Frequently asked financial aid questions

We offer more than $30 million in scholarship awards annually. Awards vary, based on merit, financial need, outstanding achievement in specialized fields or any combination of these criteria. Learn more about scholarships.

Complete your application for admission and your FAFSA as soon as possible. Apply for aid now.

When you apply to U of I, the Admissions Office determines your status as a resident or non-resident for tuition purposes. Learn more.

Use the financial planning worksheet for guidance. Accept scholarships within three weeks of being awarded, but you may wait to accept loans until the billing statements are available on MyUI. Calculate textbook costs on MyUI (Book Express).

If you have declined your award, via a written request or VandalMail, and have changed your mind, submit a change of situation form.

You can access your federal student loan history with your FSA account at studentaid.gov.

Filling out the FAFSA is a good idea, even if you think your parents make too much money. Even if your family’s income may exceed the threshold for Pell-grant eligibility, you could qualify for other need-based aid (such as work study or need-based grants or scholarships). You won’t know unless you apply. There is no income limit to restrict a student from receiving low-interest federal loans. Filling out your FAFSA each year guarantees you a backup financial plan should there be a change in your family's income and you need additional funds to pay for college. You are guaranteed loans, and there is no obligation to accept them; they are there if you need them.

Yes, it is worth the time! The FAFSA opens doors to federal grants you don't have to pay back — such as the Pell Grant, which can cover the entire cost of your degree — and work-study funds you earn from a job on campus.

The FAFSA is not complicated as long as you take your time and read the instructions for each field.

If you feel like the process is overwhelming, U of I provides one-on-one help through in-person appointments and through Zoom. You can also contact us at FAFSAhelp@uidaho.edu and 208-885-6312 (or toll-free 888-884-3246).

Yes, you can still submit a FAFSA if you are a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen (see Federal Student Aid for more information). Even if your parents do not have a social security number, they can still create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) account to complete the parent portion of the FAFSA, on studentaid.gov. The account creation process will use additional steps to verify their identity. Once your parent(s) have an FSA account created, you will be able to invite your parent as a contributor in order to complete your FAFSA.

Students are encouraged to contact our office and schedule an appointment with a financial aid counselor if you or your family experience a significant change in financial circumstances after completing the FAFSA.

We recommend reaching out to a financial aid counselor, as a FAFSA review is done when a student and/or parent submits an appeal form. When an appeal form includes supporting documents, this may result in a FAFSA income recalculation.

Please note that approval is on a case-by-case basis, and the office’s decision is final. A reevaluation request can be for special situations, such as the following:

• Income reported on the FAFSA unreceived for reasons such as layoff, termination or decline in self-employment income
• Loss of child support, Social Security or disability benefits
• Separation, divorce or death of a spouse or parent after submitting the FAFSA
• Parent attending college at least half-time
• Excessive medical expenses

Yes! Students are allowed to use federal financial aid to pay for any kind of housing, including fraternities, sororities and off-campus housing.

Starting with the 2024-25 year, the FAFSA will ask you and your contributors to consent and approve the request to share your tax data from the IRS. You will want to consent and approve this request, because not doing so will result in a message saying you are not federal aid eligible. In some cases, even if you consent and approve this request, you may still be asked to enter some of your tax information manually.

The BEAMS (Better Education About Money for Students) program provides confidential one-on-one personal financial coaching to students at University of Idaho. This program helps students budget and locate additional resources if needed.

State-specific dates and deadlines are available at studentaid.gov. Just fill in your school year and state of residence to view.

Once you have submitted your FAFSA, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary, where you will be able to see your answers and an overview of your eligibility. Review the information for accuracy and ensure the University of Idaho school code “001626” is listed as one of your schools to receive the FAFSA data.

If the FAFSA data is accurate and you are admitted to U of I, our office will begin the awarding process. If there are errors in the data, please make the necessary corrections online by logging in at fafsa.gov.

