year (which runs from July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009), the deadlines were as follows:

-         Online FAFSA applications had a submission deadline of Midnight, June 30, 2009.

-        Corrections to online FAFSA applications had a submission deadline of midnight, September 15, 2009.

-       All FAFSA information needed to be corrected and completed by the last enrollment day for the student during that school year.

For updates on federal and state financial aid application deadlines, go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before003a.htm#federal_aid. Remember that the FAFSA forms must be filled out for all financial aid applications — including state financial aid — even if the state requires additional forms. Financial aid from an educational institution will have its own deadline for application. Contact the institution for deadline information. Finally, you may want to reapply for financial aid on a yearly basis. Your financial situation may change during a year, and it could impact your eligibility for aid.