Applying for Aid as an Undergraduate Student

To receive a financial aid offer each year, you’ll need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the upcoming academic year. The FAFSA uses your (and your parents’, if applicable) tax information to determine your eligibility for grants, loans, and work-study.

Remember: The FAFSA is free to complete! Avoid websites that ask for payment.

Steps to Complete the FAFSA

1. Have your FSA ID (username and password) ready.
2. Use UNC’s School Code 001349
3. Apply at studentaid.gov

Submit the FAFSA by the June 1 priority deadline to receive the most financial aid possible.

After submitting your FAFSA, you’ll get a confirmation email from the U.S. Department of Education with your FAFSA summary. Review it carefully. If you don’t receive the email within a week, check your spam folder.

If your financial situation has changed, and your FAFSA doesn’t reflect your current circumstances, you may be able to submit an appeal. Visit our Appeals and Special Circumstances page or meet with a Financial Aid Counselor for guidance.

Helpful Links

The Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) is for students who can’t complete the FAFSA, including undocumented, DACA, and ASSET students, so that they can be considered for state and institutional financial aid.

It collects information similar to the FAFSA, such as income and household details, and is used by all public colleges and universities in Colorado. Completing the CASFA ensures you’re reviewed for grants and scholarships that don’t have to be repaid.

Applying is free, secure, and confidential. Your information is never shared with federal agencies or used for immigration purposes.

To get the most aid possible, submit your CASFA as soon as it becomes available each year, and no later than June 1, to meet UNC’s priority deadline.

If you’re transferring to UNC from another college:

1. Notify your previous school as soon as possible so they can cancel any aid that’s already been processed. Keep in mind that aid packages can vary between schools due to differences in costs, eligibility, and award requirements.
2. Send your FAFSA or CASFA to UNC by adding UNC’s school code (001349).
3. Update your scholarship and grant donors from outside sources so future payments are sent to UNC.

The UNC Scholarship Application can also be found under the Financial tab in Ursa. Use this quick and easy application to apply for scholarships through the UNC Foundation.

Find UNC Scholarships.

When your financial aid offer is ready, you’ll receive a BearMail notification from the Office of Financial Aid.

Follow these steps to review and respond in Ursa.

1. Log in and click on the Financial Tab. 
2. Select View/Accept Award Offer to open the Financial Aid Home page.
3. Under the Offer tab, review your aid offer listed below your estimated Cost of Attendance. 
4. Use Take Action to accept, decline, or modify your offers. 
   • You can accept aid for one or both terms 
   • You can reduce loan amounts if you don’t need the full amount
5. Click Submit to save your choices.  
6. Return to the Home tab to check for any outstanding requirements. These must be completed before your aid can be applied to your account.

Need to make a Change Later?

If you need to increase, decrease, or cancel a loan you’ve already accepted, please submit the Loan Adjustment Form. 

• For Parent PLUS loans, the parent borrower must make the request and include a photo ID.
• Requests are typically processed within 5 business days once received.

First-time borrowers: If you’ve never borrowed a Federal Direct Stafford Loan at UNC,  you’ll need to complete Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note (MPN) at studentaid.gov before funds can be disbursed. 

UNC offers many places to work on campus. Find an on-campus employer.

Aside from offering hourly-paid jobs, UNC also offers work-study employment. Work-study is awarded to students based on their financial need. It is accepted only at on-campus locations with work-study positions.

For more information, visit our Student Employment page.

If you have been accepted into an UNC approved study abroad program, you may be able to use federal, state, and institutional financial aid, but eligibility depends on the type of program.

• Exchange and UNC Faculty-Led programs: Most types of aid can apply, except Work-Study and certain scholarships.
• Direct or Third Party programs (AIFS/USAC): Aid may by limited – check with the Office of Financial Aid before committing.

Use of private scholarships for study abroad must be approved by the scholarship.

Keep in mind that financial aid may not cover all study abroad expenses. Federal loan limits based on your academic level restrict how much you can borrow through Federal Direct Loans. If additional funding is needed, you may consider private education loans if you qualify.

Because financial aid funds are not released until your host school verifies your enrollment, plan to have personal funds for travel and living expenses during the first few weeks. You’ll also need to budget separately for any vacation travel, as federal rules don’t allow aid to cover those costs.

Contact the Office of Financial Aid after meeting with the Study Abroad Office.

Processing for summer financial aid begins in April for students registered for summer classes and who have a current year FAFSA on file. The deadline for summer aid is July 20.  Summer aid can be viewed and accepted through Ursa under the View/Accept Award Offer tab.

The cost of attendance (COA)—sometimes called your student budget—is an estimate of what it will cost to attend the UNC for one academic year. The Office of Financial Aid develops these budgets using federal and Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) guidelines.

Each student budget includes estimated averages for tuition and mandatory fees, housing and food, books and supplies, transportation, and personal (miscellaneous) expenses. These figures represent typical educational costs and are used only to determine financial aid eligibility—they may differ from the actual charges on your student bill.

For undergraduate Colorado residents, tuition reflects only the student share, as the College Opportunity Fund (COF) pays a portion of tuition on your behalf. Be sure to apply for COF. to receive this benefit.

Individual budgets vary based on factors such as enrollment level, residency, and living arrangements.

View Estimated Costs Information

You can view your student bill in Ursa under the Financial tab.

Your account balance for each term appears at the top left of the screen, and your total balance is shown at the bottom.

To see a detailed list of charges, payments, and credits for a specific term, click on that term’s link.

For help understanding your charges and payments, visit How to Read Your Bill.

To stay eligible for financial aid, students must meet three standards:

• GPA: Maintain at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA for undergraduates or a 3.0 GPA for graduate students.

  • Some programs may require a higher GPA to stay in good standing. Be sure to check with your program for specific requirements.

• Completion Rate: Successfully complete at least 67% of all attempted credits.

• Maximum Timeframe: Complete your degree within 150% of the published program length (for example, 180 attempted credits for a 120-credit program).

Students who don’t meet one or more SAP standards may be placed on Financial Aid Warning for one term. If you still don’t meet the standards after your warning term — or if you exceed the maximum timeframe for your program — your status will change to Financial Aid Ineligible, and you will no longer qualify for aid unless an appeal is approved.

If you’ve experienced special or extenuating circumstances that affected your academic progress, you can submit a SAP Appeal with documentation to request reinstatement of your aid.

Learn more about how SAP is reviewed and how to appeal on the Maintaining Your Aid page.