United States · Financial aid
Tennessee FAFSA deadline 2027-28.
Tennessee’s deadline text from the official 2027-28 FAFSA form, with a count of days to each date.
Short answer: Tennessee’s 2027-28 FAFSA form lists several dates. April 1, 2027 applies to the Tennessee Promise and to prior-year State Grant recipients, while State Lottery awards are due September 1, 2027 for fall, March 1, 2028 for spring and May 1, 2028 for summer.
Count the days
Result
Press Show days left.
What the form says for Tennessee
The 2027-28 FAFSA form opens its deadline page with three rules. For federal aid, submit as early as possible but no earlier than October 1, 2026, and the Department of Education must receive the application by June 30, 2028. For state or college aid, the deadline may be as early as October 1, 2026, or aid may be awarded first come, first served. Unless a line says otherwise, the dates are when the form must be received.
| Program | Deadline text on the 2027-28 form |
|---|---|
| Tennessee State Grant | Prior-year recipients receive award if eligible and apply by April 1, 2027; all other awards made to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. Awards made while funds exist. |
| Tennessee Promise | April 1, 2027. |
| State Lottery | Fall term, Sept. 1, 2027; spring term, March 1, 2028; summer term, May 1, 2028. |
What to file first
- File by April 1, 2027: that date covers Tennessee Promise and keeps a prior-year State Grant recipient’s award.
- If you are a first-time State Grant applicant, file as early as you can, because the form says those awards go first come, first served while funds exist.
- Note the lottery term dates separately: September 1, 2027 for fall, March 1, 2028 for spring and May 1, 2028 for summer.
Worked example (real dates)
On November 1, 2026, April 1, 2027 (a Thursday) is 151 days away; September 1, 2027 (a Wednesday) is 304 days away; March 1, 2028 (a Wednesday) is 486 days away; May 1, 2028 (a Monday) is 547 days away. The federal deadline of June 30, 2028 is 607 days out, which is why it is the wrong date to plan around for state aid. The state date comes first, so it is the one to put on your calendar.
Method
The state text is copied from the form. The tool finds each calendar date in that text, leaves out “as soon as possible after October 1, 2026” because that is an opening date rather than a deadline, and counts calendar days from the date you pick, or from today in your browser. Nothing is sent to our servers. See the all-states table for other states.
What this does not cover
- Deadlines the form leaves to your college or state agency.
- Separate state or college applications, and any date set after the form was published.
- Priority versus final dates. “Priority consideration” dates are not cut-offs, but awards may run out afterward.
- The 2026-27 form, whose dates are one year earlier.
The live schedule is on StudentAid.gov. Federal government publications are not under copyright (17 U.S.C. 105), so the form’s text is reproduced with attribution.
Sources
- Federal Student Aid: 2027-28 FAFSA Form (PDF), page 2 deadlines (retrieved November 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the Tennessee Promise FAFSA deadline for 2027-28?
April 1, 2027, according to the form. Check your high school counselor or college for any other Promise steps, since the form lists only the FAFSA date.
Is the Tennessee State Grant first come, first served?
For applicants other than prior-year recipients, yes: the form says awards go to eligible applicants first come, first served while funds exist. Prior-year recipients keep their award if eligible and they apply by April 1, 2027.
What are the Tennessee lottery scholarship FAFSA dates?
The form lists September 1, 2027 for the fall term, March 1, 2028 for spring and May 1, 2028 for summer.
Which Tennessee date should I use if I want all of them?
File before April 1, 2027. That meets the earliest dated line, and the later lottery dates then take care of themselves.
What is the federal FAFSA deadline for 2027-28?
June 30, 2028. The form says the Department of Education must receive the application by then, and no earlier than October 1, 2026 for federal aid. State and college dates come first.
Does this page file or check my FAFSA?
No. It shows the deadline text printed on the form and counts days in your browser. Apply at fafsa.gov.
Why does the page say 2027-28?
The 2027-28 form covers July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028 and opens October 1, 2026. Dates for the school year already under way are different.
Check the live schedule
State deadlines change and the form itself says some states refer you to their own sites. This page is an unofficial copy of the published 2027-28 form, not run by the U.S. Department of Education, and nothing you type is transmitted anywhere. Confirm every date with your state agency and college.