How to Apply for Financial Aid
In order to apply for most types of aid, including both loans and scholarships, candidates will be required to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Please see the guidelines below to see if you will be required to submit a FAFSA to be eligible for aid.
You MUST submit a FAFSA if:
- You are an applicant for admission seeking need-based aid.
- You are a continuing student seeking any type of aid, including both need-based and merit-based aid.
See the FAFSA Requirements page for details on submitting the correct information.
You MAY (but are not required to) submit a FAFSA if:
- You are an applicant for admission seeking a merit-based scholarship.
FAFSA Requirements
If you are required to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), it is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Tips for FAFSA
- If you are a renewal-eligible FAFSA applicant (you filed the prior year), you will be asked if you would like to have your application "prefilled" with data from the previous year. If you agree, an application will automatically be filled with certain data from your prior year application.
- Obtain a PIN from the federal processor to be used as your electronic signature. If you do not have a PIN, or had a PIN and have lost it, go to www.pin.ed.gov before filing the FAFSA.
- Answer "yes" to the question seeking approval to release your information to the institutions listed.
- Your FAFSA record can only list up to ten school codes. List The University of Arizona (School Code 001083) among the institutions to which financial information is to be sent at Step 6.
- File an online correction adding The University of Arizona to Step 6 of the FAFSA if the institution is not already listed. If there are ten school codes on your record, any new school codes that you add will replace one or more of the school codes listed. Please assure that the school being removed has already received your FAFSA information. Please do not contact the school to make the changes for you.
- The College does not accept copies of the Student Aid Report in lieu of receiving the FAFSA information electronically.
What You Will Need
- Use estimated income and assets for the calendar year 2011 as you may be completing the FAFSA before federal taxes have been filed. The FAFSA is available online beginning January 1, 2012 for the 2012/2013 academic year.
- A valid e-mail address for the federal processor to use in contacting you.
- A list of the school codes for the schools that you want to receive this information. To change schools, you must make a correction to your FAFSA.
Notes: You are REQUIRED to file corrections to your FAFSA when your federal income tax return has been completed. Parent's income is NOT REQUIRED for graduate students.
When to Apply - Important Deadlines
- Applicants for financial assistance for the 2012-2013 academic year can submit their FAFSA beginning January 1, 2012.
- The priority processing date for need-based financial assistance for that year is March 1, 2012.
- In order to meet the deadline of March 1, the completed FAFSA should be submitted to the processor by Tuesday, February 14, 2012.
- Applicants for admission for the 2011-2012 year should not wait for an admission decision before submitting their FAFSA. FAFSA's received after March 1 will be processed and awards made only after all applications which met the priority date have been processed. By applying late, applicants significantly reduce the likelihood of their receiving scholarship aid.
FAFSA Follow-Up
- The federal processor will send the applicant a written confirmation entitled Student Aid Report (SAR). If this report is not received within 3 to 5 days of filing the FAFSA online, contact the federal processor at 1-800-433-3243.
- When the SAR is received, the report must be reviewed for accuracy and corrections or changes made according to the instructions. If the SAR is correct, it must be retained for the applicant's records. Do not submit the SAR to The University of Arizona or to the Rogers College of Law. The applicant's FAFSA/SAR information will be received through an electronic process after the applicant is admitted.
- The information will be reviewed by the University and the applicant will receive a Financial Aid Award Letter listing the aid programs for which the applicant is eligible for in the upcoming academic year.
- Any changes made to the FAFSA by either the applicant or the University may create changes in financial aid eligibility and will generate a revised Financial Aid Award Letter.
- All Financial Aid Award Letters should be maintained by the applicant.
Updated: 11/16/2012