Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Frequently asked questions and answers about financial aid at UWF.
A: The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is available Oct. 1 for the following academic year, with the exception of the 2024-2025 FAFSA, which opens by Dec. 31, 2023. Your FAFSA must be received by June 30 of each academic year to be considered, however, the earlier you apply the greater your chances are for receiving a limited grant and/or federal work-study funds. When you complete the FAFSA, you are applying for federal, state and University assistance.
A: Our Federal School Code is 003955. This code is required on the FAFSA in order for UWF to receive the results.
A: In order to be eligible for financial aid, students must meet the following criteria:
- U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen; students who are on a temporary or student visa are not eligible for financial aid.
- You must be admitted as a degree-seeking student.
- You cannot be in default on any prior student loans and do not owe a repayment on any Title IV financial aid.
- You must be enrolled in the required number of hours.
*This list is not exhaustive. Full eligibility requirements can be found at studentaid.gov.
A: Complete the FAFSA online. You must re-apply every year.
A: For the upcoming academic year, we start emailing award letters to first-time freshmen in mid-March, transfer students in late April, and all other students will start to receive award letters at the beginning of May. You will receive all award notifications via email, so it is important that you check your email often.
A: No. You may be enrolled part-time and be eligible for financial aid. Different awards have different enrollment criteria. For example, Federal Direct Loans and Bright Futures require at least half-time enrollment. All students are awarded assuming full-time enrollment. If you change enrollment plans, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships must be notified immediately, and we will revise your award if necessary.
A: Cost of Attendance is the student budget used in calculating your eligibility for financial aid. It includes estimated expenses for tuition, books, housing, meals, transportation and other personal expenses. Please note that the cost of attendance does not reflect a student's actual charges, rather estimates or average costs.
A: There can be a couple of reasons why a Bright Futures scholarship may not show. If you are just graduating from high school this year, you'll need to make sure that you've completed your Bright Futures/State of Florida Application and that your scholarship has been posted with UWF's code 171 so that we can receive information from the state on your eligibility. We may not be able to process your Bright Futures scholarship until you take this step.
Also, if you are a new student to UWF, make sure that the Admissions Office has your residency information to document your Florida residency status, as that is required for Florida Bright Futures awarding.
A. You may be eligible for financial aid in summer; however, summer aid is limited. Please review the Summer Financial Aid page for more information.
A: Your financial aid maybe adjusted if you withdraw from a course during the semester. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships prior to withdrawing to determine if you will be required to pay back funds and if the withdrawal will jeopardize your eligibility for future aid. Withdrawing may also affect your ability to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress; please review our SAP Policy Basics and SAP Policy Details.
A: Scholarships are included as a resource in your financial aid package. It is our policy to ensure that students are awarded for achievements and efforts by first applying these funds to any unmet need the student may have. If need has been met 100%, we will reduce your student loan and/or spring awards when possible. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the financial aid office of all outside scholarship awards.
A: An unsubsidized loan accrues interest during all periods, while a subsidized loan does not. The Department of Education pays the interest on a subsidized loan while you are in school at least half-time, during your grace period, and periods of deferment.
A: Repayment typically begins on student federal loans six months after graduation or after the student is no longer enrolled at least half-time. In all cases, loans must be repaid regardless of whether you complete the program or are satisfied with your educational experience. Failure to repay your loans can result in serious consequences and negatively impact your ability to obtain future credit. For alternative/private loans, please contact your lender for repayment information.
A: As required by federal regulation 34 CFR 668.16(g), if anyone suspects that a student, employee, or another individual has misreported information or altered documentation to fraudulently obtain federal funds, these suspicions should be reported to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) with any evidence. The regional office for our area is Atlanta, GA - (404) 974-9430. The national hotline is 1-800-MIS-USED, and the email address is oig.hotline@ed.gov. UWF staff members will report suspected fraud to OIG.
A: Federal regulations dictate that financial aid only be awarded for courses that count toward the student’s degree. Additional courses, or non-required courses, are not funded and cannot be used to determine enrollment status and financial aid eligibility. You will need to speak with your Academic Advisor to see if the class is truly part of your current degree program.
A: Repeat coursework regulations apply for federal financial aid recipients. Federal aid can be awarded to repeat a course one time (if you previously passed it); however, if a course is repeated a 3rd time, the course will not count for federal financial aid eligibility. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships if you must repeat a course (that you previously passed) for a 3rd time.
A: At UWF we understand that student loans can be intimidating. That’s why we have partnered with Inceptia, a division of the National Student Loan Program, to provide you with free assistance on your student loan obligations to ensure you feel comfortable and can be successful in your loan repayment. Inceptia may be calling to help you with next steps in your repayment journey. Their friendly counselors are there to help you every step of the way. While you are in your grace period, they might reach out to you to answer questions you may have on your repayment options. If you become delinquent on your loans, they may also contact you to help find a solution that works within your means. The Inceptia counselors are there to help you with every step by staying in touch with you via phone calls, letters, and/or emails. They will not be collecting money from you. Inceptia’s nonprofit purpose is to help you find answers to your questions and solutions to your issues. We encourage you to visit Inceptia’s Student Loan Knowledge HQ.
A: The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has established regulations to prevent fraud and abuse in the Federal Pell Grant and Direct Loan Programs by identifying students with "unusual enrollment histories". Some students who have an unusual enrollment history have legitimate reasons for their enrollment at multiple institutions. However, such an enrollment history requires the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to review your file in order to determine future Federal financial aid eligibility. If selected by the ED and action is required from you, we must review and resolve before you will receive financial aid. UWF will notify you via email if documentation is necessary to resolve the UEH.