FAFSA information
Need help with the FAFSA? Here's some great information to help you get started.
Documents
The FAFSA: The Most Important Financial Aid Form You’ll Ever Fill Out
English | Spanish
A Second Look- Appealing Your Aid Award When Family Finances Shift
English | Spanish
Financial Aid Vocab Cheat Sheet
English | Spanish
Six Items and 22 Minutes: All You Need to Fill out the FAFSA
English | Spanish
FAFSA Facts and Fiction: Get the Truth - and the Money You Need for College
English | Spanish
Parent PLUS Loans: Are They Right for You?
English | Spanish
FAFSA Verification: Don't Panic and Don't Wait
English | Spanish
Videos
Questions about financial aid
Check out our frequently asked questions. If you don't find the answer, contact our Financial Aid Office at 402.486.2505,
financialaid@uau.edu or or make an appointment online.
(scroll further for questions about student accounts and payments)
How do I begin the process of getting financial aid?
The first step in getting any financial aid is filling out your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA contains questions that ask about you, your financial information, your school plans, and more. These questions help to determine what types of aid and how much aid you are eligible for. Visit studentaid.gov to apply. Visit studentaid.gov to apply for a Federal Student Aid ID which is necessary to complete your FAFSA.
What is the Union Adventist University School Code for the FAFSA?
The Union Adventist University's 6-digit federal school code is 002563.
I don’t qualify for financial aid; should I still fill out the FAFSA?
Yes! Even if you do not qualify for free aid, you may be eligible for loans or institutional aid. By filing a FAFSA, you will be sure to be considered for every kind of aid you may be eligible for. Remember to complete your online Financial Questionnaire in the Union Adventist University Portal and your FAFSA by May 15 to keep your full financial awards.
Do I need to be accepted before I can apply for financial aid?
No. You can apply for financial aid any time after October 1 for the upcoming academic year. However, to receive financial aid funds you must be accepted and enrolled at Union Adventist University.
Do I need to reapply for financial aid every year?
Yes. You need to apply for financial aid every year by visiting studentaid.gov because your financial circumstances may change, causing you to receive more or less aid. After your first year applying for aid, you can complete a renewal FAFSA which contains information from the previous year.
What happens after I file my FAFSA?
Within 3-4 days the Financial Aid Office will receive your application from the Department of Education. About a week after we receive your application, we will send you an award letter that details financial aid you are eligible for.
Will I receive a financial statement each month?
Students can review the activity on their accounts at any time online, and students are sent an email monthly with the payment due amount. In addition, students are sent semesterly statements detailing the charges and credits on a student’s account, along with the current account balance. If you have any questions regarding statement activity, please contact our office at 402.486.2505.
What is FERPA and how does it affect information related to my student account?
FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This law protects the privacy of student education records and applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. How does it affect you in regards to your student account? Basically, it means you have the right to inspect and review your financial records maintained by the school. Because of our commitment to student privacy, our office must have written permission from you before information about your account can be released to someone else.
Can I receive my transcript or diploma even if my student account is not paid off?
Transcripts and diplomas are held until your student accounts is paid in full. If paying a final balance by check, you will have to wait ten business days for the check to clear before we can send the transcript or diploma.
What happens if I have a tuition balance when I leave?
Union Adventist University expects your student account to be paid in full at the end of each year. Excess meal charges, failure to check out of your room, or other miscellaneous expenses may lead to an unexpected account balance at the end of the year. These charges may be posted to your account after you have left, so be sure to check with the Accounting Office regarding your balance. Please check your portal under Student Statement to monitor your account balance. It is important to update your contact Information with the Records office (402.486.2529) before you leave. Past due accounts are assigned to a collection agency and may be reported to credit bureaus.
If I have a credit on my account, when do I get my refund check each semester?
- Fall 2024
Graduate refund checks will be ready by 9/10/24.
Undergraduate refund checks will be ready by 9/26/24. - Spring 2025
Graduate refund checks will be ready by 1/23/25.
Undergraduate refund checks will be ready by 2/4/25. - Summer 2025
Graduate refund checks will be ready by 5/15/2025.
Direct deposits can take up to 5 business day to process.
The deadline to request a refund is Tuesday at noon of each week.
Requests made after this time will be processed the following week.
Please be mindful of Union's Holiday Schedule as we will not be
processing refunds during this time. Please plan accordingly.
If you have further questions regarding your refund, please contact
the Accounting Office as refunds are Issued by them.
When do I need to start repaying my loans?
After you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment, you have a period of time before you have to begin repayment. This “grace period” will be
- Six months for a Federal (FFEL) or Direct Stafford Loan.
- Nine months for Federal Perkins Loans
The repayment period for all PLUS loans begins on the date the loan is fully disbursed, and the first payment is due within 60 days of the final disbursement. However, a graduate student PLUS loan borrower (as well as a parent PLUS borrower who is also a student) can defer repayment while the borrower is enrolled at least half time, and, for PLUS loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2008, for an additional six months after the borrower is no longer enrolled at least half-time. Interest that accrues during these periods will be capitalized if not paid by the borrower.
