FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION CHECKLIST

OFFICE of STUDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES

P.O. BOX 20036

HOUSTON, TX 77225

(713) 500-3860

Financial Aid Application Guide

The Office of Student Financial Services, serving all the component schools, provides assistance to students in locating

financial assistance for payment of tuition and expenses associated with the academic programs at UTHealth and UT MD

Anderson School of Health Professions. The information provided is designed to offer an overview of the financial aid

process.

The Office of Student Financial Services recommends students utilize the Financial Aid Checklist (FAC) as a guide to

assist with the financial aid process. The FAC also contains contact information for frequently used sources such as the

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a navigation guide for myUTH.

STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

1) To be considered for financial assistance, a student must be enrolled at least half-time (with the exception of Pell

grants), as determined by the appropriate component school, in a degree-seeking program.

2) With the exception of the Texas Public Education Grant and TEXAS Grant, a student must be a U.S. citizen or

eligible non-citizen.

3) All applicants must be in good standing with UTHealth or MD Anderson and must maintain satisfactory progress

as defined by this institution.

4) Students who first enroll in a program of study on or after July 1, 2012, must have a high school diploma or its

recognized equivalent to be considered for financial assistance.

5) A student is ineligible for institutional, state and Federal Student Aid (FSA) funds if he/she is in default on an

FSA loan, owes an overpayment on an FSA grant or loan and has not made a repayment arrangement for the

default or overpayment. Additionally, a student is ineligible for FSA if his/her property is subject to a judgment

lien for a debt owed to the United States. A parent of a dependent student is ineligible for a PLUS loan if either

the student or parent is subject to such a lien.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

All students wishing to apply for financial assistance through UTHealth must complete the Free Application for Federal

Student Aid (FAFSA). Information provided on the student’s FAFSA will be used to determine financial need.

Students must select the appropriate school code on the FAFSA to avoid delays in the award process:

 The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston applicant School Code: 013956

MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School Cizik School of Nursing McGovern Medical School

School of Biomedical Informatics School of Dentistry School of Public Health

 The University of Texas MD Anderson School of Health Professions applicant School Code: 017249

There is no priority deadline to submit the FAFSA application as awards are processed on a first come, first served basis.

The priority consideration application deadline for State Aid is January 15

of the each year. Funding is limited and

awards are determined on a first come, first served basis.

STATEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE

Federal student financial assistance a student receives should only be used for educational purposes and to pay the cost of

attending UTHealth and component schools.

The majority of financial assistance awarded to students is based on financial need. When a student demonstrates

financial need, his/her personal and family resources are shown as insufficient in meeting the cost of attending the

institution. In determining financial need, two items are viewed:

 Cost of Attendance

 Expected student/family contribution

The cost of attendance is represented in the form of a student budget. The budget consists of two main components:

educational expenses and living expenses. The educational expense component is composed of tuition, fees, books and

supplies and is based on the student's program of study and tuition rate (i.e., resident, nonresident). The living expense

component is composed of allowances for room and board, transportation and personal expenses and is based on the

student's expected period of enrollment for the academic year.

The financial aid COA and financial aid offers are estimated based on anticipated full-time enrollment. For

periods less

than full-time, the budget and financial aid offers (Pell grants and loans) are adjusted

according to the hours enrolled at

the end of add/drop period for each term. You will be expected to

resolve any overpayment of financial aid (Pell

grants and loans) that resulted from a reduction in

enrollment hours. The outstanding balance will be reflected on

your student account. Students

must be enrolled at least half-time in order for loans to disburse. Academic students

must be enrolled for both 6-week sessions at the beginning of the term to receive summer financial aid disbursements.

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is determined from the information provided on the Free Application for

Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The U.S. Department of Education analyzes the information on the FAFSA and performs

a federal standardized needs analysis calculation. To arrive at the student's financial need, the EFC, as determined by the

need analysis calculation, is subtracted from the student's budget. The remaining amount is the financial need of the

student.

