Scholarships & Financial Aid | Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I apply for financial aid?
- How often do I apply for financial aid?
- When is the best time to file my FAFSA?
- How will I know when my FAFSA is processed?
- What if I need to make corrections to the information provided on my FAFSA?
- What if my family's financial circumstances have changed since I filed the FAFSA?
- Am I required to report my parents' information on the FAFSA?
- Should I include my stepparent's income on the FAFSA?
- If I will be getting married, can I file the FAFSA now as a single, dependent student, and then re-file later as a married student?
- I am an incoming freshman. How do I apply for scholarships?
- I am a transfer student. How do I apply for scholarships?
- I am a returning student. How do I apply for scholarships?
- I have received a scholarship from a donor outside of the University. How are these funds handled?
- I'm expecting to receive outside scholarships. How will these affect my financial aid award from UNL?
- I expect my financial aid to exceed my UNL charges. When and how will the excess funds be released to me?
- I have reviewed my Financial Aid Notification. What if the financial aid offered will not meet my expenses?
- What happens if I drop a class after the semester begins?
- What happens if I withdraw from all of my classes after the semester begins?
QUESTION: How do I apply for financial aid?
ANSWER: You can apply by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
QUESTION: How often do I apply for financial aid?
ANSWER:The FAFSA is valid for one year (July 1 - June 30), so it is necessary to reapply each year.
QUESTION: When is the best time to file my FAFSA?
ANSWER:The University of Nebraska-Lincoln awards financial aid on a first-come, first-complete basis, so it is best to apply between January 1st and April 1st (for the upcoming academic year).
QUESTION: How will I know when my FAFSA is processed?
ANSWER:Once your FAFSA is processed, you will receive either an email directing you to an electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) or a SAR will be mailed to you from the Central Processing System (CPS). If the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a school listed on your FAFSA, we will receive your FAFSA information electronically.
QUESTION: What if I need to make corrections to the information provided on my original FAFSA?
ANSWER:Please contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) and we will work with you to correct the information electronically.
QUESTION: What if my family's financial circumstances have changed since I filed the FAFSA?
ANSWER:The OSFA has a separate application to re-evaluate a family's financial situation if there is a decrease in income due to loss of employment or loss of untaxed income. Please contact the OSFA and request a Special Circumstances Application. A Medical/Dental Expense Form is also available if your family paid unusually high medical/dental expenses during the year for which tax information is being reported on the FAFSA.
QUESTION: Am I required to report my parents' information on the FAFSA?
ANSWER:If you will be 24 years of age by December 31st of the award year, will be working on a master's or doctoral program, are married, have children who receive more than half of their support from you, have dependents (other than a child or spouse) who live with you and receive more than half of their support from you, are an orphan or ward of the court, or are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, you are considered independent and do not need to provide parental information on the FAFSA. All other students are considered dependent and parental information is necessary.
QUESTION: Should I include my stepparent's income on the FAFSA?
ANSWER:If the parent for which you are reporting income on the FAFSA is remarried, it is necessary to report stepparent income as well.
QUESTION: If I will be getting married, can I file the FAFSA now as a single, dependent student, and then re-file later as a married student?
ANSWER:No. It is not possible to update marital status on the FAFSA from single to married. You will want to decide whether it's in your best interest to complete the FAFSA now as a dependent student or to wait and complete the FAFSA after you're married.
QUESTION: I am an incoming freshman. How do I apply for scholarships?
ANSWER:For freshman scholarship consideration, you will need to take the ACT or SAT exam by the December test date during your senior year in high school and have the test scores sent directly to UNL. In addition, you need to submit your admission materials to the Office of Admissions by January 15th. For need-based scholarship consideration, you will need to complete the FAFSA. To apply for leadership/community service-based scholarships, you will need to complete the Resume Form associated with the Application for Admission. We also recommend that you contact your academic department regarding any additional scholarship application requirements they might have.
QUESTION: I am a transfer student. How do I apply for scholarships?
ANSWER:For transfer student scholarship consideration, you will need to complete and submit an Admissions Application, Personal Statement (Nebraska residents only), and any additional supporting documentation to the Office of Admissions by March 1st if you are beginning in the fall semester and by October 1st if you are beginning in the spring semester. If you would like to be considered for need-based scholarships, you will need to complete the FAFSA. We also recommend that you contact your academic department regarding any additional scholarship application requirements they might have.
QUESTION: I am a returning student. How do I apply for scholarships?
ANSWER:For Upperclass Scholarship consideration, please complete the Upperclass Scholarship Application which is available on the OSFA website from November-March 1. We also recommend that you contact your academic department regarding any additional scholarship application requirements they might have.
QUESTION:I have received a scholarship from a donor outside of the University. How are these funds handled?
ANSWER:Most external donors will send your scholarship check to the University. If the check is made co-payable, we will notify you when the check arrives so we can obtain your signature for endorsement. We will then credit the funds to your consolidated billing account at the next available opportunity. If your donor sends the scholarship check to you, please bring it in to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid and we will credit the funds to your consolidated billing account. All scholarships are considered in your financial aid package; therefore, it is necessary to report any scholarships to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.
QUESTION: I'm expecting to receive outside scholarships. How will these affect my financial aid award from UNL?
ANSWER:Outside scholarships may reduce or eliminate the need-based portion of the financial aid award package. If the value of the outside scholarships exceeds the need-based portion of UNL's award, your need-based aid is then reduced.
QUESTION: I expect my financial aid to exceed my UNL charges. When and how will the excess funds be released to me?
ANSWER:The Office of Student Accounts will issue a refund for excess financial aid funds. Refunds can be processed via direct deposit or by paper check depending upon your preference. Usually, you can expect your refund in approximately 10 business days after the aid has been credited to your consolidated billing account.
QUESTION: I have reviewed my Financial Aid Notification. What if the financial aid offered will not meet my expenses?
ANSWER:You might want to consider either a Federal Direct PLUS loan or an alternative loan. Federal Direct PLUS loans are available to parents of dependent students. Alternative loans are not federal financial aid programs, but are designed to assist with educational expenses. Eligibility for either a Federal Direct PLUS loan or an alternative loan is limited to the cost of attendance (tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and personal expenses) minus any other financial aid educational resources already awarded. If you are not currently working, you may consider obtaining a part-time job. You may view on-campus job opportunities on the Career Services website.
QUESTION: What happens if I drop a class after the semester begins?
ANSWER:If you drop a class prior to census date (the last date to drop a class without being charged), your financial aid package will be reviewed at the current enrollment level. This review may result in a change in your financial aid and scholarship eligibility. If you drop a class after the census date but continue to be enrolled at least half-time, your current financial aid package will not be revised. Please be aware, however, that dropping to less than full-time after the census date could jeopardize scholarship renewal and could possibly jeopardize your standing in relation to our Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. To familiarize yourself with this policy, please click here.
QUESTION: What happens if I withdraw from all of my classes after the semester begins?
ANSWER:If you withdraw completely from any semester, our office must calculate whether any of the financial aid you received prior to withdrawal must now be repaid. It is possible that this calculation will result in a decrease in aid already disbursed, thus causing an amount to be owed back to the Office of Student Accounts. In addition, once you drop to less than half-time status, your federal loans enter their grace period before repayment. Withdrawing from all classes could jeopardize scholarship renewal and could possibly jeopardize your standing in relation to our Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. To familiarize yourself with this policy, please click here.
