Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Offices and Administration

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

APPLY EARLY

Completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submitting all other applicable forms early and accurately will ensure full consideration for all aid programs available. If you apply early and run into issues, it is advised to contact someone from our office as soon as possible for assistance. Starting the application process late could result in a delay in being awarded federal financial aid.

DO NOT ESTIMATE

Use completed, filed, and the correct year's federal income tax return(s) to fill out the FAFSA, or consent to utilize the Direct Data Exchange to pull tax information directly from the IRS. If the data is estimated and is determined to be incorrect, this could result in a change in your award and/or a delay in being awarded your federal financial aid. The FAFSA uses tax information from 2 years prior (i.e. for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, 2023 tax information is required; for the 2026-2027 FAFSA, 2024 tax information is required).

DO NOT LEAVE BLANKS

We advise that no blank spaces are left on any forms that you are required to submit. Blank questions could result in a delay in being awarded federal financial aid.

KEEP COPIES

We advise that you retain photocopies of all forms and correspondence that is submitted, and the dates in which they were submitted. You may need to utilize this information when inquiring about your application.

USE YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME

Complete all forms using your full legal name. Do not use nicknames. If you need to request an official name change, please notify the Office of the Registrar at registrar@una.edu.

USE YOUR CORRECT SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

Entering your correct Social Security number (SSN) on all forms, especially the FAFSA, is very important. Be sure to review your SSN for accuracy; transposed or incorrect numbers could result in a delay being awarded federal financial aid, and could result in the reprocessing of your FAFSA.

READ AND RESPOND

Carefully read and follow all instructions provided in all correspondence from the Student Financial Aid office. Respond in a timely manner to all requests from our office. Keep in mind, even if your FAFSA is submitted early, if there are remaining unsatisfied requirements on your account, your federal financial aid may not be awarded to you until all requirements are completed.

TAKE INITIATIVE AND RESPONSIBILITY

Financial aid, both institutional scholarships and federal aid will assist you in attending UNA. You may certainly need your contributor's assistance in completing your FAFSA, but the aid received is for you to use to pay for college. Be aware of deadlines that you need to meet and any other steps that need to be completed in order to ensure there are no delays in receiving your financial aid.

ASK QUESTIONS

We highly encourage students to call or visit our office if you have questions or need help with anything related to your financial aid. Our office is located on the 2nd floor of the Gunn Commons building, and our direct email is financialaid@una.edu. Please have your student ID ready when contacting our office about your account.

DOCUMENT PHONE CALLS

If you call to discuss your financial aid, keep notes of the day that you called, with whom you spoke, and what was discussed. In our peak processing times during the summer and early fall and spring, repeated phone calls and email requests can delay the processing of your aid. Please do not be discouraged when you cannot immediately reach us. During peak time, we experience hundreds of phone calls and emails each day. We will respond to you as soon as possible.

WHO SHOULD I CONTACT IF:

I need help completing the FAFSA or need to check the status of my federal application?

You may request to have one of our staff members assist you with your FAFSA by scheduling an appointment . For other questions regarding your FAFSA, you may contact the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-4-FED-AID, or visit their website at

I need assistance in applying for GI or Veterans' Benefits?

The ��'s Veterans' representative, Jimmy Roberts, can be reached by emailing jcroberts@una.edu or veteranaffairs@una.edu, or by calling 256-765-5279.

APPLICATION

Can I get a paper copy of the FAFSA?

The U.S. Department of Education no longer supplies UNA with paper versions of the FAFSA. If you prefer to mail a copy of your application, you may print or request a copy to be mailed to you at or by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID. Note that paper applications may result in a longer processing time.

How do I add your school code to my FAFSA?

If you have already submitted your FAFSA and want to make your application available to an additional school, you may visit to make a correction to your FAFSA to add one or more schools.

Do I/my parents make too much money to qualify for aid?

There are several factors that are taken into account when determining a student's eligibility for federal student aid. Your eligibility is determined by several different factors, not by income alone. While all students do not qualify for a Pell grant, all students do qualify for federal student loans as long as they are meeting satisfactory academic progress. We encourage students to not make assumptions about what they may receieve. The application is free to file, so we recommend that you complete it to determine your eligibility. You will not be required to accept any aid that you do not want to receive.

Where can I get the forms that I need for financial aid?

Visit our Forms page for current forms and more information. Most forms are available here. Paper copies of all available forms can be requested via our office.

How can I get a copy of my tax return transcript?

You may request a tax return transcript from the Internal Revenue Service by visiting or by calling 1-800-908-9946. Please note the a Tax Account Transcript is not the same thing as a Tax Return Transcript. Only federal tax returns (not state tax returns) should not be used to complete the FAFSA or the verification process.

What is "verification?" Does it mean I did something wrong on the FAFSA?

