Receiving financial aid

How do I find out what my financial aid awards are?

Watch your VandalMail for a notice directing you to login to MyUI and review, accept or decline your awards. You can also follow this guide to find out how to accept your award and check if you are missing documents. You should respond within four weeks. If you are not sure how much financial aid you need, we recommend that you complete the financial planning worksheet(link).

You should see a notice of your financial aid awards in early spring each year:

Incoming students — U of I will begin sending notices in March.
Continuing students — U of I will begin sending notices in April.

What if I receive a new award or something changes my current financial aid award?

If any changes to awards take place, we will always send an email to your VandalMail account.

Receiving your aid

Prior to students being billed, financial aid is first applied toward University of Idaho charges. If financial aid doesn’t cover all of the university charges, the remaining amount will be charged to your student account.

View the Student Accounts website for payment options

Note: Student Accounts oversees residual checks and direct deposit, not Student Financial Aid Services.

Enroll for direct deposit

If financial aid covers all fees, tuition, and room and board, and there are remaining (residual) funds, these residual funds will be direct deposited to your specified savings or checking account. Funds are typically available in your bank account within one to five days depending on bank processing time. When the bank releases the funds, you will receive an email.

If you have not signed up for direct deposit, we encourage you to do so through MyUI. It is particularly important for students who are not on the Moscow campus (those at off-campus sites, on national student exchange or study abroad).

If you choose not to enroll for direct deposit

If you choose not to enroll for direct deposit, residual financial aid checks will be mailed to you. To update your mailing address for checks:

Go to the “Personal information” tab in MyUI.
Click “Update address(es) and phone(s).
Review the list of addresses to see if you have a refund address set up.
If your refund address is listed, review it and update, if needed. To update, click on “Current” within the refund address section and update as needed.
If your refund address is not listed, click “Type of address to insert” at the bottom of the page. Click on “Select,” pick “Refund address” from the drop-down menu, and enter your preferred refund address.

Do not request your residual fund check to be mailed to the Student Accounts Office.

If you have questions about setting up direct deposit or your refund address, email Student Accounts or call 208-885-7447.

Dates and deadlines

December

The university will admit students, and award scholarships and other financial aid to qualified students on a rolling basis as applications are received.

Early spring

Award notifications begin for new students starting in the fall. Watch your VandalMail for notification and log in to MyUI to review financial aid awards.

Spring university billing statements are sent to students registered for the spring semester. Statements will reflect accepted financial aid awards including loans if all requirements are complete.

Ensure direct deposit is set up in MyUI for earliest availability of residual funds.

Awards should be accepted and promissory notes signed for funds to be disbursed by the first day of school. Make sure to complete all promissory notes and entrance counseling documents (note that Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling forms do not have to be signed each semester).

U of I will send the first direct deposit of residual funds to banks by the first day of the spring semester.

Students and families should review finances to make sure expenses are covered for the upcoming semester.

Late spring

Summer Session financial aid is extremely limited. Contact the Financial Aid Office for further information.

June 1

Accept financial aid awards. New borrowers need to sign a Master Promissory Note and complete the Entrance Counseling process online.

If a Parent PLUS loan is accepted, a parent must complete an application and sign a Master Promissory Note.

Mid-July

Fall university billing statements are sent to students registered for the fall semester. Statements will reflect accepted financial aid awards including loans if all requirements are complete.

Make sure promissory notes and entrance counseling documents have been completed.

Review finances to make sure tuition and fees, room and board and book expenses are covered.

Financial Aid counselors are available to assist students and families in determining options.

Set up direct deposit in MyUI.

August

Financial aid awards must be accepted and all requirements completed for funds to be disbursed by the first day of school.

First-time recipients of a work-study award should plan to attend a work-study orientation. Previous recipients may pick up job referrals in the financial aid office after classes start.

The first direct deposit of residual funds will be sent to banks by the first day of the fall semester. Banks may take a few days to process.

September

Last day to drop/add a course, or register. See the Registrar’s Office page for more information.

Bills due the first day of classes. See schedule for late fees.

Credits are locked on day 10 of the semester (U of I Census date), and aid is processed accordingly.

Accept any remaining financial aid awards, if necessary.

New borrowers for spring semester must sign a Master Promissory Note and complete the Entrance Counseling process online.