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Apply for Financial Aid

Thank you for your interest in the University of Illinois at Springfield. We are here to assist you through the processes of applying for and receiving financial assistance to fund your education.

Our Federal School Code is 009333.

Please feel free to contact our office, if you have any questions.

2013-2014 Academic Year (Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Summer 2014)

 

Ready, Set, Go!

To begin the Financial Aid process you will need to complete a FAFSA, The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The quickest way to complete the FAFSA is by obtaining a pin code at www.pin.ed.gov and completing the application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Our Federal School Code is 009333.

Your eligibility for aid is determined once the Office of Financial Assistance receives the information compiled from your FAFSA. If your submitted FAFSA contains any errors, you will receive a notice asking you to adjust your FAFSA. Financial Aid Advisors are available to help you with the corrections and filing process.

Once your award eligibility is determined, you will receive an award offer at the mailing address listed on your student account. It is important to keep your address current; otherwise, you may experience delays in receiving important information, which can delay your processing. After you receive your award offer, it is extremely important that you carefully read all of the material in the packet, complete the student portion and return the letter to the Office of Financial Assistance before the deadline. 

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, students whose files are complete for the 2013-2014 academic year and who have done everything that is required of them prior to August 1, 2013 will have their financial aid refunds, if one is due them, prior to the beginning of the Fall 2013 semester and the Spring 2014 semester.

During the months of August and September, due to the high volume of financial aid processing requests, processing of aid could take up to a month. As such, start the financial aid process as early as possible and get your documents to us prior to August 1, 2013 to ensure you have your funds in hand prior to the beginning of the semester. Financial Aid Advisors are in the office to help you every step of the way!

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Who is Eligible for Aid?

Basic Requirements

While each aid program has special requirements, the following are basic. In order to be eligible to receive financial aid, you must:

1. have financial need (except for some loan programs and many scholarship programs). Students who think they may need financial assistance are strongly encouraged to apply for aid by the deadline dates listed in this website in order to be considered for all eligible aid programs;

2. be accepted for enrollment or be enrolled at least half-time as a student working toward a degree or certificate (however, you may apply for aid, even if you are not yet accepted or enrolled);
3. be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-U.S. citizen (federal regulations and University policy severely limit the types of financial assistance available to non-U.S. citizens);
4. have a valid Social Security Number;
5. be registered with Selective Service, if required;
6. be making satisfactory academic progress (continuing students only);
7. use federal student aid only for educational purposes; and not owe a refund on a federal

Undergraduate Students Who Have Already Received One or More Bachelor's Degree(s)

Undergraduates who have already received a bachelor's degree will only be eligible for loans while pursuing additional majors or bachelor's degree(s). This includes students in double major or dual degree programs who have already met the requirements for one of their majors or degrees and are continuing their education toward the additional major or degree. Please also see the satisfactory academic progress policy.

Students Enrolled at More than One Institution

Students who are enrolled at more than one college or university at the same time may receive financial aid from only one of the institutions, not both. Contact the UIS Office of Financial Assistance for more information.

 

How to Apply for Federal, State and Institutional Financial Aid for the 2013-2014 Academic Year

The time to begin applying for financial aid for the 2013-2014 academic year (Fall 2013, Spring 2014 and Summer 2014) is as soon after January 1, 2013 by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Office of Financial Assistance recommends that students apply as early as possible to avoid missing any grant opportunities. Our Federal School Code is 009333. Continuing students with valid e-mail addresses on their 2012-2013 FAFSA should have received e-mail reminders from the Department of Education about filing a renewal FAFSA for 2013-2014. Students who reported an invalid e-mail address or did not report an e-mail address on the 2012-2013 FAFSA will need to visit www.fafsa.ed.gov to complete a 2013-2014 FAFSA. Below you will find tips on how to apply and how you can submit your application for 2013-2014.

New FAFSA Functionality -- IRS Data Retrieval Process

The US Department of Education has instituted some changes to the FAFSA process. Applicants are encouraged to use the IRS Data Retrieval process functionality within the FAFSA application. When completing the income sections of the FAFSA, the applicant is given the option to have this data retrieved directly from the IRS. If you have already completed your Federal Tax Return for 2012, please complete the IRS Data Retrieval process to transfer your 2012 Federal Tax Return information onto the FAFSA. The benefit of utilizing the IRS Data Retrieval process is that it will minimize your chances of being selected by the federal processor for the verification process. Follow the IRS Data Retrieval process directions on the FAFSA to complete the process. This is our preferred method.

 

 

What you need to complete your 2013-2014 FAFSA

NOTE: Use income records for the calendar year prior to the academic year for which you are applying for financial aid. You do not have to have filed your federal tax return to complete the FAFSA. However, you must update the FAFSA once you have filed your federal tax return.

 

FAFSA filing tips

• Tip 1 - Get a PIN. To sign your FAFSA electronically, you (and your parent, if you are dependent) need a U.S. Department of Education PIN. If you do not have one, apply now at http://www.pin.ed.gov. For faster processing of your FAFSA, we recommend that you sign with a PIN.

• Tip 2 - Print the Pre-Application Worksheet from www.fafsa.ed.gov. Many students find it helpful to complete the Pre-Application Worksheet before completing their FAFSA online.

• Tip 3 - Save Your FAFSA as You Go. Save your application often using the "Save" button at the bottom of the screen. That way, if you lose your internet connection, you can return to the FAFSA you already started.

• Tip 4 - Get Help. Because there is plenty of FREE help available, you do not have to pay to get assistance filling out your FAFSA. The "Need help with this page?" button at the bottom of every online FAFSA page will lead you to more information to help you complete that page. The "Help" button at the top of every screen has a complete index of help topics.

• Tip 5 - Sign Your Application. If you have a PIN, you can electronically sign you FAFSA. Otherwise, you will need to print the signature page and mail it. If you are a dependent student, a parent will need to sign your FAFSA as well. Your parent can sign either by using a PIN or by mailing in a signature page.

• Tip 6 - Submit Your Application. Click the "Submit" button located on the very last page of the online FAFSA form. After submitting your application, a confirmation page will appear. Print this page for your records.

 

 

Important Deadlines :

2013-2014 Academic Year

• The deadline for processing financial aid for the Fall 2013 semester is November 15, 2013.

• The deadline for processing financial aid for the Spring 2014 semester is April 15, 2014.

• The deadline for processing financial aid for the Summer 2014 semester is June 15, 2014.

2012-2013 Academic Year

• The deadline for processing financial aid for the Fall 2012 semester is November 15, 2012.

• The deadline for processing financial aid for the Spring 2013 semester is April 15, 2013.

• The deadline for processing financial aid for the Summer 2013 semester is June 15, 2013.

Please submit all required financial aid documents to our office prior to these dates. Applications received after those dates may not be processed.

 

What Can You Do With Your PIN?

NOTE: Print the Confirmation Page that appears at the end of your data entry. This page contains a confirmation number that can be used for tracking purposes if there are problems in the transmission, or if you do not receive a Student Aid Report as a result of submitting your data via the Web.

 

How Is Financial Aid Determined?

 

 

Is It Too Good To Be True?

Ten common scholarships scams to be on the lookout for:

For more info on scams and scholarships visit www.fastweb.com

Suspect a Scam?

If you think you may be dealing with a scammer, follow the directions below: