Summer Financial Aid
Receiving summer financial aid has never been easier! Review this page for information on the types of financial aid available during the summer and eligibility requirements.
Summer financial aid will be added to your financial aid offer during the spring semester starting in April, after you have enrolled in summer classes.
Your summer offer will reflect all financial aid available based on your initial summer enrollment. If you change your enrollment, contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.
NOTE: Scholarships are not offered by the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships during the summer, but may be offered by your department or outside agencies.
- Have a valid 2024-25 FAFSA on file with UNI by June 30, 2025.
- Be enrolled at least half-time. Half-time in the summer for an undergraduate is 6 credit hours; half-time for a graduate is 5 credit hours. Audited courses and Self-Paced Online Courses are not eligible for financial aid and do not count towards enrollment. Some aid may be available at less than half-time.
- Be degree-seeking. Non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid. If you are pursuing a degree but not yet classified, please contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.
- Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress. Please visit our website for more information on Satisfactory Academic Progress.
- Be in good financial standing with your loan servicer. For issues with default or delinquency, please contact your federal loan servicer.
Grants Available in the Summer
Federal Pell Grant
May be awarded to undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelor's degree. Pell Grant eligibility and amount depends on several factors, including how many credits you're enrolled in, your SAI from the FAFSA, and your Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU).
Lifetime Eligibility Limit: Check your remaining Pell Grant eligibility by logging in to your account on the Federal Student Aid website.
Please contact our office for more information on Summer Pell Grant eligibility.
TEACH Grant
The TEACH Grant is available during the summer for qualifying students (for more information, please review the TEACH Grant website). The amount is prorated based on enrollment:
- Full-time (12 credits for undergraduates; 9 credits for graduates): $1,886
- Three-quarter time (9 credits for undergraduates; 7 credits for graduates): $1,414
- Half-time (6 credits for undergraduates; 5 credits for graduates): $943
- Less than half-time: $472
Summer Loan Options
Federal Direct Loan
The amount you may borrow in federal student loans each academic year is limited (see table below for annual limit amounts). If you did not borrow the full annual limit during the fall and spring semesters, you may be eligible for the remaining amount during the summer as long as you are enrolled at least half-time. A valid MPN and Entrance Counseling is required for any federal loan to disburse. Your MPN and Entrance Counseling can be completed on the Federal Student Aid website.
| Grade Level | Dependent | Independent |
|---|---|---|
| Freshman | $5,500 | $9,500 |
| Sophomore | $6,500 | $10,500 |
| Junior and Senior | $7,500 | $12,500 |
| Graduate Student | N/A | $20,500 |
Graduate PLUS Loan
Graduate PLUS Loans are available to qualifying graduate students who exhausted their Direct Unsubsidized Loan limit during the fall and spring semesters. If you wish to borrow a Graduate PLUS Loan, you must complete a Graduate PLUS application and MPN online. You must be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for a Graduate PLUS Loan.
Parent PLUS Loan
If you are enrolled at least half-time and your parent wishes to borrow a PLUS Loan, they must complete the Parent PLUS Loan application and the MPN on the Federal Student Aid website. Parent's must log in with their own FSA ID.
Private Education Loan
These loans are through a bank or credit union, and are based on credit; a co-signer may be required. Private Loan Counseling is required for every loan disbursement and must be completed with the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships. You may be eligible for a private education loan at less than half-time enrollment depending on the terms set forth by the private loan lender. For more information, please see our Private Education Loan website.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When will my summer financial aid be disbursed?
All accepted summer financial aid is scheduled to disburse to your U-Bill the week prior to the beginning of your first summer course. If excess funds are credited to your account, a refund will be directly deposited into the bank account that you have registered with UNI.
NOTE: If you drop credits after you receive your financial aid or if you receive funds that were not reported (e.g. scholarships), you may be required to return all or a portion of your funds.
- What is Summer Other Financing Option on my financial aid offer?
"Summer Other Financing Option" is not a type of financial aid and you can't accept it. This is included on your summer financial aid offer to let you know how much you may need in other funding sources to cover your summer expenses. Other funding options include:
- Parent PLUS Loan for dependent, undergraduate students (must be enrolled at least half-time)
- Private Education Loan (some private lenders allow less than half-time enrollment)
- What if I am taking classes at another school?
Financial aid is only available from one institution at a time and should be awarded by the college from which you will be receiving your degree. If you are taking classes at another institution during the summer and plan on using financial aid from UNI to pay the bill at your host institution, see the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to complete a consortium agreement. A consortium agreement is an agreement between the student, UNI, and the host institution stating that UNI will be providing financial aid to the student for the specific enrollment period outlined in the agreement.
To complete a consortium agreement, please schedule an appointment on our appointment scheduling page.
Once the consortium agreement is processed by UNI, financial aid will credit directly to your U-Bill at UNI. This could occur as soon as the week prior to the beginning of your first summer course. Financial aid funds will first pay off the summer balance owed to UNI. If excess funds are available after disbursement, a refund will be directly deposited into your bank account (if you have signed up for direct deposit). It is your responsibility to pay the other institution according to their due dates. You are encouraged to make sure all prior semesters are also paid in full at this time. If you drop credits after you receive your funds or if you receive additional funds that were not reported, you may be required to repay all or part of your financial aid.
- Can I receive Work-Study during the summer?
No. Work-Study funds are only available during the fall and spring semesters. We encourage you to check with your employer to see if there are departmental funds available for summer employment.
- Deadlines for aid eligibility
June 30, 2025: Last date for a valid 2024-25 FAFSA to be received by the school. If you have already completed a 2024-25 FAFSA but did not include UNI, please update your FAFSA.
NOTE: Students will also want to make sure they have completed the 2025-26 FAFSA if they plan to attend in the upcoming fall and spring semesters.