(Harrisburg, PA) -- Pennsylvania's Department of Education Secretary wants to remind people about an upcoming deadline to apply for federal student aid. Doctor Noe Ortega says the Free Application for Federal Student Aid deadline is May 1st. Submitting the FAFSA [[ faff-suh ]] is the first step toward receiving both federal and state student aid, including the PA State Grant Program Current and prospective undergraduate and graduate students should submit the FAFSA to the U.S. Department of Education to determine eligibility for federal aid.