Important Changes to 2017-2018 FAFSA 

The Student Financial Aid & Scholarships office wanted to make you aware of upcoming changes for the 2017-2018 academic year as it relates to your financial aid.

Last fall President Obama announced two major changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. Traditionally, the FAFSA filing cycle begins January 1 of the year preceding the award year (e.g., January 1, 2016, for the 2016-2017 award year). Beginning with the 2017-2018 FAFSA, the application will become available to students and their families beginning October 1, 2016 for the 2017-2018 award year.

The second change the President announced is that beginning with the 2017-2018 award year the FAFSA will collect income information from the tax/calendar year one year prior than it has in the past. This means that for the 2017-2018 FAFSA, students and families will provide income information from the income and taxes that were filed for the 2015 year. The income and taxes that were reported on the 2016-2017 FAFSA will be the same information that you provide for the 2017-2018 FAFSA.

In order to try to alleviate conflicting information from 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 FAFSA’s we are strongly urging eligible students and families to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) when completing their FAFSA. By using tax information from two years ago this should allow more students and families to be able to take advantage of using this tool, and if the Department of Education selects you for verification we will not need for the student and their families to get a copy of their IRS Tax Return Transcript in most cases.

If you have any questions in regards to this please feel free to email us at financialaid@untdallas.edu or call us at 972-780-3662.

Changes to Loan Origination Fees

The federal loan origination fees change on October 1st of each year.  As of October 1, 2016, the origination fee for a subsidized or unsubsidized loan is 1.069%.  The origination fee for a Direct Graduate or Parent PLUS loan is 4.276%.  If you had not accepted a loan that that was offered to you for this fall 2016 and spring 2017 semester by September 28th, the loan was cancelled.  If you would like for your loan to reoffered, please notify our office, and we will update your account.  

Fall 2016 FAFSA Application

FAFSA applications have begun to be loaded for UNT Dallas students. Ensure that you have selected our school code on the FAFSA. Our school code is 042421. Student's can view outstanding requirements on their "TO DO LIST" on the UNT Dallas Portal. Any required forms that need to be returned to the Student Financial Aid & Scholarships office can be found on our forms page. If you have any questions please call us at 972.780.3662 or email your completed form to financialaid@untdallas.edu.

Class Attendance May Effect Your Federal Aid

Many federal aid programs, like the Pell Grant, Iraq Afghanistan Service Grant, and TEACH Grant awards, require class attendance for the courses you are enrolled and receiving grant funds. If you are marked as “Not Attending” on the official class roster (e.g., 12th day of each fall and spring term), your award amounts may be reduced or cancelled based on the courses you have actually begun attending. If you fail to begin attendance in all of the courses for which you are registered, you will have failed to establish eligibility for financial aid. In this situation, you will be required to repay all of the financial aid that you have received.

FAFSA Parental PIN Information

If you receive a PIN, you agree not to share it with anyone. Your PIN serves as your electronic signature and provides access to your personal records. Be sure to keep your PIN in a safe place. For more information, please visit the PIN website.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

New for Fall: SAP appeals must be submitted by the midpoint of the semester in order to be reviewed.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is currently monitored at the end of each term. Detailed SAP requirements can be found here.

Enrollment Information for Fall 2016

 

Undergraduate

Graduate

Full-time

12+ undergraduate hours

Full-Time

9+ graduate hours

¾ time

9-11 undergraduate hours

¾ time

6-8 graduate hours

 

½ time

6-8 undergraduate hours

½ time

5 graduate hours

Less than ½ time

1-5 undergraduate hours

Less than ½ time

1-4 graduate hours

 

Disbursement of Financial Aid Funds

  • For your awards to disburse, your awards must be “accepted” on myUNTD. You can also adjust the amount of awards so as to accept a lesser amount, or you can “decline” awards you do not want to receive.
  • Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is being monitored at the end of each term. You must be meeting the minimum standards for SAP by the end of any given enrollment period at UNT in order to maintain financial aid eligibility.
  • Disbursement of most financial aid funds to undergraduate students will occur once you establish half-time (6 undergraduate hours or 5 graduate hours) attendance.
  • State and institutional grant funds will be disbursed in one disbursement on the 1st class day of the session in which you establish half-time attendance.
  • Federal grant payments may be delayed due to required review by SFAS staff. These payments are based on your annual limit and on your enrollment status. Please note: some grants have additional requirements and are not guaranteed.
  • Loan funds will be disbursed in one disbursement on the 1st class day of the session in which you establish half-time attendance. You must have completed Entrance Counseling requirements and have a signed Master Promissory Note (MPN) on file with your lender before funds will disburse. Click here to complete Entrance Counseling or a MPN.
  • If you have been awarded your maximum Direct Stafford Loan eligibility during the Fall/Spring terms, you will not be eligible for loan funds during the following Summer.

Pending Aid

  • If the total amount of your Pending Aid does not cover your full tuition and fee balance, you must make arrangements to pay the difference by contacting Student Financial Services in order to prevent your classes from being dropped (regardless of whether your financial aid and scholarship proceeds are available by the payment deadline).
  • Pending Aid is: (1) Scholarships you have been awarded, and/or (2) financial aid you have “Accepted” on myUNT.
  • Pending Aid does NOT include Work Study or Parent (PLUS) Loans or Grad PLUS Loans that have been denied due to adverse credit history by the borrower’s lender.
  • The Parent (PLUS) Loan and the Grad PLUS Loan will count toward Pending Aid if the Parent (PLUS) Loan borrower or Grad PLUS Loan borrower does not have an adverse credit history and Student Financial Aid and Scholarships has received a credit approval through the Federal Direct Loan Program.

