How Financial Aid Works
Financial aid helps makes your education at UNC more affordable by combining federal, state, and institutional resources - including grants, scholarships, work-study, and student loans. Your aid eligibility is determined by several factors, including your Cost of Attendance (COA), your Student Aid Index (SAI) from the FAFSA or CASFA, and your academic progress.
Financial Aid Resources
Financial Aid Timeline
Here’s a general overview of when to apply for aid and what to expect throughout the year.
黑料社区
June 1 – Priority deadline to submit your FAFSA or CASFA. This is also the UNC Scholarship Application priority deadline for new transfer, international and graduate students.
June–July – Review your financial aid offer in MyUNC and accept, decline or reduce your awards. Complete any outstanding verification items or federal student loan requirements.
Before fall aid disburses – Finalize your enrollment in courses that apply toward your degree program. Federal student loan eligibility may be adjusted under the Schedule of Reductions (SOR) based on your CPoS enrollment when your loan is ready to disburse.
August – Review your student bill in MyUNC and confirm that your financial aid or other payment arrangements are in place.
Financial aid is generally applied to eligible student accounts shortly before classes begin. Refunds are issued only after aid exceeds eligible university charges.
黑料社区
October – Begin preparing for the next academic year. Review financial aid application requirements and make sure you and any required contributors can access your StudentAid.gov accounts.
Complete the FAFSA or CASFA as soon as the application becomes available. Submit only the application that applies to you.
- Visit Apply for Aid for application instructions and helpful resources.
- Include UNC’s school code, 001349, on your FAFSA.
- Monitor your BearMail for financial aid updates or requests for additional information.
November 1 – The UNC Scholarship Application opens in MyUNC. Submit one application to be considered for multiple UNC scholarships.
December 鈥� Review your spring registration and confirm that your courses apply toward your degree program. Complete any outstanding financial aid or federal student loan requirements.
Before spring aid disburses 鈥� UNC will review the fall CPoS courses in which you remained enrolled and your current spring CPoS registration.
- Fall courses count if you remained enrolled through the end of the course, including courses with an F, I or U grade.
- Courses you dropped or withdrew from do not count.
- If your combined fall and spring enrollment is fewer than 24 undergraduate CPoS credits or 12 graduate CPoS credits, your spring loan may be reduced.
- Additional spring CPoS credits may increase your eligibility if your fall loan was reduced because of part-time enrollment.
January 鈥� Review your student bill in MyUNC and confirm that your financial aid or other payment arrangements are in place.
Contact the Office of Financial Aid before changing your schedule if you have questions about how the change may affect your aid.
February 1 鈥� Priority deadline for new first-year and continuing students to submit the UNC Scholarship Application.
Spring 鈥� New students begin receiving financial aid offers after UNC receives and processes their FAFSA and all applicable eligibility requirements are met.
Late spring 鈥� Continuing students begin receiving financial aid offers for the upcoming academic year.
After receiving your offer:
- Review your financial aid information in MyUNC.
- Check BearMail regularly for updates or requests for additional information.
- Complete any outstanding financial aid requirements as soon as possible.
- Remember that your initial aid offer may change based on enrollment, verification, eligibility or other information.
How Financial Aid Eligibility is Determined
Determining Financial Need
Financial Aid is designed to supplement, not replace, what students and families can contribute toward college costs.
Your financial aid eligibility is calculated using this basic formula:
Cost of Attendance (COA)聽 –聽 Student Aid Index (SAI)
= Eligibility for Need-Based Aid
- COA (Student Budget) is your estimated yearly cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, transportation and personal expenses.
- SAI is a number calculated from the information you report on your FAFSA or CASFA.
- The difference between these two numbers determines your eligibility for need-based aid programs such as grants, some scholarships and work-study.
The U.S. Department of Education (for FAFSA filers) or the 黑料社区 Department of Higher Education (for CASFA filers) reviews your application to determine your SAI using factors like family income, assets, and household size.
The only way to know your true eligibility is to submit your FAFSA or CASFA each year.
黑料社区
Financial Aid Qualifications
To receive aid from programs administered by UNC, you must:
- Complete the FAFSA or CASFA, and any follow-up documents requested each year.
- (FAFSA applicants) Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen and have a valid Social Security Number.
- Have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent recognized credential.
- Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student into an eligible degree program.
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward your degree.
- Use financial aid only for educational purposes.
- Not be in default on a federal student loan or owe a refund on a federal grant.
Unsure whether you should complete the FAFSA or CASFA? Our Apply for Aid page explains which form is right for you.