Verification is the process whereby the information that you reported on your FAFSA is reviewed and compared to information on you and/or your contributor's tax returns (and any applicable schedules) for the applicable year. The U.S. Department of Education selects about 30% of our financial aid applicants to be verified. It does not mean that you made a mistake or that you are suspected of misreporting. It simply means that you were picked as part of a sample to be reviewed. If your file is chosen to be verified, it is important for you to submit any requested documents as quickly as possible. Financial aid cannot be offered to you until verification has been completed.

If I was selected to be verified last year, does that mean that I will also be selected again this year?

Not necessarily. You will know when you receive your FAFSA Submission Summary if you have been selected to be verified. If you have, there will be an asterisk (*) next to your Student Aid Index (SAI). Check your UNA Portal account for notifications of any outstanding requirements.

DEPENDENCY STATUS

How do I know if I am considered a dependent or an independent student for financial aid purposes?

There are multiple questions on the FAFSA which you must answer to determine your dependency status for financial aid purposes. Keep in mind that your dependency status for financial aid purposes is not based upon IRS tax filing criteria, but is based solely on your responses to the dependency status questions outlined on the FAFSA.

What if my contributor does not want to help me pay for college?

You will need their information to put together a picture of your financial situation. This helps determine how much help the government can give you to pay for school. A contributor's decision to not assist a student financially with school does not remove their legal obligation to provide the student with information pertinent to completion of the FAFSA.

What if my contributor does not want to provide their private information on the FAFSA?

The information that you provide on the FAFSA is secure. We recommend that you complete the application online, where your information is put into special code before it is processed. The US Department of Education states they will not share your information with anyone except the schools that you indicate and the necessary federal agencies needed to verify that the information you have reported is accurate (i.e. the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Internal Revenue System (IRS), etc.).

What if I do not live with my contributor?

You must still answer the questions about them if you are considered to be a dependent student.

Who is my "contributor" when I file the FAFSA?

If your contributors are living and married to each other, answer the questions about them. If your contributors are living together and are not married, but meet the criteria in your state for common-law marriage, answer the questions about both of them. If your contributor is widowed or single, answer the questions about that contributor. If your widowed contributor is remarried as of the day that you complete the FAFSA, answer the questions about that contributor and the person whom your contributor married (your stepparent). If your contributors are divorced or separated, answer the questions about the contributor whom you lived with/provided greater financial support over the last 12 months.

The following people are not considered your contributors unless they have legally adopted you: grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, older siblings, uncles or aunts.

AWARDS

Specific Award Information

I applied for and received financial aid last year. I haven't received any this year. Why?

You must reapply for financial aid each year. Applications are available each October for the upcoming academic year, which begins with the Fall Term. Visit to apply.

I plan to attend during the summer term, but my award letter only shows amounts for fall and spring semesters. Why?

Financial aid for summer is awarded separately. Generally, we offer your maximum eligibility for fall and spring. If you plan to attend summer term and accept all of the aid offered to you for fall and spring, you may have no remaining eligibility for summer term. We review summer aid eligibility, typically closed to March, after you have registered for summer term.

I received a letter that says I haven't met Satisfactory Academic Progress. What should I do?

If you have been notified by our office that you are not making satisfactory academic progress and you feel that there are extenuating circumstances that you wish us to consider, you may file an appeal with our office at the link below.

More Information on Satisfactory Academic Progress

What is the minimum required enrollment status to receive aid?

For most grants and scholarships, full-time enrollment is required. For federal student loans, half-time enrollment is required. Half-time enrollment for Graduate students is considered 5 hours, while half-time enrollment for Undergraduate students is considered 6 hours. This is standard for the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

I want to drop a class. How will this affect my financial aid?

If you withdraw completely from the university, you may owe a portion of your aid back to the university. Additionally, if you drop below half-time status, your loans may go into repayment. Withdrawing from one or multiple classes could affect a student's Satisfactory Academic Progress, and if a student is receiving scholarships, those could negatively be impacted as well. We strongly advise students to contact our office before deciding to drop a class or withdraw completely.

BILLING & REFUND CHECKS

When can I expect to receive a bill from UNA for tuition/fees/housing/meal plan?

Billing statements are processed by the Office of Student Accounts and can be seen through a student's UNA Portal account. Please note, a student's estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) is NOT their bill. A student's bill will consist of tuition and fees, and housing and a meal plan, if applicable. Email notices for fall bills are generally scheduled mid-July, with a due date of early/mid-August. Email notices for spring bills are generally scheduled mid-November, with a due date of early/mid December. Email notices for summer bills are generally scheduled mid-April, with a due date of early/mid-May.

If the financial aid shown on your bill is not enough to cover the amount due, you must pay the difference by the payment deadline or enroll in the university's payment plan, or your class schedule is subject to cancellation. More information on your student account can be found .

