Financial Aid FAQs

Many of the commonly asked questions concerning financial aid at UNF are listed below.
For additional questions, contact One-Stop Student Services directly.

Additional information may be found online at:  

• FAQs: UNF Scholarships
• FAQs: FAFSA4caster (Internet Explorer required)
• FAQs: Federal Student Aid on the Web
• FAQs: Florida Student Financial Aid

Applying

• How do I apply for financial aid?

  To be considered for Federal Loans, Grants, or Scholarships, you should complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. Complete your FAFSA by February 14 to be considered for the most aid possible. We do accept applications after this date.
  
  Our FAFSA school code is 009841. If you have any questions about filling out a FAFSA, you may contact the Federal Aid Information Center (FAIC) via phone at 1-800-433-3243.
  
  It generally takes about 10 business days for UNF to receive your FAFSA result (called a Student Aid Report or SAR) from the Department of Education. Once we receive your reject-free SAR we evaluate you for and post your financial aid award to your myWings account. UNF generally begins receiving SARs in April preceding the fall for which you filed the FAFSA. *Please remember that we will not award you any financial aid until you are admitted to a degree-seeking program at UNF. However, you can, and should, complete your FAFSA prior to being admitted.

   

  NOTE: students who are admitted to UNF for the summer term must file two FAFSA applications.  For instance, if you are admitted to UNF for the summer 2016 semester, you'll need to file both at 2015- 2016 FAFSA (to receive summer financial aid) and a 2016-2017 FAFSA (to receive aid for fall and spring).
  
  A new FAFSA must be filed each year to determine eligibility, based on the prior year’s tax return. Completing your taxes and FAFSA in a timely manner will allow sufficient time for financial aid processing and ensure that any aid you accept will be available to defer (pend) your tuition charges.

• Can I receive financial aid if I’m a non-degree seeking student? Are some programs ineligible to receive aid?

  Typically students in non-degree-seeking status and most certificate programs are not eligible to receive financial aid (which includes Federal Direct Student Loans).

  • General Non-Degree, Learning for a Lifetime, Continuing Education and Post-Baccalaureate Non-Degree-Seeking: Ineligible to receive aid
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Certificate: Ineligible to receive aid 
  • Graduate and Post-Master’s Certificate Programs: Ineligible to receive aid
  • Teacher Re-certification: Ineligible to receive aid 
  • Teacher Certification (initial): Eligible to receive Federal Direct and Private Loans only
  • Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner: Eligible to receive Private Health Professions Loans only (requires application to a private lender, credit approval, and school certification; contact your lender for application and eligibility information)

  If you do not see your program listed above, or have further questions, please contact One-Stop Student Services.

• I’m starting classes at UNF in the spring or summer term. What do I need to do to get financial aid?

  If you haven’t already filed a FAFSA, that’s your first step.  See the previous question about the FAFSA for more information.  Keep in mind that the FAFSA results allow us to award aid for one academic year (Fall-Spring-Summer).

  If you are beginning in the summer, you should file both the current year’s FAFSA to determine your financial aid eligibility for the summer and the new year’s FAFSA for the fall term (and beyond).

  Additionally, you need to complete the Mid-Year (available in October) for spring or the Summer Financial Aid Request form (available in March) for summer.  Both of these forms are done online via your myWings account.

• How do I get financial aid for the summer term?

  Beginning around March 15, the Summer Financial Aid Request Form will be available via myWings. ALL students (except first time in college freshman admitted for summer) must submit this online form to be considered for summer aid.

   

  Remember, if you have been admitted to UNF for the summer you must file both the current year’s FAFSA to determine your financial aid eligibility for the summer and the new year’s FAFSA for the fall term (and beyond).

   

  Summer term financial aid funding is limited and some awards are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Don't delay in submitting your FAFSA and Summer Aid Request Form.