Once the student's need has been determined, a financial aid offer may be made. The offer is packaged based on the

student's financial need, federal, state and institutional eligibility requirements governing each aid program and

availability of funds.

VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMEBERS

To initiate the application process for Veterans Benefits such as Post 9/11 GI Bill, Vocational Rehab and Veterans

Education Assistance Program (VEAP), we recommend all veterans contact the Veterans Coordinator, Winston Matranga,

in the Registrar’s Office at (713) 500-3351.

Veterans applying for federal financial aid funds are encouraged to contact their assigned financial aid counselor prior to

the beginning of the award process. The financial aid counselor will explain the funding sources available to you while at

UTHealth or UT MD Anderson School of Health Professions. Counselors/Veterans Coordinator will also assist the

service member in using the following decision-making tools prior to enrollment:

Tuition Assistance (TA) DECIDE: https://www.dodmou.com/TADECIDE/InstitutionDetails?opeidNumber=00495100

Paying for College: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/paying-for-college/

College Scorecard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet (Shopping Sheet) is available to self-identified veterans who apply for financial aid.

The Shopping Sheet contains estimated figures that are meant to help veterans easily compare financial aid packages

offered by different institutions, and ultimately make an informed decision on where to invest in their higher education.

The information included in the Shopping Sheet is meant to supplement the financial aid award notice.

For questions regarding the financial aid application process or the Shopping Sheet, contact the Office of Student

Financial Services at (713) 500-3860.

DETERMINATION OF A FINANCIAL AID OFFER

FINANCIAL AID OFFER NOTIFICATION

Once an applicant is accepted for admission and has completed all documents necessary in applying for financial

assistance, the application is processed to determine a Financial Aid Offer. A Financial Aid Offer is sent to the student

via the student’s school email when the offer has been determined.

The Financial Aid Offer informs the student of: the student's budget, expected student/family contribution, financial need,

the financial aid programs offered and the expected disbursement schedule. The student may accept or decline the

financial aid offer using myUTH. The Financial Aid Offer Supplement referred to in the Financial Aid Offer is a must

read to avoid disbursement delays.

In accepting the offer, the student should be aware of the conditions of the award agreement and the repayment terms on

any loans awarded. If there are any questions regarding the terms or conditions of the agreement, the student should

contact the Office of Student Financial Services at (713) 500-3860.

If the award is refused, the student must decline the offer on myUTH or submit a signed written request declining the

offer.

FINANCIAL AID DISBURSEMENTS

The release of financial aid funds typically occurs the week before the start of each semester. To determine whether financial

aid funds will be available for the academic term, a student should refer to his/her Financial Aid Offer. The Financial Aid

Offer will provide the disbursement schedule for the financial aid funds.

Students receiving grants/scholarships are not required to complete any additional financial aid procedures for the

awarding process as all grant funds are accepted on the student’s behalf by the Office of Student Financial Services.

Students anticipating borrowing a federal student loan are required to complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and

Entrance Counseling specific to Direct Loans prior to loan disbursement. More information pertaining to the Direct Loan

MPN and Entrance Counseling requirements may be found in the MPN and Entrance Counseling sections of this guide.

Students accepting institutional loans are required to complete and submit to the Office of Student Financial Services the

loan documents specific to that loan prior to loan disbursements.

All funds received will be applied against charges currently due on the student’s account.

If a credit balance exists after financial aid or other resources have been applied to outstanding tuition and fee charges,

student refunds will be processed. Students may receive refunds in the following ways:

 Direct Deposit

 Paper Check

Medical (MD) and Dental (DDS) Students using the installment plan to pay tuition and fees must request the payment

plan through the Bursar’s Office or log on to myUTH prior to disbursement of any financial aid funds. This will ensure

the funds are applied to charges that are currently due rather than the full amount of tuition and fees. For more

information on the installment plan, contact the Bursar’s Office at (713) 500-3088.

