HOW TO APPLY

To apply for financial aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the appropriate academic year. Applications are available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov, may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office at the University of Texas at Tyler, or you may have an application mailed to your home by calling 1-800-433-3243. Once the FAFSA is processed through the Central Processing System, a Student Aid Report (SAR) is mailed to the student. The schools listed on the FAFSA will receive the processed information electronically from the processing center. The SAR provides the student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which the school will use to determine the student's eligibility for the various financial aid programs in which the school participates.

HOW FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY IS DETERMINED

To determine aid eligibility, the school computes the cost of attendance for the student based on average costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room, board, transportation, and personal expenses. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) (produced from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and any other resources the student may receive (such as scholarships, agency awards, tuition exemptions, etc.) are subtracted from the cost of attendance to define the student’s financial need. The Financial Aid Office attempts to provide a “package” of gift and self-help aid to meet the student’s need with the available financial aid resources. An E-mail Notice is sent to the student's Patriot e-mail account with instructions for on-line acceptance. Non-degree seeking students are NOT eligible for financial aid.

NOTE: Students may request a re-evaluation of their financial aid award based on the following:

• Dependent childcare expenses paid by an independent student.
• Full-Time Enrollment
• Change in Housing Status

See "Forms & Applications" page for Financial Aid Re-Evaluation request form.

HOW & WHEN FINANCIAL AID FUNDS ARE DISBURSED

Tentative funding for grants and scholarships are made available for students to use for the payment of tuition, fees, books, and supplies. Enrollment is checked and awards are adjusted to reflect the student’s eligibility for the semester. Students must be enrolled for the appropriate number of hours at the close of business on the Award Confirmation Date (see the financial aid calendar) to qualify for financial aid funding.

If the aid adjustment causes a student’s charges to become unpaid, it is the student’s responsibility to pay the unpaid charges in a timely manner. If award funds are remaining after all the student’s expenses have been paid, the unused portion of the awards will be released to the student through the method the student chooses when they activate their Swoop OneCard. Disbursment dates are listed in the Financial Aid Calendar. See Student Business Services for refund information.

Federal Stafford Loan funds (both subsidized and unsubsidized) are paid in two equal installments (usually half in the fall semester and half in the spring). Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan funds are electronically transmitted to UT Tyler. UT Tyler confirms the student borrower’s continued eligibility and credits the loan disbursement to the student’s account. Student loan funds received prior to Award confirmation date will pay BEFORE grants. If loan funds are remaining after all the student’s expenses have been paid, the unused portion of the loan(s) will be released to the student through the method the student chooses when they activate their Swoop OneCard. Student Loan and Parent Loan for Undergrate Students (PLUS) refunds are released according to the Financial Aid Calendar, provided the funds have been received and the student is enrolled and eligible. Borrowers have 14 days after student loan funds are received by the school to decline the loan funding. See Student Business Services for further information.