Awards

• Why haven’t I received a financial aid award letter or Financial Aid Shopping Sheet?
  In an effort to be environmentally and fiscally responsible, we post financial aid award information online. Your financial aid award letter and your Financial Aid Shopping Sheet are available through myWings. If you have specific questions pertaining to your award, you can contact One-Stop Student Services via email via their online contact form, or visit them in-person (remember to bring a photo ID) in Hicks Hall, building 53.
• Why didn’t I receive grants (PELL, FSEOG, FSAG)?

  There are many factors that affect the awarding process including a student's EFC, demonstrated unmet financial need, GPA, and enrollment; and the availability of funding in these grant programs.

   

  Many times eligible students miss out on receiving federal, state and institutional grant funding because they filed their FAFSA after UNF's priority filing deadline (February 14) and all available grant funds have already been awarded to students who filed earlier.

• How many hours do I need to take to receive my award?

  You must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 degree-applicable credit hours, in standard grade mode, to receive most financial aid.

   

  Classes that are not required to complete your degree program, hours taken in audit or other non-credit modes will not count toward financial aid eligibility.

   

  Grants are initially awarded as estimates, assuming full-time enrollment (minimum 12 hours for undergraduates, 9 hours for graduates). Some grants require full-time enrollment. If full-time enrollment is not required, the grant will prorate as follows:

   

  Undergraduate Students
  
  

  Hours	Status	% of Award Offered
  1-5	less than half-time	0*
  6-8	half-time	50%
  9-11	three quarter-time	75%
  12+	full-time	100%

  
  Graduate Students 

  
  

  Hours	Status	% of Award Offered
  1-5	less than half-time	0
  6-8	half-time	50%
  9+	full-time	100%

  
  *Some Pell Grants can be prorated to 25% of the offered award for undergraduate students enrolled in less than half-time.

   

  **Please note that as of the 2016/2017 aid year, most UNF institutional grants and Enrollment Services scholarships require enrollment in at least 15 credit hours for disbursement.

  
  Grant programs with end of fiscal year expenditure deadlines cannot utilize a student's Summer B courses to determine enrollment.

   

  Loans require a minimum enrollment of 6 credit hours. 

   

  Scholarships are subject to the enrollment requirements specific to the signed Scholarship Agreement.

   

  If you drop or withdraw below the required hours for your aid type, those funds may be reduced after disbursement, which will result in a balance owed to UNF.

• How does financial aid work if I am taking classes at another school?

  If you wish to concurrently enroll (degree-seeking at UNF, taking courses at another college or university for a semester) you must complete a Transient Student Admissions Application online via www.floridashines.org. Your Academic Advisor must approve the course(s) as applicable toward your degree to be eligible for financial aid.

   

  To receive financial aid, you must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 hours at one school (UNF or the host school). Get more information on concurrent enrollment and your financial aid award.

   

  When you opt to concurrently enroll, you must pay up-front for courses at your host institution. There is no deferring fees at your host institution.

   

  If you are planning to concurrently enroll at a private or out-of-state institution, you must submit a paper Concurrent/Transient Enrollment Form, available at One-Stop. In addition, a Consortium Agreement and a detailed fee statement from the other school (which must be marked "Paid in Full")  must be submitted by the posted Consortium deadline.

   

  Some financial aid awards can be adjusted to account for approved concurrent enrollment hours. UNF specific grants and scholarships will not be increased based on courses taken at another institution.

   

  An approved Consortium Agreement does not guarantee that you will be refunded for the amount you paid for classes at your host institution. Rather, it allows us to determine if the aid you qualify for can be increased to account for the additional credit hours you are taking at your host school. 

Disbursement

• When will my financial aid be disbursed?

  As a rule, the first available financial aid disbursement date is typically two weeks after classes have begun each semester. Your individual disbursement date may be later depending on the status of your financial aid file. For example, if you are selected for verification and have not submitted the requested documents, your disbursement will be delayed.