All students must be registered for the number of hours necessary to maintain eligibility for financial aid, as

determined by the student’s program of study and type of funds awarded, be in good academic standing, have no

outstanding HOLDS on record, tuition and fees must be paid as well as emergency loan(s), and a picture ID must be

shown before any financial aid paper check(s) are released.

REVISION OR CANCELLATION OF FINANCIAL AID

UTHealth reserves the right to revise or cancel financial aid due to changes in a student's financial, enrollment and/or

satisfactory progress status.

UTHealth reserves the right to revise an award should allocations of federal, state and/or institutional funds be reduced

below anticipated funding levels. Every effort will be made to supplement the reduction in the student's award with other

resources which may be available should this occur.

DIRECT LOAN MASTER PROMISSORY NOTE (MPN)

UTHealth and MDA participate in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. Direct loans help meet a student’s

cost of attending school. Borrowing a student loan is optional. All borrowers who anticipate borrowing a federal

student loan are required to complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) specific to Direct Loans. This MPN is available

through online services provided by the Department of Education: studentloans.gov.

Note: Continuing financial aid recipients who previously completed the MPN specific to Direct Loans within the last 10

years are not required to complete the MPN again unless requested by the Office of Student Financial Services.

ENTRANCE COUNSELING

First-time Federal Direct Stafford Loan borrowers (Subsidized/Unsubsidized/PLUS) must complete financial aid

Entrance Counseling prior to the disbursement of student loans. Entrance Counseling is not required for Parent PLUS

loan borrowers unless the PLUS loan is approved by obtaining an endorser or through the reconsideration process.

Entrance Counseling for Direct Loans is available through online services provided by the Department of Education:

studentloans.gov

Continuing Federal Direct Stafford Loan borrowers (including transfer students) are not required to complete financial

aid Entrance Counseling each year after the initial forms have been completed. However, we do encourage students to

complete the Financial Awareness Counseling Tool (FACT) prior to accepting loan awards. This tool will provide

students with repayment and financial planning strategies. FACT is available at studentloans.gov.

Perkins Loan borrowers are required to complete Perkins Entrance Counseling on the Mapping Your Future website.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Loan borrowers must complete the Entrance Counseling for your

specific DHHS loan annually. These types of loans include: Health Professions Student Loan, Loans for Disadvantaged

Students, and Nursing Student Loans. Entrance Counseling for DHHS loans is available through the University website.

THE VERIFICATION PROCESS

In general, students selected for verification by the Department of Education are required to submit documentation to

support information reported on the FAFSA. All documents required for verification must be submitted to Student

Financial Services at:

UTHealth ∙ Office of Student Financial Services ∙ P.O. Box 20036 ∙ Houston, TX 77225

Phone (713) 500-3860 ∙ Fax (713) 500-3863

It is the student’s responsibility to confirm the receipt of documents by Student Financial Services. Verification

documents should not be sent to the Department of Education.

Documents received will be checked against the student’s FAFSA application data within 30 days once the official review

process has begun. If corrections are needed, the school will make the corrections and/or necessary updates. Students will

receive a correction notice (paper or electronic SAR) from DOE. In addition, Student Financial Services will notify the

student via email of any changes made to the EFC resulting from the verification review. If no change has occurred to the

EFC, the student is notified of that fact. Any changes to a student’s aid will be reflected on the Financial Aid Offer. The

updated information will be processed within 21 working days once the school receives the corrections from DOE.

Students may submit requested verification documents by April 15

of each year. If April 15

falls on the weekend, then

the official day will be the Monday following the weekend. A student failing to submit requested documents by this date

will have the processing of their application terminated.

Once processing begins for the current award year, students selected for verification will receive an email with

instructions specifying the documents required for submission to the school. The documents must be completed in

a timely manner to avoid processing delays.

For selected applicants only, Student Financial Services will accept the following documents as support of the federal

items selected for verification:

1) Verification Worksheet

2) Income Documentation

Tax Filers:

 IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT)

 IRS Tax Return Transcript

Non-Filers:

 W-2’s and/or 1099’s to confirm income earned from work, if applicable

 Verification of Non-filing from the IRS, if requested.

