FAFSA Tips

As you begin the process of applying for financial aid for the academic year, the UNC Office of Financial Aid offers these tips:

1. File by the March 1 deadline to have full consideration for all types of aid. Students whose applications are received by the processor after March 1 missed out on state grants, work study and Perkins Loans last year due to a shortage of funds.

2. Keep or print out a copy of the FAFSA you submit. If you file online, print out a copy, or make one of the paper FAFSA before you mail it.

3. Follow the instructions--if it asks for adjusted gross income, follow the specific line from the tax returns, and don't forget information form your W2 forms!!

4. Keep a copy of your tax forms and w2 forms before you file your tax return with the IRS, regardless if you do e-file, use a tax service, or complete a paper tax form. We need signed copies of actual returns--not worksheets--when we request documents, and if you don't keep a copy you'll need to get one from the IRS. This delays action on your file.

5. About 4 weeks after you file your FAFSA, make sure you have received your Electronic or paper Student Aid Report (SAR) and check it carefully. Students whose social security numbers are wrong either on the FAFSA or at the University will never show up on our system. Check your SAR for accuracy, make corrections as necessary.

6. For more detailed instructions concerning the general application process for financial aid, see the following Department of Education links:

Completing the FAFSA
Details on completing the FAFSA.

The Student Guide
The on-line version of the Department of Education's Student Guide. For information specifically on applying for financial aid, go directly to the section Applying for Financial Aid.

If all goes well and you applied on time, you should receive notification of an award from UNC about the first week in April. Scholarships may or may not appear on your first award letter, it depends if the scholarship committees have made decisions. You will receive separate notification of scholarships awarded in any case. Have questions? Call us at (970) 351-2502, email us at ofa@unco.edu.