How can I tell if my aid is ready for the school year?
You can check the Financial Aid Status section in MyUW and see what aid you have been offered, and if you have any holds on your award or if you need to sign promissory notes for your loans. You need to be registered for full-time credits if your aid is awarded to you as a full-time student (12 credits for undergraduates and professional students, 10 credits for graduate students).
When/ how is aid disbursed?
If you have satisfied all of the paperwork needed to prepare your award and you have enrolled for enough credits, then aid is usually disbursed to your student account a few days before the quarter starts. If you have signed up for direct deposit, then the funds should arrive in your bank account by the first day of the quarter. We have the current quarter's disbursement dates and other details available if you want to read more.
What is a preliminary award?
If when you review your award, you see the indication "preliminary award" we need more information from you (like tax returns or asset information) to confirm your eligibility for aid. After you send the information to our office, we'll review it and send you a new, final award that may vary from the original preliminary award. Remember that a preliminary award is an estimate of your eligibility and we cannot release aid to you until we've calculated your actual eligibility.
If you have a preliminary award and are not sure what we need from you to finalize your award, then please contact us for more information. If you have turned in documentation to us recently, then we may not have been able to review it yet and will be in touch with you later.
How long does it take for you to review information I sent in for my preliminary award or request to revise my aid?
The amount of time it takes us to respond to you depends on our workload (volume of other students with requests) and the time of year. For most of the year, we reply in about 2 weeks (3 weeks for appeals) and will respond sooner if we can. During the May-August months we can take up to 4-6 weeks to respond. We will make every effort to get your aid ready for you for autumn quarter if your information comes to us before September 1. For information received after September 1, we will try to complete the review before the tuition deadline for the quarter, but you may want to review information on the short term loan program to help with your expenses before your aid is ready.
Because of the volume of students who want aid, it is important for you to apply early and respond to any requests for information as soon as possible.
MyUW shows a hold on my account-what does that mean?
Holds will prevent aid from disbursing to you for a variety of reasons. Usually holds are placed because you are missing required documentation or you may not have completed enough credits in the previous quarter or previous year. There is information about the type of hold on MyUW and you can contact us with any remaining questions about how to resolve the hold on your aid.
Does where I live make a difference in the amount of aid I receive?
Yes, if you plan to live with your parents or other relatives where you will not pay rent (or pay much in rent) then your aid may be adjusted to reflect your lower housing costs. You need to let us know if you change your plans to live or not live with relatives during the school year. We use the same costs for on or off campus housing so you don't need to tell us about changes you make between these two categories.
My financial aid award is not enough to cover my expenses. What are my options?
You have several options:
Talk to one of our counselors to see if any adjustments can be made to your award. If your income or resources (or that of your parents) has decreased significantly since you filed the FAFSA you can complete a Revision Request for Change in Financial Situation.
If you incur expenses during the school year that are not part of the standard budget we use to award financial aid, you may complete a Revision Request for Additional Expenses and submit to our office. Our office will review your request to determine if we can use the additional expenses and if any additional financial aid can be awarded. Please note that not all expenses are allowable in determining your eligibility for financial aid and additional aid is usually in the form of student loans.
Do I need an appointment to see a counselor?
No, our counselors generally don't take appointments but see students Monday-Friday, from 9 to 5 on a drop-in basis. You can also email or phone our counselors with questions as well. During May-August, we are closed during certain mornings in order to catch up on paperwork so you can check the financial aid home page for our current schedule.
Is it too late to apply for aid for 2008-09?
No, you can still apply for aid, but keep in mind you should try to apply at least 4-6 weeks before the end of your enrollment for the year. We need sufficient time to complete the process before your enrollment ends. The Pell Grant program (for qualified undergraduates) and the government loan programs remain available throughout the year. You can start the application process at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Do I let you know if my marital status changes or the size of my family changes during the school year?
Yes, please let us know if you experience these type of changes during the school year. Our counselors will advise you if any adjustment to your award is possible.
What happens if I want to go part-time instead of full-time?
Part-time students can receive financial aid. However, most of our institutional grants and scholarships, Perkins Loans and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants require full-time attendance. Usually, Pell and State Need Grants can be prorated for less than full time attendance (State Need Grant down to 3 credits and Pell down to 1 credit). For example, you might receive half of your normal Pell Grant for 6-8 credits of attendance. The Stafford Loan Programs, Parent Loans, GPLUS loans only require part-time attendance.
If you want to attend less than full-time, you should talk to one of our counselors (in-person or email us) about adjusting your aid. In addition, if you have extenuating circumstances that are preventing you from attending full-time, you can file a Priority Appeal Form to see if you can keep any of your aid that normally requires full-time attendance.
What happens if I drop a class?
When you withdraw from a class, there can be implications during the quarter, at the end of the quarter, and at the end of the academic year. If you have aid for the quarter you have not yet received, it may be canceled and your future aid eligibility may be affected due to Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. If you pass fewer than full-time but at least half-time credits at the end of the quarter for which you receive aid, you will be put on financial aid probation. If you drop below half-time enrollment, you will lose your eligibility for aid at the end of the quarter (unless you received "less than half-time aid" for the specific number of credits that you passed); and if you have student loans, you will begin your grace period. In addition, you may lose your eligibility for the future if at the end of the year you are short of the annual credit requirement.
Remember the basic rules: You must enroll for sufficient credits to establish eligibility, you must complete a minimum half-time credit load each quarter you receive aid (6 credits for undergraduate, professional and teacher certification students; 5 credits for graduate students), and you must complete your total annual credit requirement by the end of spring quarter.
What is Satisfactory Academic Progress?
Basically, when you receive aid you are responsible for completing a certain number of credits per quarter and per year as well as maintaining your grade point average at a minimum of 2.0. In addition, you need to finish your degree within a maximum number of years. You should read the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy carefully. Keep in mind that there is an appeal process if you had extenuating circumstances arise that affected your ability to maintain satisfactory academic progress.
What happens if I withdraw from the quarter?
Four things:
If you are contemplating withdrawing from the whole quarter or have withdrawn, be sure to review the Withdraw/Refund/Repayment information and contact one of our counselors if you have questions.