3) Other Verification Documentation

Documentation specific to an individual’s situation may be requested of certain applicants selected for

verification. Applicants should review their “To Do List” items on myUTH for a list of specific documents and

instructions.

Additional items may include, but are not limited to:

Proof of Citizenship

 Birth Certificate

 U.S. Passport

 Permanent Resident card

 Certificate of Naturalization/Citizenship

Selective Service Registration

Social Security Card

Please Note: An applicant whose FAFSA information is selected for verification is required to complete verification

before the institution makes changes based on professional judgement to the applicant’s cost of attendance or to the values

of the data items required to calculate the EFC.

FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS

This is a comprehensive list of financial assistance programs available through the Office of Student Financial Services.

However, it should be noted that this may not encompass all sources of aid which may be available to applicants.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Please visit the Student Financial Services web page for scholarship information and opportunities.

FEDERAL PELL GRANT

The Federal Pell Grant is funded by the Federal government. Pell Grants are usually awarded only to undergraduate

students who have not earned a bachelor’s or a professional degree. In some cases, however, a student enrolled in a post

baccalaureate teacher certification program may receive a Pell Grant. The Pell Grant does not need to be repaid (unless,

for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund).

Students may only receive Federal Pell Grant funds from one school at a time during an academic period.

Federal law limits the amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his or her lifetime to be the

equivalent of six years of Pell Grant funding. Since the maximum amount of Pell Grant funding a student can receive

each year is equal to 100%, the six-year equivalent is 600%.

FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY GRANT

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a Federal grant program for undergraduate

UTHealth students administered directly by the financial aid office of participating schools. Students who will receive

Federal Pell Grants and have the most financial need will receive FSEOG first. Like the Pell Grant, FSEOG does not

need to be repaid.

FSEOG awards are made on a first come, first served basis to those who qualify based on fund availability.

DESIGNATED TUITION GRANT

The Designated Tuition Grant is a need-based assistance program whereby the university is obligated under Texas

Education Code §§ 56.011 and 56.012 to set aside a portion of resident tuition to be used as gift-aid for resident students.

TEXAS PUBLIC EDUCATION GRANT

The Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) is a grant provided to students with financial need and is administered

directly by the financial aid office of participating schools. TPEG awards are made on a first come, first served basis to

those who qualify based on fund availability.

TOWARDS EXCELLENCE, ACCESS AND SUCCESS (TEXAS) GRANT

The TEXAS Grant, administered by the state of Texas, is a need-based grant provided to undergraduate students who

have completed either a Recommended or Distinguished Achievement high school program at an accredited Texas High

School.

The state priority deadline for applying for the Texas Grant is January 15

of each year. Funding is limited and the

program is subject to change by the Texas Legislature.

FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN

Federal Perkins Loans are low-interest federal student loans for undergraduate, graduate and professional students with

exceptional financial need. The school is the lender. Funds are awarded based on fund availability. Note: The Perkins

program is scheduled for Congressional phase-out as of September 30, 2017.

WILLAM D. FORD FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN PROGRAMS

Federal Direct Subsidized Loan (Direct Subsidized)

The Direct Subsidized loan is an optional loan offered by the Department of Education. These loans are available to

undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need as determined by the Department of Education. Direct

Subsidized Loans assist with educational expenses but may not exceed financial need. No interest is charged while a

student is enrolled at least half-time in an eligible school, for the first six months after leaving school (referred to as a

grace period*) and during deferment periods. The student is responsible for repaying the loan.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans (Direct Unsubsidized)

The Direct Unsubsidized loan is an optional loan offered by the Department of Education. These loans are available to

both undergraduate and graduate students and are not based on financial need as determined by the Department of

Education. Interest is charged during all periods; even during the time a student is enrolled at least-half time in an eligible

school, during grace and deferment periods. The student is responsible for repaying the loan.