Parent PLUS loan borrowers whose loans were first disbursed on or after July 1, 2008, may choose to have repayment deferred while the student for whom the parent borrowed is enrolled at least half-time and for an additional six months after that student is no longer enrolled at least half-time. Interest that accrues during these periods will be capitalized if not paid by the borrower.
(Information obtained from https://studentaid.gov/)
What happens if I don't pay my student loan back?
If you default on your student loan, you will be reported to credit card bureaus. This means your credit rating and future borrowing ability will be negatively impacted.
Questions about student accounts
College financial aid can seem complex, but we’re here to make it easier. After reading the topics below, if you still have questions please contact sfs@uau.edu or 402.486.2505.
What is my monthly payment amount?
- Your monthly payment amount is found on your Financial Plan (seen on the home page after you log into Portal). It is the amount you need to pay each month in the hopes of having $0 by June 1.
NOTE: If you take a music class, increase your meal plan, purchase health insurance or any other cost changes after your Award Letter/Payment Plan Document has been emailed to you, you need to request a new Award Letter/Payment Plan be made to reflect the updated costs over 10 monthes. Otherwise, you may have a balance after May 30. - Monthly payment amounts are due by the 15th of each month.
- You can also see the up-to-date activity on your student account via Portal. This listing can be organized by transaction type or academic term.
How do students view their monthly payment amount?
- Log onto Portal
- Select "Self-Service"
- Click on the "Finances" tab
- Review the information under "Balance"
This view will show all of your account charges and credits to this point in the year. It is important to pay the listed "Monthly Amount" even if the amount is different than the "Anticipated Balance" or the "Balance Due."
How do parents view the monthly payment amount?
Note: Federal regulations require that a college student's financial information be kept confidential unless there is written permission by the student for parental access. If you have permission, follow the instructions below. If you do not, you can encourage your student to give you access (see "How do I give a parent access to my financial information?" below).
- Log onto Portal
- Select "Self-Service"
- From the Home tab choose "View Student Information"
- Review the information under "Balance"
This view will show all of your student's account charges and credits to this point in the year. It is important to pay the listed "Monthly Amount" even if the amount is different than the "Anticipated Balance" or the "Balance Due."
How do I give a parent access to my financial information?
- Log into Portal
- Choose "Self-Service" on upper right corner of screen
- Click on "My Profile"
- Select "Shared Access"
- Pick "Invite a User" and enter parent information including email
- Choose which things to give access to (including grades). For the happiest parents, check "View Balance" and "View Financial Aid."
- Click on "Send Invitation"
An email will be sent to your parent (or whoever you else you give access to), giving them a password to log onto Portal and see selected options.
What if my parent doesn't remember their ID and password to Portal?
- The student needs to delete the parent from "Shared Access" and then re-invite the parent.
- Log into Portal
- Choose "Self-Service" on upper right corner of screen
- Click on "My Profile"
- Select "Shared Access"
- Choose "Manage User Access"
- Pick "Delete User" and "Save Changes"
- Go to "Invite a User" and enter parent information including email
- Choose which things to give access to (including grades). For the happiest parents, check "View Balance" and "View Financial Aid."
- Click on "Send Invitation"
An email will be sent to your parent (or whoever else you give access to), giving them a password to log onto Portal and see selected options.
How is my monthly payment amount determined?
Your monthly payment amount is the difference between all of your projected costs and all of your anticipated financial aid, divided by the number of months in the payment cycle (typically 10 months). Union Adventist University summarizes all of this information and publishes it on the Financial Plan (seen on the home page after you log into Portal).
Costs are largely determined by the answers the student provided on the Online Financial Aid Questionnaire (which food plan was chosen, how much money the student budgeted for buying books in the Campus Store, etc.).
Financial aid is largely calculated by the information received from the FAFSA and the academic performance of the student prior to enrolling at Union Adventist University (i.e. federal loans/grants and Union Adventist University scholarships).
Because Union Adventist University prepares yearly payment plans (and not per semester payment plans) some costs and credits may be averaged over two semesters. However, payments should not deviate from the plan until the last month of the academic year (typically May). In the last month the required payment may be greater or smaller than the plan payment depending on the actual charges on the account.
Where can I make a payment?
- Online at uau.edu/pay using Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Paypal (must have student’s six digit ID number).
- Mailing a check payable to "Union Adventist University" and addressed to Attn: Cashier, Union Adventist University; 3800 South 48th Street, Lincoln, NE 68506. Please include your student’s ID number in the memo field of the check.
- In person or over the phone by contacting the cashier (402.486.2992). The cashier’s hours are Monday–Thursday 9 a.m.– Noon and 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.; and Friday from 10 a.m.– Noon.
- Recurring payments can be set up by contacting the cashier at cashier@uau.edu.
If I have a credit on my account when do I get my refund check?
Fall 2024
- Graduate refund checks will be ready by 9/10/24.
- Undergraduate refund checks will be ready by 9/26/24.
Spring 2025
- Graduate refund checks will be ready by 1/23/2025.
- Undergraduate refund checks will be ready by 2/5/2025.
Summer 2025
- Graduate refund checks will be ready by 5/15/2025.
Direct deposits can take up to 5 business day to process.