Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to the Panther Family! These are the most common questions and answers we've come across while helping future Panthers go through the financial aid process.

If you don't see your question or answer here, please reach out to us directly via email at fin-aid@uni.edu or by phone at 319-273-2700.

Financial Aid Resources

Required Readings

Financial Aid Offer Letter

Financial Aid Offer Mailer

Frequently Asked Questions

Financial Aid Offer

How do I apply for financial aid?

Students must apply for financial aid each year by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The purpose of the FAFSA is to determine students’ eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid, including grants, educational loans, and work-study programs.

The FAFSA should be completed as soon as possible starting October 1st each year. The UNI priority FAFSA date is February 15. Although students can apply for financial aid throughout the year, funding for some programs is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis so it's best to file the FAFSA as soon as possible.

Complete the FAFSA

How do I view my financial aid offer?

Log in to your MyUNIverse account using your CatID and passphrase.
Click Go to My Student Center.
In the Finances section, click Accept/Decline Awards.
Select the aid year. The aid year is based on the year the academic year ends. Ex. 2023-2024 academic year would be aid year 2024.

Reviewing the Financial Aid Offer

How much aid should I accept?

We recommend working through a budget each year to determine how much financial aid you may need to cover your expenses. Please feel free to use our fillable PDF budget worksheet to help you determine how much aid to accept

Budget Worksheet (PDF)

My offer lists Other Financing Options. What does this mean?

The amount listed as "Other Financing Options" on your financial aid offer is the difference between the Cost of Attendance and the financial aid listed on your offer (e.g., scholarships, grants, loans, work-study). Please remember that the Cost of Attendance includes estimated expenses, which vary from student to student. Consider the options below as potential resources for covering college expenses not covered by your other financial aid:

529 College Savings Plan
UNI Payment Plan (through the Office of Business Operations)
Military Benefits
Savings, Graduation Money, Gifts from Relatives
Credit-based loans: Loans for which a student or family applies and is approved based on a credit check.
- Direct PLUS Loan: This is a loan option for parent borrowers through the federal government.
- Private Education Loan: This is a loan option for students and/or parents through banks or other lending institutions.

Requested Materials

What should I do if I have items on my Student Center To Do List?

Multiple campus offices use the Student Center To Do List, including the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, to inform students of important items that need to be completed. Students can click on any item in the To Do List for more information, including contact information for the office that assigned the item. These items should be completed as soon as possible as there may be holds on the student's account associated with the item(s).

Students should regularly review their To Do List and their UNI email address. Important information is often communicated to students through their university email account.

How can I submit requested documents?

The following are options for submitting documents to the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships. Please make sure to include student name and UNI ID number on all documents.

Fax: 319-273-6950
Mail: 105 Gilchrist Hall, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0024
Email: fin-aid@uni.edu (as a reminder, no personal information (e.g., social security numbers, date of birth, etc.) should be sent via email)

What is verification and what should I do if I've been selected?

Verification is a process used to confirm that the information you provided on your FAFSA is accurate. Students are selected at random by the U.S. Department of Education or the university. If you are selected for verification, the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships will request documents from you to verify the information you reported on your FAFSA. The requested documents will be listed on your Student Center To Do List. Please submit all documents as soon as possible to avoid financial aid delays.

Financial aid cannot disburse until verification is complete.

Below are the methods for submitting documents. As a reminder, you should never send personally identifiable information, such as Social Security Numbers, via email.

Fax: 319-273-6950
Mail to the address listed on the bottom of the form

Verification Information

Scholarships

How do I apply for scholarships?

The University of Northern Iowa offers scholarships each year to deserving students on the basis of merit and/or achievement. The UNI Scholarship Application allows students to apply for hundreds of scholarships within one application. The UNI Scholarship Application opens July 1 each year and has a priority date of February 15. More information about UNI scholarships can be found on our scholarship website.

We also encourage students to apply for scholarships outside of the university. For more information, please review our website: Off-Campus Scholarships.

I have received scholarships from outside the university. What steps are required?

If you receive scholarships from outside UNI, we are required by federal regulations to include these funds in your financial aid offer. You can report these scholarships online:

MyUNIverse > Go to my Student Center > Finances section > Report Other Financial Aid

Instructions to Report Scholarships

How do I get enrollment verification for my hometown scholarships?

Please review this PDF document for instructions on accessing enrollment verification: Student Enrollment Verification.

TEACH Grant

What is a TEACH Grant?

The TEACH Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach at a low-income school, in a qualifying high-need field. Students who use the TEACH Grant are required to complete a four year service obligation upon completion of their program.

Please review our TEACH Grant website for more information, including a list of qualifying majors and minors.

How do I qualify for a TEACH Grant?

In order to qualify for the TEACH Grant you must:

Be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen
Complete the FAFSA
Score above the 75th percentile on the ACT or SAT OR maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
Be enrolled as an undergraduate (first Bachelor's degree only) or graduate student
Be enrolled in a qualifying major or minor (see our TEACH Grant website for a list of qualifying majors and minors). Please note: You can add qualifying minors during orientation.
Agree to teach full-time in a low-income school and in a high-need field for four years within eight years after graduation

Loans

What is the difference between a subsidized and unsubsidized loan?

Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are both federal student loans. The only difference between these two loans is when interest starts accruing.

Direct Subsidized Loans do NOT accrue interest while the student is enrolled at least half-time. The interest on subsidized loans begins accruing when the borrower enters repayment.
Direct Unsubsidized Loans start accruing interest once the loan has been disbursed.

Federal Direct Loan Information

What is a Parent PLUS Loan and how do I apply?

