Applying for Financial Aid

The purpose of financial aid is to help students and families meet educational expenses that cannot be met through their own resources.  Financial aid can be either need based or non-need based. For most financial aid programs, students are required to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). As the name states, the FAFSA is free. The information provided on the FAFSA will help determine your eligibility for financial aid.

There are several types of financial aid available. Grants and scholarships are considered “gift aid” because they generally do not have to be repaid. Loans and student employment are considered “self-help aid” because loans have to be repaid and by working you earn money for educational expenses.

For help in understanding the financial aid application process better, check out the videos below.  Additionally, because the UW Flexible Option is competency-based and self-paced, financial aid is administered differently from how it is for traditional education programs.  See Important Information About Financial Aid and Flex to learn more about these important differences.

Financial Aid is not available for non-credit programs, such as the Substance Use Disorders Counselor Certificate Program.

FAFSA Overview

After the FAFSA:  What Happens Next

the Steps to Apply for and receive Financial Aid

1. Be admitted or currently enrolled in a UW Flexible Option degree or credit-bearing certificate program.
2. Create your FSA ID.
   The FSA ID is a username and password combination that serves as a student’s or parent’s identifier to allow access to certain U.S. Department of Education websites. Your FSA ID is used to confirm your identity when accessing your financial aid information and electronically signing your Federal Student Aid documents. The FSA ID replaced the Federal Student Aid PIN in May 2015. If you haven’t logged in to a Federal Student Aid site since May 10, 2015, you will need to create an FSA ID before you can log on in the future. If you already have a PIN, you can link your information to your new FSA ID by entering your PIN while registering for your FSA ID.
3. Submit your FAFSA form online at fafsa.gov.
   Use the school code for the institution granting the UW Flex degree or certificate you are enrolled in:
   UW Colleges school code: 003897
   UW-Milwaukee school code: ­­­­­­­­­003896 (Federal financial aid is anticipated to be available in late spring 2016.)
   Two to four weeks after your FAFSA is submitted, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR is a summary of the information provided on the FAFSA. Review the information for accuracy.
4. Complete Verification if required.
   You will be informed by the U.S. Department of Education if you are selected for Verification on the Student Aid Report (SAR). The U.S. Department of Education selects approximately 30% of students who complete the FAFSA for Verification. Verification is a process whereby the school confirms that the data reported on the FAFSA is accurate. You will receive notices from your school of the required Verification documents that must be submitted to the student financial aid office.
5. Complete the Academic Plan of Study (APS) for Federal Student Aid in consultation with your Academic Success Coach.
6. Create an account and log into the Flex Financial Aid Student Portal to view your aid eligibility and accept or decline your award.
7. Complete Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note (MPN)
   If you accept a federal student loan, you must complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling and the Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) online prior to disbursement. Grants are automatically accepted.
8. Get familiar with Flex Payment Periods so you know when your aid will be disbursed.
9. Resubmit a FAFSA each academic year.

Plan ahead and be patient!  Processing of aid takes time.

Loan Counseling

Federal Student Aid regulations require that students complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling before any monies are released. Loan counseling serves as a means to educate students on the rights and responsibilities associated with receiving funds that must be repaid. The Entrance Counseling website is managed by the U.S. Department of Education. The counseling session will take at least 30 minutes to complete. You must complete the counseling in a single session. Be prepared with details on your income, financial aid, and living expenses.

Consumer Information

Federal regulations require that prospective and enrolled students and other interested parties be provided with information about the institution and its operations. Please note that some information will not apply to UW Flexible Option students.

Consumer information for UW Colleges

Consumer information for UW-Milwaukee

Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance or COA is an estimated budget of educational expenses for an academic year and includes billable (tuition) and non-billable (transportation and personal/miscellaneous) expenses. The COA is used only for financial aid purposes and will not necessarily reflect actual charges.

Cost of Attendance for UW Flexible Option Students:

UW Colleges
	Students Living with Parents	Students Living on Their Own
Tuition	$9,000	$9,000
Books/Supplies	$1,000	$1,000
Room	$0	$6,940
Board	$3,800	$3,800
Personal/Miscellaneous	$3,940	$3,940
Transportation	$100	$100
TOTALS	$17,840	$24,780

UW-Milwaukee
	Students Living with Parents	Students Living on Their Own
Tuition	$9,000	$9,000
Books/Supplies	$400	$400
Room	$0	$6,940
Board	$3,800	$3,800
Personal/Miscellaneous	$2,000	$2,000
Transportation	$100	$100
TOTALS	$15,300	$22,240

The following equation is used in determining financial aid eligibility:

Cost of attendance (COA) − Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Financial Need

Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is calculated using the information provided on the FAFSA.