Federal Direct PLUS Loan (Parent PLUS) - Dependent Students

Parent PLUS loans are interest-bearing loans for the parents of dependent students who are enrolled at least half-time in a

degree-seeking program at an eligible school. This loan assists with educational expenses up to the student’s cost of

attendance minus all other assistance. Interest is charged during all periods beginning on the date of the loan’s first

disbursement. The parent is responsible for repaying the loan.

Federal Direct PLUS Loan (Graduate PLUS) - Graduate/Professional Students

Graduate PLUS loans are interest-bearing loans for graduate/professional students enrolled at least half-time in a degree-

seeking program at an eligible school. This loan assists with educational expenses up to the student’s cost of attendance

minus all other assistance. Interest is charged during all periods beginning on the date of the loan’s first disbursement.The

student is responsible for repaying the loan. For more information regarding Federal Direct Loans visit studentaid.ed.gov

FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN FEES

Borrowers pay a loan origination fee on all Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and PLUS Loans. The loan fee will be

proportionately deducted from each loan disbursement.

FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN LIMITS

The school uses information from the student’s FAFSA to determine the type of loan(s) and actual loan amount a student

qualifies for based on a student’s financial need, dependency status and grade level. There are loan limits on the amount

of Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized funds a student may be eligible to receive each academic year (annual loan limits)

and the total amounts a student may borrow for both undergraduate and graduate study (aggregate loan limits).

Graduate and professional students enrolled in certain health profession programs may qualify for additional Direct

Unsubsidized Loan amounts each academic year. Please contact the Office of Student Financial Services for more

information about annual and aggregate limits for health profession students.

FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN INTEREST RATES & INTEREST FORMULA

Interest rates for Federal Direct Loans are set by Congress and are based upon formulas that use the equivalent rates of the

91-day Treasury bill plus a statutory add-on percentage. The calculated rate is capped by a maximum interest rate.

For more information regarding interest rates visit studentaid.ed.gov.

INSTITUTIONAL LOANS

Health Profession Student Loan (HPSL)

The Health Professions Student Loan program provides long term, low interest rate (5%) loans to full-time students

enrolled in the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program. When compared to other federal student loans and private

loans, this loan provides a significant savings.

Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS)

The Loans for Disadvantaged Students program is a federal loan made available by the Department of Health and Human

Services. This loan program provides long term, low interest rate (5%) loans to full-time, financially needy students from

disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program.

When compared to other federal student loans and private loans, the Loans for Disadvantaged Students provide a

significant savings.

The Office of Student Financial Services is responsible for making reasonable determinations of need and providing loan

awards. For more information regarding these loan programs, please call the Office of Student Financial Services at (713)

500-3860.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

Non-Discrimination Policy

To the extent provided by applicable law, no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be

subject to discrimination under, a program or activity sponsored or conducted by the Office of Student Financial Services

on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or disability.

Federal and State Laws:

 Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §2000d et seq., and its implementing regulation at, 34 C.F.R.

Part 100, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color or natural origin;

 Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §1618 et seq., and its implementing regulation at, 34

C.F.R. Part 106, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex;

 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. §794 (amended 1992), and its implementing regulation

at, 34 C.F.F. Part 104, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability;

 Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §12132, and its implementing regulation at, 28

C.F.R. Part 35, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability; and

 The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, 42 U.S.C. §6101 et seq., and its implementing regulation at, 34 C.F.R. Part

110, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of age.

The Office of Student Financial Services has designated the following persons as coordinators to monitor compliance with

these statutes as they relate to students and to resolve complaints of discrimination based on race, gender, age, or

disability:

Araceli Alvarez Heather Beckles-Bright

Director Student Financial Services Assistant Director Student Financial Services

Phone: (713) 500-3871 Phone: (713) 500-3866

E-mail: Araceli.A[email protected]c.edu E-mail: Heather.[email protected]c.edu