Who is eligible to apply?
How to apply
When to apply
Determination of aid
eligibility
Notification of your
financial aid award
Disbursement of funds
Additional requirements of
aid recipients
Who is eligible to apply?
To be eligible for any of the Federal student aid programs, you must meet all of the
following criteria:
- be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- have a valid Social Security Number (and your name must be listed as on your card)
- have earned a high school diploma or G.E.D.
- be registered with Selective Service (if required)
- be offered admission to a University of Maine degree program
- not be in default on a previous Federal educational loan program
- continue to be in good academic standing
- continue to make
Satisfactory Academic Progress
toward a degree
All students are encouraged to apply. Every student is eligible for some type of
financial assistance, and every financial aid applicant is considered for University
Scholarships simply by applying for financial aid.
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How to apply
The University of Maine requires only one financial aid application: the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We recommend that
you file electronically using FAFSA on the Web.
FAFSA on the Web allows you to enter your
application information electronically and submit your application directly to
the Federal Processing center.
If you applied last year, certain pieces of information can be "pre-filled"
from last year’s application so long as you have your PIN. Both you
and your parents (if parent info required) have the option of using a PIN
to electronically sign the application.
PINs can be requested at
www.pin.ed.gov. Your PIN will be
e-mailed to you within approximately 1 to 3 days, or mailed to your permanent
address within 7 to 10 days if no e-mail address is provided. In
addition to signing your FAFSA electronically, your PIN allows you to:
- review and correct answers on your
processed FAFSA
- print a copy of your Student Aid
Report (SAR)
- view information grading federal loans
and grants via NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System)
On the FAFSA on the Web site you can also
download a pre-application worksheet to complete ahead of time.
This will help you know what information is going to be required on the FAFSA
and allows you to gather the information ahead of time.
However, if you wish to file a paper FAFSA,
contact the Department of Education at 1-800-433-3243 and request that
one be sent to you.
Be sure to list The University of Maine on your application so that we receive your
application data.
The University of Maine
School Code:
002053
In response to filing your FAFSA, the Federal processing
center will send you an email so that you can review your Student Aid Report (SAR). Look
your SAR over
carefully for errors and make any necessary corrections by following the instructions on
the SAR. If you provided estimated income information on your application, you must update
your application according to the instructions provided on your SAR. Check the Releases
& Signatures Section to make sure the University of Maine is listed to receive your
financial aid information.
Once your SAR is accurate, keep it with your own financial aid records and watch for
information to arrive from us. You may be asked to provide documentation (such as
signed copies of your and/or your parents' Federal income tax returns) to verify
information listed on the FAFSA. If such documentation is required, we will notify you
once we have begun to review your application. Keep financial statements on hand in case
we must request them from you at any time during the academic year.
Any concerns or special circumstances should be brought to our attention, such
as changes in the student’s (or other family member’s) employment, loss of a
benefit or other type of income, changes in marital status, or unexpected/unusual costs.
Explain your circumstances in writing, addressed to the attention of the Financial
Aid Appeals Committee, Office of Student Financial Aid, 5781 Wingate Hall, Orono,
ME, 04469-5781. Appeals are considered within two weeks of receipt, and a response is
provided in the form of either a specific letter or a revised Award
Notification.
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When to apply
You must apply each January for financial aid for the following academic year, which
begins with the Fall Semester. To receive priority consideration for all types of
financial aid, your FAFSA must be received at the Federal processing center by
the
University of Maine's priority deadline. We recommend that you complete your FAFSA by February
15 in order to meet this priority deadline.
The University of Maine's priority filing
deadline is March 1
Income estimates may be used in order to meet the filing deadline, but you must
update your Student Aid Report as soon as you complete your Federal income tax return.
Differences between actual income and estimates could result in changes to your financial
aid eligibility, even after an official offer of aid.
Applications received after the University of Maine's priority filing deadline will be
considered only after on-time applications have been processed. Financial aid may be
limited to Federal Stafford Loans and Federal Pell Grants (if eligible) for:
- students who do not meet the University of Maine's priority filing deadline of March
1
- students who meet the deadline but do not promptly respond to our requests for further
information or documentation
Further action may be required for certain types of financial aid:
- Borrowers of a
Federal Stafford Loan
are required to submit a separate Stafford Loan Request
once an offer of eligibility has been made. This request can be made on
the back of the paper Award Notification, by
completing a UMaine Stafford Loan Request Form at the Office of Student
Financial Aid, or on-line by visiting the Financial Aid segment in WebDSIS.