What address are my bills mailed to? My financial aid documents? My refund checks?

Paper bills are NOT mailed for currently enrolled students. See the question above for E-Bill information. New and current students will receive most financial aid correspondence via UNA email and UNA Portal. Refund checks are mailed to the address you have on file. An eRefund option is also available.

Can I pick up my refund check instead of having it mailed?

No, you cannot pick up a check in person.

My award letter says that I have $1250 in Federal Work Study offered per semester, but it does not show up on my bill. Why?

Some types of financial aid reflected on your award letter are not disbursed to your student account. Federal Work Study is an example of this type of aid. In order to be eligible to receive these funds, a student must be employed through an on-campus work study job. UNA Work Study students receive a paycheck bi-monthly for the hours worked and reported.

For more information on your student account, see the .

What is my estimated cost of attendance?

The estimated cost of attendance (COA) is the estimate of what it will cost to attend UNA for the academic year. This figure consists of estimated tuition, loan fees, college instructional costs, dining dollars, housing, food, transportation, personal/miscellaneous, and books. A student's estimated Cost of Attendance is NOT their bill.

What is "Student Aid Index" (SAI)?

Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is a formula-based index number ranging from –1500 to 999999. Where your SAI falls within the SAI range helps your school determine how much financial support you may need. A negative SAI indicates you have a higher financial need. For example, if you have an SAI of –1500, you’ll qualify for a maximum Pell Grant award assuming you have not exhausted your lifetime amounts and meet all student eligibility requirements. Your SAI is an index number used by financial aid professionals when creating an aid offer. Your SAI is calculated using information that you (and other contributors, if required) provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

Your SAI is not:

a dollar amount of aid you’ll receive,
what your family is expected to provide, or
your final financial aid offer.

During your aid process, you will see the following:

an estimated SAI on the confirmation page of your FAFSA form
an official SAI within your FAFSA Submission Summary (after your FAFSA form is processed).

What are "outside resources"?

Outside resources include other aid sources that either you have reported to us or we have identified on your student billing statement. These resources include but are not limited to the Alabama GI Dependents Scholarship, ANGEAP, and any other outside scholarships or loans.

What is "financial need"?

Financial need is the difference between your cost of attendance, your student aid index (SAI), and other aid received. The formula is: COA minus SAI minus other aid = Financial Need. The need amount represents the limit of your eligibility to participate in need based programs which include grants, Subsidized Stafford Loans, and Federal Work Study. If your calculated need is -0-, you may qualify for non-need based aid such as Unsubsidized Federal Loans and/or Federal Parent PLUS Loans.

What is "unmet need"?

Unmet need is the amount of need that we cannot meet from need based aid programs. Unmet need = Need minus need-based aid. You may have unmet need after being awarded the maximum limits you qualify for in need-based programs.

How much will my family and I be expected to pay (excluding financial aid) for my education over the course of the school year?

The amount the student and/or family can expect to pay for tuition, loan fees, college instructional costs, dining dollars, housing, food, transportation, personal/miscellaneous, and books = estimated cost of attendance minus total aid. In some cases, students do not receive enough aid to cover the full COA. However, keep in mind: a student's COA is NOT their bill. A student's bill will include tuition and fees, and housing and a meal plan, if applicable. Federal Parent PLUS Loans and alternative loans are available to make up the difference.

For more information about parent and/alternative loans, visit our page.

If my parent is approved for a PLUS loan (credit check is required) how much can they borrow?

A parent of a dependent undergraduate student can borrow the amount of estimated cost of attendance minus total aid that the student expects to receive. If your parent applies for a PLUS loan and is denied the loan, you may be eligible for additional unsubsidized loan funds.

Visit our Student Loans page for additional information.

How do I view my account online and/or pay my account online?

Students

To access your account, go to and select UNA Portal. Once logged in, select the following:

Find the "Student Accounts and Meal Plan" card
Click "Student Account Center/Pay Bill"

*For security reasons, you may be required to log in again using your UNA Portal ID and password.

Authorized Users

Non-student payers who have been authorized by a UNA student may view and pay a student's bill on their behalf. Authorized payers can only be established by the student. UNA cannot establish an authorized payer for the student. Authorized users will first be prompted to log into a secure site with the appropriate ID and password combination.

To add an authorized user to your student account:

Follow the above steps to login to your Student Account
Click on the Authorized Users tab and follow the prompts

The authorized user that you have specified will receive an email notification containing their initial password and login instructions. An email notification will be sent to each address provided when a new E-Bill becomes available.

To access the account for which you are authorized:

Visit the Authorized User login page by going to the UNA home page and selecting Tuition Payment OR
Select UNA Portal, then select Authorized User Login
Log in with your email address and the initial password information provided in your welcome email.

What types of payments are accepted online?