Parents of dependent students may apply for a Direct PLUS Loan to help pay for their student’s education. The Parent PLUS Loan will be in the parent's name and cannot be transferred to the student. More information can be found on our website: Federal Direct PLUS Loans.

To apply for a Parent PLUS Loan, the parent must log in to the Federal Student Aid website and complete the items below. The PLUS Loan application for the upcoming year will become available in mid-April.

What happens if my parent is denied the Parent PLUS Loan?

The Parent PLUS Loan is a credit-based loan. The following are options if the parent is denied the Parent PLUS Loan:

Obtain an endorser. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the loan if you do not repay it.
Appeal the decision with the U.S. Department of Education.
If you choose not to utilize the first two options, the student may be eligible for an additional unsubsidized loan. Please contact our office for more information about this option.

What are the requirements for federal loans?

Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans:

Accept the loan on your Student Center. Please note that you are not required to accept the full amount offered.
The student must log in to the Federal Student Aid website with the student FSA ID
Complete Entrance Counseling
Complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN)

Federal Parent PLUS Loan:

The parent must log in to the Federal Student Aid website using the parent FSA ID
Complete the PLUS loan application
Complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN)

How do I sign my Master Promissory Note (MPN)?

The Master Promissory Note (MPN) is completed on the Federal Student Aid website by logging in with your FSA ID.

Complete Master Promissory Note (MPN)

What is Entrance Counseling and how do I complete it?

Entrance Counseling helps you to understand your rights and responsibilities as a Direct Loan borrower and is completed on the Federal Student Aid website by logging in with your FSA ID.

Complete Entrance Counseling

What are the current interest rates on Federal Loans?

Below are the current federal loan fixed interest rates for the 2023-2024 academic year:

Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans (for undergraduates): 5.50%
Direct PLUS Loans: 8.05%
Direct Unsubsidized Loans for graduate students: 7.05%

What are private education loans?

A private education loan is a non-federal loan issued by a private lender, such as a bank or credit union. Private education loans often have variable interest rates, require a credit check, have varied repayment options, and do not provide the same benefits as federal student loans. Families may borrow up to the cost of attendance minus other financial aid received.

More information about private education loans, include a Historical Lender List, can be found on our Private Education Loans website.

How do I choose a private loan lender?

The University of Northern Iowa does not endorse any specific lender and you may decide to borrow from any lender you choose. Our historical lender list of private education loan providers is comprised of lenders our students have borrowed from over the past three years, and that still offer private education loans to students attending the University of Northern Iowa. We recommend you contact lenders directly for the most current and complete information before making a decision to borrow.

Private Education Loan Information

Working on Campus

What is Work-Study and is it required to work on campus?

Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for undergraduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses. Federal Work-Study is different than other types of aid in that it does not credit directly to the U-bill. You will receive work-study dollars in the form of a bi-monthly paycheck deposited in your bank account.

Federal Work-Study is NOT required to work on campus. Students can search for work-study and non-work-study positions online on the UNI Job Board.

Work-Study Information

How do I find an on-campus job?

Students can search for work-study and non-work-study positions online on the UNI Job Board.

Billing

Who should I contact if I have questions about my University Bill (U-bill)?

The Student Accounts Area within the Office of Business Operations provides expertise regarding all aspects of the university bill. Our staff is happy to assist with questions related to the U-bill, payment options, and refunds.

What steps should I take to ensure my financial aid will disburse on time?

Check your Student Center To Do List and complete any items listed as soon as possible.
Check your UNI email account regularly for important information.
Review your financial aid offer and accept loans, if you plan to use them.
Complete online loan requirements, if you are borrowing loans.

When will my financial aid be disbursed?

The earliest financial aid can be disbursed is one week prior to the start of the semester; financial aid continues to disburse daily (Monday-Friday) after that point. If a student is not meeting criteria to have their aid disbursed at the time of the initial disbursement, but meets the requirements later within the semester, their aid may be able to disburse at that time.

Please review your Student Center To Do List and UNI email for items that must be completed.

How do I view and pay my University Bill (U-bill)?

The U-bill is maintained by the Office of Business Operations (OBO). OBO notifies students by email the first of each month if there has been activity on the account. The email lets the student know they have a U-bill available to view or print on the Student Center. All U-bills are electronic; no paper bills will be mailed.

Payments can be made:

Online via e-check or credit card on the Student Center
In person at the Cashier’s window
In the drop-box located outside of the east entrance of Gilchrist Hall
Mailed to (include the UNI student ID number on the check):

University of Northern Iowa
OBO-Student Accounts
103 Gilchrist Hall Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0008

Are there payment plan options for my University Bill (U-bill)?

The University offers a Deferred Payment Plan option for tuition, mandatory fees, and contracted room and meal plan charges. This plan allows students to make payments in installments each semester.

All enrolled students are eligible to participate but the student must enroll each semester. To enroll, students need to log in to MyUNIverse and go to the Student Center to complete the online payment plan agreement. There is a $20 deferred billing fee that will be assessed to the student’s first installment of the semester.

Enroll in a Payment Plan

Special Circumstances

My family has a unique situation (job loss, medical expenses, etc.). Is there anything that can be done?

Our office understands that families can experience hardship or changes that are not reflected within the FAFSA which may affect the family or student’s ability to contribute to educational expenses. The U.S. Department of Education regulations permit financial aid offices to determine different types of circumstances that may warrant review.

For more information, please review our website: Special Circumstances.

My parents are getting divorced. How do I correct the FAFSA?

Please contact our office via email at fin-aid@uni.edu and we will request documentation for you to complete so we can update your FAFSA.

My parent(s) passed away. What do I do?

Please contact our office via email at fin-aid@uni.edu and we will request documentation for you to complete so we can update your FAFSA.