Office of Financial Aid

2012-2013 Financial Aid Applications

Verification

Census Date

Changes ...

Manage Your Money

Important

 

2012-2013 Financial Aid Applications

Look here for the application deadlines for next year.

The 2012-2013 FAFSA can now be completed on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Whether or not you have completed your 2011 federal tax return, you are able to complete the application. A couple of weeks after your (and your parent's) 2011 federal tax return has been submitted electonically to the IRS, you should be able to return to your application at www.fafsa.ed.gov and use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to retrieve your tax information from the IRS. Taking that action will eliminate the need for you and your parents to submit federal tax return transcripts to our office.

If you are not eligible for federal student financial aid (Eligibility), but you are eligible for Texas financial aid programs, you should complete a paper FAFSA and submit it directly to our office.

Please Note: The tuition and fee schedule for new students entering during the 2012-2013 academic year has not yet been set by the University of Texas System Board of Regents.

Verification

We have begun receiving completed applications for 2012-2013. If your application has been selected for verification, we have sent you an e-mail or a letter requesting additional documentation. Detailed information on this process can be found on our website.

Census Date

The spring semester census date for financial aid eligibility was February 1

To be eligible for financial aid in the spring 2012 semester you must have been registered by February 1. As of that date your registration status was set for the term by the financial aid office. Classes added after February 1 are not counted towards your financial aid eligibility.

If, for whatever reason, you must withdraw from all of your spring classes, and you have received financial aid, you should speak to your financial aid counselor. Your financial aid may need to be adjusted.

Changes ...

The Congress of the United States periodically reviews financial aid programs and makes changes. The following are some of the changes that will impact UT Dallas students.

• Pell Grants

Beginning with the fall 2011 semester, the Federal Pell Grant program is limited to one academic year of eligibility per academic year. Last year undergraduate students who were eligible for the Pell Grant program could receive up to two years of Pell Grant eligibility in one year. This provision allowed students to accelerate their studies by receiving Pell Grant funds in the summer term. The authorization for that provision expired on June 30, 2011. Students who are full-time in the fall and spring terms will not be eligible for the Pell Grant program at UT Dallas in the summer of 2012. Additionally, if you used Pell Grant eligibility at another school in the summer of 2011 you may not be eligible for the maximum Pell Grant in the spring semester.

Taking effect in the 2012-13 academic year, Congress has changed the law to reduce the duration of a student’s eligibility to receive a Federal Pell Grant from 18 semesters (or its equivalent) to 12 semesters (or its equivalent). The calculation of the duration of a student’s eligibility will include all years of the student’s receipt of Federal Pell Grant funding.

• Stafford Loans

Beginning July 1, 2012 there will be three changes to the Stafford Loan program.

Graduate students will no longer be eligible for the subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loan program. While the maximum Stafford Loan will remain $20,500 for graduate students, none of this loan will be subsidized. This will impact loans processed starting with the fall 2012 semester.

The interest rate on undergraduate subsidized Stafford Loans whose first disbursement is on or after July 1, 2012 rises from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent.

The origination fee charged upon the disbursement of the Stafford Loan will increase from 0.5 percent to 1 percent. The origination fee charged upon the disbursement of the PLUS loan will increase from 2.5 percent to 4.0 percent.

Manage Your Money

Financial aid funds are disbursed in lump sums. This makes budgeting a critical part of most student's lives. The federal government provides a great tool for creating a budget here. (Video: How can I manage my money so I can take control of my finances?)

Important:

If you register for classes at another school at the same time you are attending UTD:

• If you are eligible for the Pell Grant program you can receive this grant at only one school at a time.
• You must notify UTD's Office of Financial Aid if you are receiving federal or state grants or loans from another school while attending UTD.
• UTD will process financial aid for the classes you are registered to attend at UTD. We do not process financial aid for classes taken at other schools
• For academic requirements regarding the transfer of off-campus coursework you should see your academic advisor.

Code of Conduct

Please visit our UT System student financial aid code of conduct.