Step 3: Assess Award Package
You will receive a financial aid award package approximately 6 to 8 weeks after submitting your applications. Your award package includes an award letter, which details your eligible aid from federal, state, and private sources. It will include instructions about applying for loans as well as materials to help you determine what loans, if any, are the best choice for you.
Please let us know if you make any changes to your housing, registration or FAFSA information. Awards are subject to change based on this information.
Online forms to report changes »
My award
Awards consist of grants and scholarships, as well as loans and work-study awards. Note the following:
- Grants and scholarships do not need to be repaid.
- Loans must be repaid with interest. Some loans accrue interest immediately upon disbursement, others will not begin to accrue interest until after graduation.
- Work study indicates the amount of money you are expected to contribute to your education via student employment. The University does not guarantee money offered for work study. Students must find their own on-campus job and decide whether or not they want to apply their earnings to their overall balance.
The total amount of aid awarded in your package is based on the average enrollment for your program as well as your housing selection, and is considered your suggested need. The suggested need in your letter is best used as a general guideline and not a rule. We recommend that you calculate your own personal expenses to better assess your individual financial needs when deciding what kind of aid to authorize.
Authorize your award
Once you have assessed your personal financial needs, you need to decide what aid to authorize from your award package. Because grants and scholarships do not need to be repaid, we assume you will accept these awards. Grant and scholarship money will be posted to your account automatically when financial aid is disbursed for the year.
We do not assume that you will accept loans. You must authorize loans each year.
It is important for you and your family to consider how much to borrow. The loan calculators at
www.finaid.org are an excellent resource to better assess how much loan money you need and how much you can afford to pay back.
If you choose to authorize a loan, go on to step four. The authorization process for each loan will be different.
If you are interested in working on campus to meet your work-study award, visit the student employment page.
Outside scholarship or grant recipients
An outside scholarship, grant or benefit not listed on your award may affect your financial aid package. You are required to report outside funding, including any Veteran’s Education Benefits, to us. Please use our online
Outside Aid form to do so. Outside scholarship and grant money is posted to student accounts once the funding is received.