   

  The summer semester at UNF is a bit more complicated as there are multiple terms (A, B, C, 10 and 12 week) and two separate add/drop weeks. Enrolling in fewer than 6 hours during the summer A and/or C term could delay, or even prohibit, disbursement of your financial aid. As an example, if you have accepted a Federal Direct student loan you are required to enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours in a semester to receive those loan funds. If you choose to take 3 hours in summer A (or Summer C) and 3 hours in summer B, your student loan would not disburse until after summer B add/drop has ended.

   

  To avoid disbursement delays, remember to monitor myWings and your UNF e-mail in the weeks leading up to disbursement.  Respond to any request for documentation promptly, read e-mails from financial aid thoroughly, and ask questions well in advance of the start of classes!

• How do I defer my tuition and fees until my financial aid is disbursed to UNF?

  UNF will automatically defer (pend) your billed charges against financial aid you have accepted in myWings prior to the start of the term. 

   

  You are responsible for checking your online bill, in myWings, prior to the payment deadline each semester. If your online bill shows a balance owed, this means that your estimated financial aid is not enough to cover all of your charges and you must pay the difference prior to the payment deadline.  

   

  UNF Student Financial Services allows students to defer tuition charges for approximately 5 weeks. If your financial aid has not disbursed by then, you are responsible to pay your balance in full. Failure to pay your balance in full after the deferment period ends will result in a $100 late payment fee. This does not mean that your financial aid has been canceled! You can still receive a financial aid disbursement after paying your balance in full.

   

  Please be advised that the following financial aid awards cannot be used to defer charges:

  • Federal Work-Study
  • The State University System Minority Scholarship
  • The Barnes and Noble Bookstore Scholarship
  • The Delores Auzenne Fellowship

  If you only receive the above programs, you must pay your tuition and fees prior to the payment deadline posted on the UNF Academic Calendar.

• Can I use my financial aid to pay for books before the semester begins?

  If you have sufficient financial aid to cover your UNF bill with funds left over, you may qualify for a UNF Bookstore Authorization.  If you qualify, you will receive notification via an e-mail to your UNF e-mail account.  This notification will provide you with instructions on where to locate your Bookstore Authorization in myWings. You can monitor your transaction history and amount remaining on the authorization in your myWings account.

   

  Bookstore authorization amounts will vary according to your balance due and accepted aid, up to a maximum of $600.

   

  Please be advised that a Bookstore Authorization is not additional money for books. Rather, it is an advance of your anticipated financial aid overage. If you opt to use your Bookstore Authorization, those charges will be applied to your UNF bill and deducted from your financial aid when it disburses. If your financial aid overage decreases during the verification process or due to changes in enrollment, you may owe any balance not covered by your awards.  Learn more about bookstore authorizations.  

• Can my financial aid cover my housing charges?

  Yes, some students may be able to use financial aid to defer housing costs by filling out a Housing form called a Rent Deferment Request prior to the housing rent due date. Get  more information on deferring Housing charges.

   

  Please contact the Housing Office to confirm when housing fees are due. If you have any additional questions regarding housing or how and when to complete the "Rent Deferment Request." UNF Housing and Residence Life can be contacted by phone at (904) 620-HOME (4663), via email at housing@unf.edu. 

• Can my financial aid cover my meal plan charges?

  Yes, in some cases financial aid can be used to defer meal plan costs. You can find complete information on deferring meal plan charges here.

   

  Please contact Chartwells if you have questions about payment due dates or if you have questions regarding the different types of meal plans offered. Chartwells can be reached by phone at (904) 620-2543. 

Loans

• How do I get a student loan?

  William D Ford Direct Loans are awarded automatically to students who file a FAFSA and indicate on their application that they are interested in student loans. If eligible, you will be offered Federal Direct Loans, Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized up to your maximum eligibility for the year. You will need to log in to myWings to accept or decline student loans. You may also accept a partial amount in the blank box provided.
  
  You can also read more about student loans on our Loans page.

  
  Get more information on loans for students beginning at UNF in the spring term or requesting summer financial aid.

• Do I need to complete Entrance Counseling?

  Yes! Entrance Counseling is required by the Federal government to make you aware of your rights and responsibilities as a borrower. 

   

  If this is your first time borrowing a Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized loan at UNF, you must complete Entrance Counseling. 

   

  If you are a graduate student (masters or doctoral degree program) and have accepted a Direct Grad PLUS loan, you must complete a separate Entrance Counseling specific to the Direct Grad PLUS loan program.
  
  If you completed Entrance Counseling at a previous school or have broken continuous enrollment at UNF, we require you to complete Entrance Counseling again.

• What is Exit Counseling?

  Exit Counseling is required by the Federal government to remind you of your rights and responsibilities as a borrow and, most importantly, to educate you about loan repayment options.

   

  Students receive an Exit Counseling requirement when they drop below half-time status (including withdrawals), break continuous enrollment, or graduate. All of these events can trigger the repayment phase of your federal student loans.
  
  If you are not enrolled in at least 6 credit hours at UNF, but you are concurrently enrolled (see question 8), make sure that One-Stop is aware of your hours at the host institution by submitting a Financial Aid Consortium Agreement. 
  
  If you are not enrolled less than half-time, did not withdraw to less than half-time, you did not break continuous enrollment and you have not graduated, but have received an Exit Counseling requirement, please contact One-Stop Student Services.
  
  In the meantime, don’t worry! Completing Exit Counseling alone will not force you into repayment status or prevent you from receiving future disbursements of student loans. However, failure to complete Exit Counseling when required to do so will prevent future disbursements of financial aid awards and also prohibit you from receiving official UNF transcripts.

• Do I need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN)?
  Yes. All borrowers are required to complete a Master Promissory Note. Failure to complete your MPN will result in a delay of your loan disbursement. Federal Direct and PLUS Loan borrowers can e-sign the MPN at www.studentloans.gov using their FSA ID. Private Loan borrowers should contact their lender directly to sign the MPN.
• What is an EFT? Does that mean direct deposit to my account?

  EFT stands for Electronic Funds Transfer. The Federal government sends all Direct Loan proceeds to UNF via EFT.  UNF then disburses those funds to individual student bills to pay for tuition, fees and other charges.  

   

  Direct Deposit is the method UNF Student Financial Services uses to transfer any financial aid refunds to students' personal bank accounts.
  
  Students may enroll in direct deposit via myWings. Learn more about Direct Deposit for Student Refunds. 

• Is there a limit to the amount of loan funding I can receive?

  Yes. Federal statutes limit how much Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans debt a student is allowed to incur:

   

  • Annual Limits: Students are limited, by grade level, how much they can borrow in one academic year (which includes fall, spring and summer terms). 
  • Aggregate Limits: Restricts the maximum total outstanding loan debt a student may accrue for both the Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans. There are different Aggregate Limits for undergraduate and graduate level students.
  • Subsidized Loan Lifetime Limit: Restricts first-time borrowers Direct Subsidized Loan usage to 150 percent of the length of the borrower’s academic program. This means that a borrower eligible for Subsidized Loans pursuing a four-year degree program would be limited to six years of Subsidized Loan funding. A “first-time borrower” is defined as an individual with no outstanding Direct Loan or FFEL Program Loan balance on July 1, 2013, or on the date the individual borrows a Direct Loan after July 1, 2013.

   

  Learn more about student loan limits. 

• How do I renew my loan?

  To receive loan funding each new year, you must first remember to renew your FAFSA for each academic year, and indicate that you are interested in student loans. 

   

  If you have room in your Cost of Attendance Budget, have not met aggregate loan limits or lifetime eligibility requirements, and are making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) you will be awarded Direct Loan funds. You may be offered Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized funds, depending on your Cost of Attendance, demonstrated financial need, grade level, and dependency status. 

   

  Federal Direct PLUS Loans and Private Loans require new loan applications each year. These applications will be subject to credit checks, and will be approved up to the amount your need and Cost of Attendance allow for the specific aid year.

   

  We recommend you check your myWings well before the payment deadline to ensure that your student loans are awarded and accepted. Contact One-Stop Student Services if you have any questions.

