10 Things An Advisor Should Know When Talking to a Student About Financial Aid

1. Financial Aid Advisors
Students have an assigned financial aid advisor who can assist them with financial aid questions and special circumstances. Appointments can be made by calling or stopping in the office.

2. Census Policy
A student’s enrollment on the 10th day of each semester determines their financial aid eligibility for that semester. When dropping and adding classes students should always add classes before dropping to assure maximum financial aid eligibility.

3. Withdrawing
Students receiving financial aid and/or scholarships may have to repay some of those funds if they withdraw from all classes prior to completing at least 60% of the semester.

4. Failing All Classes
Students who fail all their courses in a semester may have to repay financial aid if they did not participate in an academic activity on or after the 60% completion point in the semester.

5. Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students are required to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements in order to continue receiving federal financial aid from one academic year to the next. A full-time (12 or more credits) undergraduate student attending fall and spring semesters needs to: earn a minimum of 18 credits with a passing grade; maintain a required minimum cumulative UI grade point average of 1.80 (0-32 credits completed) and 2.00 (33 or more credits completed); graduate before they attempt 150% of the number of credits required to graduate.

6. Petition for Reinstatement of Aid (due to Satisfactory Academic Progress Suspension)
To appeal a suspension of aid caused by failing to meet satisfactory academic progress requirements, students should contact the dean's office of their academic college.

7. Scholarships and Renewability
Individual scholarships have their own different criteria for renewal. Students considering dropping below full-time enrollment should consult with the Financial Aid Office about their continued scholarship eligibility before they drop classes.

8. Enrollment requirements
Most scholarships and grants require full-time enrollment. Undergraduate students – 12 credits, Graduate students – 9 credits, Law students – 10 credits.

9. Double Majors
Once a student has one bachelor’s degree, they are no longer eligible for Pell grants as well as many other types of financial aid. Students should work to complete both majors before they graduate.

10. Graduate Before Eligibility is Lost
There are cumulative limits on how much a student borrow in student loans. Students can log in to www.nslds.ed.gov to see their loan borrowing history at any time.

Student Financial Aid Services
Student Union Building
(208) 885-6312
http://www.uidaho.edu/financialaid