Watch for additional information from our office after your Stafford Loan has
been certified;
- Students awarded a
Federal Perkins Loan
must sign a Perkins Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) the first time they
borrow a Perkins Loan. The Perkins Loan MPN will be mailed to the
student (typically in June) and must be returned to the University of Maine's
Student Loan Collection
Office. Each year that a student receives a Perkins Loan, a
Perkins Loan Disclosure must be completed. This can be done by visiting
the Financial Aid segment of
WebDSIS;
- Students awarded
Federal Work-Study
for use during the Fall and Spring semesters must complete a Work-Study Authorization Form
available from the Office of Student Employment;
- Students interested in
Summer Federal Work-Study
must complete an additional application early in the spring available from the Student
Financial Aid Office.
Filing requirements and deadlines can change, so be sure you know what is required each
time you apply.
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Determination of aid eligibility
Eligibility for most types of the University of Maine's financial aid is based on need,
which is the computed difference between our
cost of
attendance and your total family contribution. Your
contribution is determined using federally-defined formulas, taking into consideration
such factors as income level, assets, and household size. Other factors which affect your
individual eligibility for aid include the number of classes you take each semester, your
housing plans and the number of credit hours you have earned toward your degree.
The primary responsibility for paying for a college education rests with the student
and the student's family. On your FAFSA, you may be required to provide information about
both your own and your family's circumstances. If you have questions or concerns about
this requirement, please contact us or call the U.S. Department of Education Help-line at
(800) 433-3243.
Financial aid is intended to supplement your own resources. We will make every
attempt to offer as much financial aid as possible, but it is very rare that all of a
student's financial needs are met entirely through receipt of financial aid. We can work
with you to find ways to afford college, by looking into alternatives or helping you find
ways to reduce your expenses.
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Notification of your financial aid award
Once we have received all of the materials required for your application, we will mail
you an Award Notification. Read the instructions and any enclosures carefully
to make sure you know what to do next.
Any time changes are made to your award, even after you have accepted the financial aid
offer, you will be notified. Changes may be necessary at any time during the academic
year, under any or all of the following circumstances:
- corrections and updates to original application data (your corrections or ours)
- changes in housing plans
- changes in residency status
- changes in enrollment level each semester
- changes in your and/or your family's circumstances
- receipt of additional assistance and/or scholarships
- receipt of additional information affecting continued eligibility
- discontinued attendance in classes
- withdrawal from all classes
Students are encouraged to contact the office to discuss the impact on their financial
aid eligibility before their status changes, if at all possible.
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Disbursement of funds
As it becomes available at the beginning of each semester, your financial aid is placed
on your student account with the University of Maine's Bursar's Office. If the amount of
your aid is more than what you owe the University of Maine, a credit check will be issued
to you according to University policies. If all of your financial aid has not disbursed to
your student account by the time you receive a bill, complete and return the card enclosed
with your bill to let the
Bursar's Office
know the amount and type of financial aid you still expect to receive, and to avoid being
charged a late fee. They will defer the charges that will be covered by financial aid.
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Additional requirements of aid recipients
Recipients of certain types of financial aid must take some additional steps:
- Federal Work-Study students
- A packet of materials will be ready for you at the start of the Fall semester, including
instructions on how to locate employment and start earning your award. After the Fall
semester has begun, forms are available directly from the Student Employment Office in the
Memorial Union. Contact the
Office of
Student Employment for more information.
-
- Perkins Loan borrowers
- A Perkins Loan Promissory Note will be mailed to you by the
Student Loan Collection Office.
Once you have signed and returned your Promissory Note, your Perkins Loan award will be
placed on your student account with the the University of Maine's Bursar's Office. If your
Promissory Note is not signed and returned promptly, we will retract the offer as we will
assume you do not want the loan.
-
- Stafford Loan borrowers
- We inform you of your eligibility, but you need to complete a Stafford Loan
Request to tell us how much you choose to borrow and which lending institution you have chosen.
You can apply on the
back of your initial Award Notification, by using
UMaine's Stafford Loan Request Form;
or on-line by visiting the Financial Aid segment of WebDSIS. Once your loan is processed, you will receive
an e-mail from us. That e-mail will let you know that we have certified
your loan and forwarded the information to your lender. It will also
include two important links:
-
- 1. The first link will connect you
with the CFS website where you can complete an
on-line Entrance Interview.
The Entrance Interview is a one time requirement that must be completed
the first time you borrow a Stafford Loan;
-
- 2. The second link will connect you
with the Sallie Mae website where you can electronically sign your Stafford
Master Promissory Note (MPN). You only need to sign the MPN the first time
you borrow a Stafford Loan so long as you continue borrowing through the same
lender. If you borrow from a non-FAME guaranteed lender, you will
not be able to sign your MPN electronically, but instead will receive an MPN
in the mail. The lender must have a valid MPN on file before they can
disburse any Stafford Loan funds to the UMaine Bursar's Office.
-
- Satisfactory Academic Progress
- In order to keep eligibility for financial aid, students must be making satisfactory
progress toward a degree or certificate program. Follow this link for an explanation of
the University of Maine's
Satisfactory Academic Progress
policy.
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