Once our office has the corrected data and you are admitted to the university, you will receive a financial aid award (also called a financial aid package). Continuing students can view their financial aid package on their student portal. New U of I students receive their award by mail, as well as through the student portal.

Watch what happens next.

For federal financial aid purposes, an independent student must answer positively to one of the status questions below. Students who do not fit the federal definition are required to supply parental information and signatures.

• Be at least 24 years of age before Jan. 1 of the academic year for which you are applying
• Be a married student
• Be a graduate student
• Active-duty military
• Be a veteran of the armed forces
• Have a child/children for whom you provide more than half their financial support
• Have a legal dependent other than a spouse or child
• Be an orphan or ward of the court
• Be an emancipated minor
• Under legal guardianship (other than parent), or homeless

Student Financial Aid Services is required to have documentation from students to prove they meet the definition of independence. If you feel you have extenuating circumstances, please contact Student Financial Aid Services.

If you’re an undergrad, contact your financial aid counselor. If students are not married as of the date they file the FAFSA, they must file as single. The FAFSA can sometimes be updated by your Financial Aid Counselor once documentation is provided to our office.

Report information on the FAFSA about the parent you lived with during the last calendar year. If you did not live with a parent, use the parent who gave you more financial support during the most recent year. If the parent has remarried, include the step-parent's income.

You’ll be sent an email from the Department of Education containing a secure link to your Student Aid Report information. Here you’ll see Expected Family Contribution, income and asset information, National Student Loan Data System history information, database match results and all SAR comments.

Billing statements are sent in mid-July for new students enrolled for the fall semester (log in to MyUI). Greek housing will bill students separately.

Yes. To sign up, log into MyUI, select Student Account Information, select Student Accounts Center, and select Payment Plans. Questions? Contact Student Accounts.

Yes. Sign up for direct deposit of financial aid on MyUI.

Financial aid is first used to pay for U of I charges (tuition, fees, residence halls, meal plans, etc.). If financial aid does not pay all U of I charges, students must make arrangements with Student Accounts. Students may place residual financial aid on their VandalCard by signing up through MyUI. Deposits are available on the first day of class as well as direct deposits to bank accounts. Learn more about receiving your aid.

Send funds to U of I Student Financial Aid by Aug. 1 (include U of I identification number) to get them credited to your account. Late fees apply if the check arrives after the first day of class and no arrangements are made prior to the first day of classes.

Mail scholarship checks to: 
Student Financial Aid Services 
University of Idaho 
875 Perimeter Drive, MS 4291 
Moscow, ID 83844-4291

Changes in income, household size, marital status, enrollment or excessive medical expenses should be shared with Student Financial Aid Services at 1-888-8UIDAHO (885-6312) or by email.

Cost of Attendance includes the actual cost of full-time tuition and fees (and tuition for non-residents), and all other estimated yearly costs. View average cost for attending U of I.

Scholarships are used in calculating eligibility for federal aid. The amount of a federal award (with the exception of the Pell Grant) will be reduced if the student has negative need.

Yes. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) must be met to receive federal student financial aid. Students change their federal/state financial aid eligibility when:

• Loan eligibility is based on taking at least a half-time academic load (6 credits per semester for undergraduates, 5 credits per semester for graduate/law students). Note that loan repayment begins when not enrolled at least half-time.
• If you are an undergraduate taking fewer than 12 credits and were awarded Pell Grants, you will receive a pro-rated award based on the number of credit hours on the census date.
• If you fail to meet SAP, you may appeal by submitting the Petition for Financial Aid Reinstatement.

Students who withdraw from all classes during a semester may find that their aid has been decreased, canceled or repayment is due. Any repayment must be resolved with Student Accounts before you re-enroll for a subsequent term.

Students who withdraw from all classes may also be suspended from receiving future financial aid.  If you withdraw in the fall semester and plan to re-enroll, notify Financial Aid.