For students attending UConn for the entire academic year, all forms of financial aid (with the exception of work-study) are disbursed electronically into their student account in two equal disbursements – one for the fall term and one for the spring term. Students who are attending for only one term will have their financial aid for that term disbursed in a single disbursement. Financial aid funds are directly applied to tuition, fees, residence hall and dining charges appearing on your student account. Any funds in excess of these charges are refunded to you. Disbursements are scheduled so that financial aid refunds are available for students on the first day of classes each fall and spring.

Check the Student Administration System to determine if your aid has been disbursed.

1. You must be enrolled for the number of credits on which your financial aid package was based.

REMINDER: You must be full-time to receive most forms of aid. (12.0+ credits for undergraduate students and 9.0+ credits for graduate students)

2. Access the Student Administration System to accept or decline all aid. Complete steps 1-6 on the Financial Aid Action Page.

3. You have submitted all of the documentation that we have requested to complete your file. Login to the Student Administration System and click on the Items Required/Received link to determine which documents are requested. Submit all outstanding documents to the Office of Student Financial Aid Services.

4. If you have accepted your Federal Direct Student Loan and you are a first-time borrower at UConn, you must also complete the following requirements:

• Loan Entrance Counseling requirement
• Master Promissory Note (MPN) for Federal Direct Stafford Loan

5. If your parent is taking out a Federal Direct PLUS Loan he/she must completed the Federal Direct PLUS Loan request process. First-time parent borrowers at UConn must also complete a Federal Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN).

6. If you (graduate/professional students only) are borrowing a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan you have completed the Federal Direct PLUS Loan request process. First-time Plus borrowers at UConn must also complete a Federal Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN).

7. You have notified the Office of Student Financial Aid Services of any scholarships that you are receiving (either by entering the scholarship on the Financial Aid Action page in the Student Administration System or by submitting a copy of the scholarship documentation to the office).

8. You have notified the Bursar’s Office of any scholarship you are receiving by requesting a scholarship deferment and faxing proof of your scholarship to (860) 486-5234.

Please remember your fee bill can change at any time.

• Changes can be caused by changing registration, dropping health insurance, completing aid processes and partial payments. Please be sure to review your fee bill on a regular basis for the most current information.
• Information about the University of Connecticut Installment Payment Plan is available at http://bursar.uconn.edu/payment-plan-enrollment/.

1. Complete the Financial Aid Worksheet to determine if additional funds will be needed to cover semester charges (Retain for your records). Completing the worksheet early will allow students and families’ time to plan accordingly.

2. If you determine that you need assistance to pay an outstanding balance, your parent may borrow a Federal Direct PLUS loan or you may borrow an alternative loan to cover the difference. If additional funding is needed to pay the fee bill, we strongly recommend that you exhaust all of your federal loan eligibility before applying for an alternative (private) loan.

• For a Federal Direct PLUS loan
  • Accept the desired amount of PLUS loan eligibility in your Financial Aid Award package via the Student Administration System.
  • Have your parent complete a Federal Direct PLUS Loan online application via https://studentloans.gov
  • If your parent is approved for the loan, he/she will also need to complete a Federal Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN)
• For an alternative loan
  • Learn more about your alternative loan options. Please visit UConn’s suggested lender list http://financialaid.uconn.edu/altloan/. This is a suggested list, you are not required to borrow from the lenders listed, you are able to apply to any bank that lends student education loans.
  • When you have chosen a lender, contact them directly to complete the application
  • If you are approved for the loan, our office will be notified.
  • Submit a Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification to your lender before funds can be disbursed. Your lender will provide you with this form when you apply for a private student loan (alternative loan).

When determining the amount of your loan request, you are encouraged to apply for sufficient funds to cover both the Fall and Spring University fee bill. You should plan to complete this process by July 15 to avoid late charges on your University fee bill.