Incoming Freshmen
Attending college is one of the biggest investments you will make during your lifetime. UNI is committed to providing the finest education attainable at the lowest cost possible. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships prides itself on assisting families in understanding the financial aid process. View a breakdown of tuition and fees and other costs associated with attending UNI.
Unsure of how to start? View this timeline to help you get started on the path to financial aid.
Applying for Financial Aid
To ensure you receive financial aid to help with the cost of attending UNI, make sure to complete the FAFSA each year. Be sure to list the UNI School Code 001890.
Financial aid offers for new freshmen go out by mid-February. Students must be admitted to the university prior to the creation of a financial aid offer. The financial aid offer outlines the types of aid for which you are eligible, such as grants, scholarships, loans, and/or work-study.
Important Reminders
Communications
All communications from our office will be sent to your UNI email address. We strongly encourage you to check your UNI email frequently for any important communications.
Enrollment and Financial Aid
All financial aid offers are initially created based on full-time enrollment (12 credit hours). If you are not full-time when financial aid pays out, your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly. You must be at least half-time (6 credit hours) to be eligible for student loan deferment. In addition, if you fully withdraw during the semester, a portion of your financial aid may be returned to the Department of Education.
Third Party Account Access
We understand that financial aid can seem complicated and confusing. Students may look to parents, friends, or other family members to help them through the process. Below are some key things to remember when helping a student with their financial aid.
We want to ensure that students’ information is kept private and secure. To best assist you, please note the following for identification purposes.
- If you call our office, please have the student’s ID number and financial aid offer information available.
- To keep a student’s information private, we will not be able to discuss financial aid with any individual other than the student or parent(s) listed on the FAFSA.
- If a student would like a parent or family member to have access to their financial aid information, they can create a third party account for the individual. This will allow a third party to have their own MyUNIverse login information. MyUNIverse is UNI’s online student portal. For more information, please visit this website: UNI Third Party/Parent Portal Help.
Academic Standards for Financial Aid Eligibility
All students must meet certain academic standards to continue to be eligible for financial aid. It is important for students to understand our policy for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). For more information, please review our Financial Aid Academic Progress website.
Student Employment Opportunities
We encourage students to work while in school. There are many benefits to working while in school, including better time management skills, networking opportunities, earned money to help cover expenses, and many more. Students can work up to 20 hours during the academic year and up to 40 hours during the summer or breaks. There are a variety of jobs on campus with over 5,400 opportunities! Please check the job board on the Career Services website for the most up-to-date job postings.
Need more information?
Review the Required Readings website. The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships created the Required Readings page to assist students and families in navigating the financial aid process. We strongly encourage students and parents to read this page and use it as a resource for financial aid information.
Deferred Acceptance Fee?
For students deferring the acceptance fee, you will be billed the $250 New Student Programs/Matriculation fee and a $50 housing application fee (if applicable) on your first university bill.