Step by Step instructions

Step 1: Check your eligibility

Make sure you’re eligible to apply for federal financial aid (grants, work study, and loans). You must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be accepted for admission by UNT Dallas and enrolled in a degree or certification program
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen 
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Have a high school diploma or a GED (general equivalency diploma)
• Not be in default on any Title IV loans (examples:  Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Parent PLUS Loan, Federal Grad PLUS Loan) or owe a refund or repayment on educational funds received at any institution
• Be registered with the Selective Service, if required
• Enroll in and maintain at least a half-time class load at UNT Dallas and demonstrate satisfactory academic progress

Note: Visiting students are not eligible to receive financial aid.

Step 3: Gather documents and information.

Gather the following documents and information before starting the FAFSA.

• Your Social Security Number
• Your alien registration or permanent resident card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
• Your driver’s license (if any)
• Your Federal Income Tax Return (IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040 EZ)
  • Your spouse’s, if you are married
  • Your parents' information if you are dependent*
• Your W-2 Forms and other records of money earned
• Foreign Texas Return, or Tax Return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, or Palau
• Your untaxed income records
• Veterans non-education benefit records
• Child support received
• Worker’s compensation
• Your current bank statements
• Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records

Other Useful Tips:

• Complete the income and asset information. Do not leave it blank. For questions regarding income, if the answer is zero or the question does not apply to you, enter 0.
• List UNTD’s Title IV Federal School Code – 042421

Keep copies of all documents and correspondence

*The FAFSA is designed to determine dependency for financial aid purposes. Typically, it’s not difficult to discern a student’s status as dependent or independent. However, there may be a situation involving special circumstances that won’t necessarily be reflected on the FAFSA.
Here’s an example:
Typically, a traditionally-aged student needs to have one of their parents sign a FAFSA. But what if the student’s grandparents have raised him because his parents are deceased? It may not be reasonable to expect the grandparents to be responsible for the cost of the student’s education. In this case, the financial aid administrator can use professional judgment to classify the student as independent.  The administrator was able to "override" the dependency status.

Step 5: Review your Student Aid Report (SAR)

You'll receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) via e-mail about two to three business days after you complete the FAFSA. The SAR will arrive via e-mail only if you provide a valid e-mail address when you fill out the FAFSA. If you don't provide a valid e-mail, then it'll take up to three weeks before your SAR is delivered to you by mail. The Student Financial Aid and Scholarships office also will receive your FAFSA data electronically, which they use to determine your eligibility for financial aid.

When you receive the SAR, please do the following:

• Check the comments section. This is where you'll view your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This section also will tell you if you've been selected for verification.
• Review it for accuracy. If corrections are needed, call the Student Financial Aid and Scholarships office at 972-780-3662. If your SAR is accurate, keep it for your records.

When the Student Financial Aid and Scholarships office receives your FAFSA, they will do the following:

• Verify you have been admitted into UNTD.
• Verify you are admitted into an eligible program.
• Verify you are meeting satisfactory academic progress.
• Determine if your FAFSA application is complete.

This process may take several months depending on the time of year you are applying for financial aid. You should continue to access and monitor your financial aid information at myUNTDallas.

Do you have special circumstances that might affect your ability to pay for college?

If so, please call the Student Financial Aid and Scholarships office at 972-780-3662 to explain your special circumstances. The financial aid administrator will then give you forms to complete so you can describe your situation.. There is not an area on the FAFSA where you can describe your special circumstances.

Representatives can take special circumstances into consideration as decisions are being made about financial aid award packages. Below are examples of situations that are considered to be "special circumstances."

    •    Loss or reduction of employment, wages, or unemployment compensation
    •    Loss of untaxed income or benefits e.g. Social Security benefits or child support
    •    Separation or divorce
    •    Death of a parent or spouse
    •    Parent enrolled in college
    •    Unusually high medical expenses

After learning more about your situation, the administrator may be able to exercise what is known as "Professional Judgment," which gives them the authority to make changes to your financial aid application.

Step 7: Review your award offer

Review your award offer along with the terms and conditions.

Step 9: Review your budget

When you're in the Student Center, click on "View Financial Aid."

Select the year.  

Click on Financial Aid Summary.

Click on Estimated Financial Aid Budget Amount.

View your Cost of Attendance.

Step 11: Review Pending Aid

Step 1: Start at the Student Center and click on Account Inquiry.

Step 2:You'll then see your Account Balance, which shows the charges for each term and how much pending aid you have.