Reasons Why Awards May Change

Your financial aid award is based on projected funding from federal, state, and institutional sources. If the projected funding is more than the actual funding available, your financial aid award(s) will be adjusted to reflect these changes.

All federal and state-funded programs are subject to change at any time as a result of legislative action. If there are changes which impact your eligibility, your financial aid award(s) will be adjusted to reflect these changes.

Scholarships and grants listed on your myUCF Award Summary may require you to maintain a specific grade point average or other academic or performance requirements. If these requirements are not met, you may not be eligible to continue receiving this funding.

If you receive any additional funds from outside sources, including scholarships or private loans, that were not included on your financial aid award notification, please contact our office as soon as possible so we can include the funds in your Award Summary. Students are required by federal regulations to notify the financial aid office of all outside scholarships and/or private loans.

If the amount of funding from the outside source changes from what is listed on your award, please contact our office immediately so we can adjust your award accordingly.

If you are selected for a review process known as verification, you are required to submit additional documentation in order for us to determine your financial aid eligibility.

Once the verification process is complete, your awards may be revised to reflect your correct eligibility. Students who fail to complete the verification process will not receive the financial aid funds provided on their initial award notification.

Mid-semester or mid-year changes or updates to your Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) can result in selection for the verification review process. This review may result in an adjustment in your financial aid eligibility.

Disbursement of future aid will not occur until the verification review process is complete. If you attended another school and we are notified that there has been a change in your Federal Direct Stafford loan(s) or Federal Pell Grant amounts, your award will be reviewed and may be revised.

The amount of your financial aid award depends on the number of credit hours you are taking. Your initial award is prepared based on full-time, full-year enrollment. If you are not enrolled in at least 12 credit hours or do not plan to come back to UCF for the spring Semester, your awards will need to be adjusted to reflect these changes.

Financial aid award amounts vary depending on the number of credit hours you are enrolled for during that term. Please review the Program Eligibility Chart to determine the enrollment necessary for the disbursement of your financial aid awards.

Before you make a change to the number of credit hours you are enrolled in, please contact our office. A change in credit hours can affect your financial aid award even after you have accepted the award. This will also make sure your financial aid is properly disbursed. It is your responsibility to notify us of any changes in the number of credit hours you are enrolled for that specific term.

After the drop/swap and add period has ended, the Office of Student Financial Assistance reviews financial aid eligibility for students with financial aid awards. Please note, financial aid may be adjusted after the drop/swap and add period due to a variety of factors.

You are only allowed to repeat a class with a passing grade, D- and above, one time and receive financial aid for it. Regardless of your performance in this second attempt (pass or fail), you will not be able to receive financial aid for that same course again. Please review Repeat Coursework Policy for additional information.

If we receive information from the federal government that you are approaching the maximum amounts of your awarded loans or Pell Grant, your awards will be adjusted accordingly.

You must attend class and/or complete an academic activity in order to receive your financial aid. Federal financial aid regulations require confirmation that you have begun attendance in your courses before aid is disbursed.

Faculty members and/or instructors will either report attendance during the first 10 days of the term or advise their students to log onto Canvas and complete an academic activity. It’s important that students check Canvas and complete an “academic activity” for each course that lists one for them to complete. Students are expected to complete the “academic activity” within the first two weeks of the term. Failure to do so will result in delays to the disbursement of financial aid awarded to them.

If you are reported as not attending or have not completed the “academic activity,” our office cannot include the course credit hours in your financial aid award disbursement. The reduced number of credits may reduce the amount of financial aid that you are eligible to receive for the term. As instructors report your attendance and/or you complete your “academic activity”, your awards will be adjusted.

An “academic activity” is defined as but not limited to:

• Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students;
• Submitting an academic assignment;
• Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction;
  attending a study group that is assigned by the school;
• Participating in an online discussion about academic matters and
  initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.

Please contact our office if you have a special circumstance come up during the semester. A special circumstance may include involuntary loss of employment, high medical expenses, or other things that impact your financial situation.

Students can view estimated financial aid deferments via the fee invoice in the myUCF portal.

Students with estimated financial aid will receive an extended fee payment deadline during the second week of classes.

Financial aid disbursements will begin for students who meet ALL financial aid eligibility requirements on the second Thursday of the semester. During this time, students may see activity on their student account. This includes awards going through the disbursed process being removed as estimated aid on the fee invoice.

There is no need to contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance regarding these fluctuations, as these changes to your account are a part of the disbursement process.