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Applying for Financial Aid

How do I apply for financial aid?

You begin the process each year by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after January 1, making sure to include UConn's federal school code 001417.

Please note that financial aid, including grants and federal loans, is available only to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

I have submitted my FAFSA. Now what?

Check your University email account at http://google.uconn.edu. This account is the University's official means of communication with students. Once you have been accepted to UConn and the Office of Student Financial Aid Services (OSFAS) has received your FAFSA data from the federal Central Processing System (CPS), you will receive an email communication via your University email account.

This communication will direct you to access the Student Administration System http://www.studentadmin.uconn.edu either to identify what additional information is required to continue the processing of your financial aid application, or to take action on your financial aid award package. You are responsible for checking your University email account frequently for information about your financial aid package.

Financial Aid Award Packages

We take very seriously our responsibility in accurately depicting to students and their families the true cost of attending the University of Connecticut. However, in an effort to provide incoming students with information regarding their financial aid award as early as possible, financial aid packages that have been awarded have been designated as tentative since funding levels have not yet been finalized for the federal, state, and institutional grant programs. We hope to have the relevant information as soon as possible and we appreciate your patience in the interim.

Tentative financial aid award packages have been issued electronically for incoming undergraduate students. Students must log into the Student Administration System (SA System) to accept or decline awards. The Office of Student Financial Aid Services uses the student's University email account, to communicate with students regarding their financial aid status.

Students will not receive paper award letters.

Accessing the Student Administration System

To log into the SA System, http://www.studentadmin.uconn.edu, you need your seven-digit Student ID number which is found in the top right corner of your admission letter. If you have already logged in to the SA System, you can log in using your current password. If your password has expired, you will be prompted to change it. If you have forgotten your password, click the ‘Forgot your password’ link on the login page for assistance. Detailed instructions on the use of the SA System can be found by clicking the Student Help link on the top tool bar or by navigating to http://www.peoplesofthelp.uconn.edu/.

After logging into the SA System, view your financial aid data by first clicking 'Self Service' from the left menu and then clicking 'Student Center'. Once in the Student Center, click the 'View Financial Aid' link to obtain information regarding your application status and awards.

If You Require Assistance

Detailed instructions regarding use of Self-Service through the SA System can be found by clicking the Student Help link on the top tool bar, or by navigating to http://peoplesofthelp.uconn.edu/.

Please refer to the New Student Technology Tutorialfor additional information and instructions on how to access University email account and log into the SA System.

For questions regarding access to student systems, contact the UITS Help Desk at 860.486.4357 or by email (helpcenter@uconn.edu).

Note: Account passwords for any student or University system are the property of the student and, as such, are not released to parents or third parties.

Required Steps

Please login as soon as possible to complete the following:

• Review the list of items required and submit any necessary documentation, and/or;
• Accept, reduce, or decline your financial aid awards and;
• Review, and if necessary, complete all of the steps on the 'Financial Aid Action' page.

What Happens Next?

Verification

The federal Central Processing System (CPS) selects approximately 30% of the applications received each year for verification, a process that requires the OSFAS to confirm the data supplied by the applicant and/or parent(s) on the students' FAFSA by collecting tax returns, W-2 forms, and other applicable information. The OSFAS will notify you via your University email account if documentation is required.

If your file has been selected for Verification by the federal processor, your financial aid package should be considered an "estimate" until our office has received and reviewed all required documentation, as your financial aid is subject to revision based upon final review of the required documents. If additional documentation has been requested, you are strongly encouraged to respond promptly to ensure the timely processing of your financial aid award package. Your financial aid will not be disbursed until the requested documents have been received, and is subject to cancellation if the documents are not received by November 1, 2011.

How do I know what information I need to provide?

If documentation is required, the specific forms and documents requested will be listed in the Student Administration System. Once you have logged in, click the View Financial Aid link, then choose 2012.

If you have accepted a loan as part of your financial aid package, additional documentation is required to process the loan. The information below will indicate what additional documentation may be required based on which awards you have accepted. Information regarding the specific forms required and instructions for completing the required loan forms will be sent to your University email account.

Federal Direct Stafford Loan

First-time Federal Stafford Loan borrowers must complete:

- a Federal Direct Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) AND

- Federal Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling

Both of these steps must be completed before Federal Direct Stafford Loan funds can be applied to your University fee bill as a payment.

Additional information regarding the Federal Direct Stafford Loan is available at http://financialaid.uconn.edu/stafford.

Federal Direct PLUS Loan

(available for parents of dependent undergraduate students only) If your parent wishes to borrow a Federal Direct PLUS Loan on your behalf, he or she must submit an online application via http://studentloans.gov after June 13, 2011. A credit check will be run by the US Department of Education. If your parent is approved, he or she must also complete a Master Promissory Note at http://studentloans.gov.

Additional information regarding the Federal Direct PLUS Loan is available at http://financialaid.uconn.edu/plus.

If the loan is denied because your parent did not meet the credit requirements, you (the student) may be awarded additional Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loan funds.

Grants

Grant awards are automatically credited to the student’s account, as long as the student is enrolled as a full-time student by the end of the add/drop period of each applicable semester.

Payment Options

Financial Aid Worksheet

An interactive worksheet is available at http://financialaid.uconn.edu/worksheet to assist in determining if a balance is due to the University, after all available financial aid has been applied towards your University fee bill. If necessary, students and their families are encouraged to consider alternative sources of funding prior to receipt of the University fee bill. Awards are based on estimated costs, subject to change if tuition and fees are adjusted. The worksheet is for your records only, and should not be submitted to our office.

Payment Plan Information

The University offers an installment payment plan for fee bills. Additional information is available on the Bursar’s website at http://www.bursar.uconn.edu.

Alternative Financing Options

If Federal Direct Stafford, Federal Perkins and/or Federal Direct PLUS Loans do not sufficiently cover educational expenses, you may wish to consider alternative financing options. Additional information regarding private student loans (alternative loans) is available at http://financialaid.uconn.edu/altloan. The Office of Student Financial Aid Services recommends that all dependent students seeking additional loan funding first ask their parent to apply for the Federal Direct PLUS Loan prior to considering other loan options. The interest rate on the PLUS Loan is fixed and is generally more favorable than that of alternative loans.

Additional Resources

Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid
http://studentaid.ed.gov/guide

Do You Need Money for College? Federal Student Aid at a Glance 2011-2012
http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/attachments/siteresources/doyouneedmoney.pdf