Attendance and Withdrawal Information

All students who are considering dropping from one class or withdrawing from all classes during the Summer semester need to review this important information regarding changes to withdrawal processing.

  • You must adhere to class attendance requirements as defined by the university if you enroll in distance learning classes.
  • If you register for classes and decide not to attend, you are required to notify both the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (SFAS) and the Dean of Students Office immediately to begin the withdrawal process.
  • Dropping courses below half-time prior to disbursement of financial aid may result in your becoming ineligible for all non-disbursed aid. Additionally, if class attendance is not established, you will become ineligible for disbursed aid and will therefore owe a debt to the university.
  • If you withdraw from UNTD prior to the 60% point of the session(s) you are scheduled to attend, you may owe a repayment of financial aid funds to the program(s) from which they were awarded.
  • Failure to officially withdraw may result in the receipt of failing grades and you may owe a repayment of financial aid funds to the program(s) from which they were awarded (thus owing a debt to the university) .
  • Students who receive failing grades (F’s, WF’s and/or NP’s) in ALL classes while also receiving federal financial aid may owe a repayment of financial aid funds to the program(s) from which they were awarded.
  • Withdrawing from classes or failing to complete and pass registered hours will affect your future eligibility for financial aid. You must meet SAP requirements to maintain eligibility for financial aid as defined by SFAS.
  • If you have outstanding charges from a previous award year, you must pay your balance before any current term funds will be posted to your tuition and fee account.
  • For Title IV purposes, a student who has enrolled in a session and does not complete the session in which he was enrolled is considered to have withdrawn and a Return to Title IV calculation (R2T4) will be completed.
  • SFAS will not consider you to have withdrawn for the term if:
    • You give the institution written confirmation that you will attend a session that begins later in the term.
    • The written confirmation must be provided at the time that would otherwise have been a withdrawal.
    • If you do not attend the later session, the date of withdrawal from the previous session will be used as the official withdrawal date to determine the amount of Title IV aid to be returned to based on the R2T4 calculation.

For Your Information

  • Financial aid cost of attendance is based on your anticipated enrollment, as indicated on your expected enrollment application.
  • Financial aid eligibility is based on your undergraduate or graduate career and academic program. If you graduate or are admitted to a graduate program prior to Summer 2014, your aid eligibility must be re-evaluated. It is your responsibility to notify Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at any point your academic program changes. Please refer to the Graduate Academic Program Information page to determine eligibility for graduate and post-baccalaureate academic programs.
  • Scholarship checks should be submitted to Student Financial Aid and Scholarships for posting and disbursement before the payment deadline of the summer session(s) in which you enroll.
  • Concurrent Enrollment Agreements are not processed during the summer term.
  • Questions regarding the refund process at UNTD can be addressed with Student Financial Services.

2016-2017 Loan Information

Congress has passed and the President has signed the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013, which ties federal student loan interest rates to financial markets. Under this Act, interest rates will be determined each June for new loans being made for the upcoming award year, which runs from July 1 to the following June 30. Each loan will have a fixed interest rate for the life of the loan.

The following table provides the interest rates for new Direct Loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2016, and before July 1, 2017. These rates will apply to all new Direct Loans disbursed during this time.

Loan Type

Student Grade Level

2016-2017
Interest Rate

Direct Subsidized Loans

Undergraduate Students

3.76%

Direct Unsubsidized Loans

Undergraduate Students

3.76%

Direct Unsubsidized Loans

Graduate/Professional Students

5.31%

Direct PLUS Loans

Parents of Undergrad Students and
Graduate/Professional Students

6.31%

Click here to learn more about interest rates and fees associated with federal student loans. 

Federal Direct Subsidized Loan Changes

As a result of legislation enacted in July 2012, eligibility for the Direct Loan interest subsidy will be limited for new borrowers on or after July 1, 2013.  The law restricts the period of time for which a borrower may receive subsidized loans, in the aggregate, to 150 percent of the published length of the student's current educational program.  Once the student reaches that limit, he or she may borrow only unsubsidized loans, and interest begins to accrue on the student's outstanding subsidized loan. Further information regarding this change can be found here.

Loss of Interest Subsidy during the 6 Month Grace Period

Approved by Congress in December 2011, the interest subsidy during the six-month grace period is to be eliminated for new Federal Direct Subsidized Loans made on or after July 1, 2012, and before July 1, 2014. While the repayment period will still begin 6 months after the student is no longer enrolled at least half-time, the interest that accrues during those six months will now be payable by the student rather than be subsidized by the federal government.

Loss of Subsidized Loan Eligiblity for Graduate and Professional Students

The Budget Control Act of 2011 (Pub. L. 112-25) was signed into law on August 2, 2011. This Act makes two changes to the William D. Ford Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, including the loss of Subsidized Loan Eligibility for Graduate and Professional Students. Additional information can be found here.

Termination of Direct Loan Borrower Repayment Incentives

The Budget Control Act of 2011 (Pub. L. 112-25) was signed into law on August 2, 2011. This Act makes two changes to the William D. Ford Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, including termination of Direct Loan borrower repayment incentives . Additional information can be found here.