• How do I defer my loan?

  For Direct Loans, and Direct Grad PLUS loans borrowed at UNF, you are automatically deferred while you are enrolled at least half-time in a degree-seeking status. If you need to provide proof of enrollment for a loan you borrowed at a prior institution, you can print an official Enrollment Verification from myWings as soon as the add/drop period has ended each term and provide this to your loan servicer.

   

  For Private and Parent PLUS loans, deferments are not automatic. Please contact your lender for deferment information. If your loan has entered the repayment period and you are seeking deferment, you are advised to continue making payments until your deferment has been approved.

Verification

• What is verification? Why was I chosen?

   

  Verification is a federally mandated process that ensures that the information students and parents report on their FAFSA is accurate. Verification ensures that eligible students receive the aid for which they are qualified and prevents ineligible students from receiving aid via incorrect reporting of information. 

   

  The U.S. Department of Education selects approximately 1/3 of all students who file the FAFSA each year to be verified. Most applications are selected at random; others because of inconsistent information.  Each school also reserves the right to select students for verification if discrepant information is received.

   

  If you are selected for FAFSA verification, you must provide the specific documentation requested on your myWings account. Not all students selected for verification will have to submit the same documents. Save the records and materials that you used to complete the FAFSA, so that you may provide us with signed copies of the originals. You can minimize the number of documents you must submit by opting to participate in the IRS Data Matching option when completing your FAFSA. 

   

  Through the verification process, the school compares the tax information of students (and parents or spouses if applicable) and sends any necessary FAFSA corrections to the Department of Education on the student's behalf.  During verification, additional documentation may be requested. It is important to monitor myWings until the process is complete, and all red flags have been changed to green check marks.

   

  Failure to submit verification documents will result in your financial aid being delayed or cancelled. If any of the data reported on the FAFSA is found to be incorrect, your financial aid eligibility will be recalculated.

   

   Learn more about verification.

  
  

   

• How long does verification take?

  Once you submit the requested documents, your file will go through an initial review. After this initial review we may be able to complete verification, or we may identify items that require clarification.

   

  If clarification is needed, additional documentation will be added to your list of Financial Aid Requirements in myWings. Until all clarification documents are satisfactorily submitted, your verification cannot be completed. We recommend that you monitor myWings daily throughout verification and submit any new requirements as soon as possible. The clarification process may add time to the processing of your verification. 

   

  After all of your requirements are satisfied and evaluated the documents will be compared to the answers that you provided on your FAFSA. If there are any discrepancies or errors, we are required by federal regulation to make those corrections and resubmit your FAFSA to the government. Your verification cannot be complete or your aid disbursed until UNF receives the corrected Student Aid Report (SAR) from FAFSA. This generally takes a couple of weeks from the time UNF submits the corrections.

   

  Note: DO NOT CHANGE your FAFSA data after we have verified your file!  Doing so could result in the reduction or cancelation of financial aid that we disburse to you after we complete verification.

   

  Depending on the information included in your individual file and your specific situation, the verification process generally takes several weeks.

• How can I order a Tax Return Transcript or letter of non-filing?

  Official IRS Tax Return Transcripts and Letters of Non-Filing may be obtained by:

  • Visiting the IRS website to download a .PDF copy of your IRS Tax Return Transcript.
  • Visiting the IRS website to request your IRS Tax Return Transcript be mailed to you.
  •  Locating your local IRS Office to request a copy of your IRS Tax Return Transcript in person.
  • Downloading the IRS Form 4506-T, "Request for Transcript of Tax Return," that can be mailed to the IRS to request a copy of your IRS Tax Return Transcript.
  • Calling the IRS at 1-800-908-9946 to request a copy of your IRS Tax Return Transcript.

  For verification purposes, the Tax Return Transcript or Letter of Non-Filing must be signed by the person named on the form (parent, student, spouse, etc). The student’s N number must be written on the form to ensure timely processing.