Within the E-Bill account, a student or authorized individual can make online student account payments with an electronic check (e-check) or with a credit card. UNA accepts VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. The option to pay by e-check and credit card are available online or in person only.

How do I mail a payment?

Mail checks payable to the �� to:

Office of Student Accounts, UNA Box 5001, Florence, AL 35632

Please indicate the student’s I.D. number on the memo line of the check.

How will I receive my billing statement?

Electronic Billing (E-Bill) is the official means of providing student account statements to all current UNA students. When a new bill is available an email notification will be sent to the student’s UNA Portal account and to any Authorized Users established by the student. Students are advised to check their email regularly.

How do I report non-UNA scholarships, employer education plans, state benefits, etc., to UNA?

Employer Sponsorship Assistance Programs: Employers may submit vouchers or checks. Vouchers should be sent to the Office of Student Accounts; checks should be mailed to Student Financial Aid.
GI Dependent Benefits: The office of Veteran Affairs will issue the student and UNA a certificate of eligibility once the student's application has been approved.
PACT (Prepaid Alabama Affordable College Tuition): PACT should issue the student an eligibility card or letter and send a copy of the documents to UNA's Office of Student Accounts.
External Scholarships from schools, churches, organizations, etc.: Students who are receiving an external scholarship should have checks mailed to Student Financial Aid.

Be sure that documentation and checks are submitted to the appropriate office at UNA to ensure that your student account is properly credited by the bill due date. Please remember that payment of a student's account is always the student's responsibility.

Send vouchers and other documents to:
Office of Student Accounts
Attn: Aleah Clark
UNA Box 5001
Florence, AL 35632

Send checks to:
Student Financial Aid
UNA Box 5014
Florence, AL 35632

Does UNA offer a payment plan?

UNA offers an interest-free monthly payment option through the Office of Student Accounts. For more information, click .

I have been awarded a student loan, but am a first-time freshman with a 30 day delayed disbursement. How will this affect my payment due?

The Office of Student Accounts is aware of the 30-day delay required for the first loan disbursement of first-time freshmen. Payment of your account will be deferred up to the amount of the loan disbursement during the 30-day delay.

The difference between the total amount owed and the expected loan disbursement must be paid by the payment due date to avoid cancellation of your schedule.

Please note that in order to defer your payment as stated above, you must complete all required steps to accept and obtain your financial aid by the payment due date. Failure to comply may result in your schedule being voided.

I need additional information. How do I contact UNA?

To contact the Office of Student Accounts, you may email studentaccounts@una.edu or call 256-765-5400.

To contact other departments, visit the .

Where can I find information on Federal Loan Forgiveness programs?

To be eligible to participate in federal loan forgiveness programs, you must meet certain criteria, which may include:

perform public service
perform volunteer work
perform military service
teach or practice medicine in certain types of communities
meet other criteria specified by the forgiveness program

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

In 2007, Congress created the to encourage individuals to enter and continue to work full-time in public service jobs. Under this program, borrowers may qualify for forgiveness of the remaining balance due on their eligible federal student loans after they have made 120 payments on those loans under certain repayment plans while employed full-time by certain public service employers.

Volunteer Work

Serve for 12 months and receive up to $7400 in stipends plus $5550 to be used towards your loan. Call 1-800-942-2677.

: Volunteers may apply for deferment of Stafford, Perkins and Consolidation loans and partial cancellation of Perkins Loans (15% for each year of service, up to 70% in total). Volunteers make a real difference in the lives of real people with two years of service in more than 70 developing countries. Contact the Peace Corps at 1111 20th St., NW, Washington, DC 20526 or call 1-800-424-8580 or 1-202-692-1845.

: Volunteer with private, non-profit groups that help eradicate hunger, homelessness, poverty and illiteracy. Provide 1700 hours of service and receive $4725. Call 1-800-942-2677 or 1-202-606-5000.

Military Service

Students who are in the may be eligible for their Student Loan Repayment Program, which offers up to $10,000. Military and veterans' associations provide many scholarships and tuition assistance programs. Contact your veterans’ representative or recruiter for more information.

Teachers

Students who become full-time teachers and meet specific criteria may qualify for cancellation of a Federal Perkins Loan . For more information about this program, click

For more information about the Federal Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers, click .

To find out more information about the eligibility requirements for teacher loan forgiveness, and about deferment provisions for teaching for the Stafford Loan program, as well as the Perkins Loan program, you can visit the .

The American Federation of Teachers maintains a list of .

Child Care Providers

Students who provide child care in low-income communities and meet other specific requirements may qualify to have a portion of their undergraduate Stafford Loans forgiven. For more information, click .

Medical Care Providers

The US Department of Health and Human Services offers loan forgiveness programs through the and the . Specific requirements must be met.

The US National Institutes of Health's repays up to $35,000/year of student loan debt for US Citizens who are conducting clinical medical research.

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