   

  Submit your signed Tax Return Transcript or Letter of Non-Filing to One-Stop Student Services in person, via mail, or by fax (904) 620-2414.

• Financial Aid already has my tax and verification information from last year. Why do you need it again?

  Each financial aid (academic) year is based on a new FAFSA, which requires information from the previous tax year (Example: the 2015-2016 FAFSA requires information from the 2014 tax year).

   

  A student’s financial information can change from one year to the next. Changes in income and other financial issues are reported on each year’s FAFSA, potentially resulting in changes to the types and amounts of financial assistance a student is eligible to receive.

   

  1/3 of all students who file the FAFSA are selected for verification each year. You could be selected each year, requiring you to submit verification information and tax documents each year.

Scholarships

• When will I receive the dollars from my scholarship program(s)?

  Any scholarship money received on your behalf will be placed in your financial aid award in myWings. Before any disbursement can occur, we must check to ensure you are in compliance with any criteria set forth by the scholarship donor or program. If necessary, we will also adjust your other financial aid to ensure that you are not receiving more than your cost of attendance budget, and that you are not exceeding your unmet need.

  
  

  When the scholarship does disburse, it will first be applied to your bill and applied to any balance due. If the scholarship creates an overage of financial aid, a refund/overpayment will be processed by UNF Student Financial Services.

   

  Student Financial Services issues refunds via direct deposit twice a week beginning approximately 3 weeks into each semester.

   

  ** Please note that as of the 2016/2017 aid year, most UNF institutional grants and Enrollment Services scholarships require enrollment in at least 15 credit hours for disbursement. 

   

   

• What happens to the balance of my scholarship money?
  UNF Student Financial Services will direct deposit (electronically transfer) the remaining balance of your financial aid once your UNF balance has been paid.  Click for information on how to set up direct deposit.
• If I take classes at UNF and another college or university, will I still be eligible for my scholarship?

  Only in some cases. For UNF scholarships, you should refer back to your scholarship agreement before making that decision as many UNF scholarships will not pay for hours taken at another institution. 

  
  

  For non-UNF scholarships, check the program website or with the scholarship donor. 

   

  If you do decide to take classes at another school, remember you must obtain permission from your Academic Advisor. See, "How does financial aid work if I am taking classes at another school?"

   

  If enrolled at a Florida private or out-of-state institution, you must bring in proper documentation (Concurrent Enrollment form, detailed fee receipt from the host institution, and signed Financial Aid Consortium Agreement to One-Stop Student Services by the posted deadline.
  

   

  Remember: Your scholarship and/or financial aid may be jeopardized if you are not properly enrolled at UNF. Do your research before making this kind of a decision.  If you have done your research but still have questions, contact One-Stop Student Services for assistance.

   

  ** Please note that as of the 2016/2017 aid year, most UNF institutional grants and Enrollment Services scholarships require enrollment in at least 15 credit hours for disbursement. 
• How do scholarships affect my Federal Financial Aid award?

  All scholarships have the potential to affect federal financial aid you have already been awarded. When you file a FAFSA, a Cost of Attendance (COA) budget is determined for you based on your grade level, dependency status, state residency, and living arrangements. According to Federal Regulations the university cannot award a student beyond his or her budget.

  
  

  Receiving a scholarship award might affect the financial aid award we have already given you.  If the addition of a scholarship puts your total financial aid offer over your COA, or exceeds the amount of unmet need you demonstrate, our office must adjust your financial aid award offer. This might include deleting a need based award or reducing the dollar amount we offered you in order to make room for the scholarship. We will always attempt to reduce subsidized loan awards before grant programs when it's possible.

   

  If you are an athlete, the NCAA also has regulations and guidelines regarding your financial aid that must also be followed, that may result in adjustments to your financial aid award.

   

  If you anticipate receiving additional scholarship funding, it is imperative that you notify One-Stop Student Services as soon as possible.

   

  If you are found to be in over-award status after you have received financial aid disbursements and/or a refund, reducing your aid (as required by Federal regulation) may result in a balance owed to UNF.