FINANCIAL AID OVERVIEW���

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UNC Wilmington

Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid

2025-26 FAFSA

Need any special audio/visual assistance? E-mail or call us: finaid@uncw.edu or 910-962-3177

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• How much will this cost?
• Cost of attendance (estimated budget)
• How will we pay for school?
• Completing the FAFSA
• Verification
• Myths about Financial Aid

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• Types of Aid
• GradReady
• Other Questions

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QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED

COST OF ATTENDANCE�(AKA: FA BUDGET)

*These figures represent the current 2024-25 costs

FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA)

*Apply for your FSA ID before completing the FAFSA*

Students and at least one parent whose information will be listed on the FAFSA need to sign electronic documents using the FSA ID.

Application will open December 1, 2025.

File early to increase chances of receiving funding.

WWW.STUDENTAID.GOV

FSA ID & PROVIDING CONSENT?

• The FSA ID is required for the student and contributor.

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• This is the official electronic signature on the FAFSA, and now is available to contributors without an SSN.

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• The student and contributor must give “CONSENT” on the FAFSA to allow tax information to be transferred over from the IRS. If this isn’t selected, the FAFSA cannot be processed for financial aid.

WHAT INFORMATION DO I NEED TO HAVE READY WHEN I GO TO COMPLETE THE FAFSA?�

Student SSN

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FSA ID

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Assets – bank statements, investment accounts, real estate value, etc. (no retirement account information is needed)

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Record of untaxed income (e.g, child support)

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2023 taxes and W2s (you may not need this after you successfully complete the ‘Consent’ process in the FAFSA

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WHO IS THE PARENT?

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Independent Students are typically:

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• At least 24 years old
• Married
• A graduate or professional student
• A veteran
• A member of the armed forces
• An orphan
• A ward of the court or someone with legal dependents other than a spouse
• An emancipated minor or someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless

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If you feel you have a special circumstance, discuss with a financial aid counselor.

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WHAT IF MY PARENTS ARE UNWILLING TO PROVIDE THEIR INFORMATION ON MY FAFSA?

1. Please contact your financial aid counselor to discuss your situation one-on-one if this is the case. WE are happy to speak with your parent.
2. If the parent is still unwilling to contribute to the fafsa so you can receive financial aid, you can still apply for Federal Unsubsidized loans only.

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• A parent’s unwillingness to contribute to your FAFSA is a choice and doesn’t automatically make a student independent.
• we understand that there are special cases and parents may refuse to provide their information but do reach out to a counselor to discuss.

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WHAT IF MY PARENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PROVIDING THEIR INFORMATION BECAUSE OF THEIR CITIZENSHIP STATUS?

• Your parents’ citizenship status does not affect your eligibility for federal student aid

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• the FAFSA doesn’t ask about your parents’ status

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COMMON FAFSA ERRORS

VERIFICATION

• Parent and/or student tax return transcripts�Parent and/or student W2(s)
• Dependent/Independent Verification Worksheet
• Marriage/Divorce certificates or decrees
• Any other information necessary to resolve conflicting information

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The Federal Government requires each institution to review files to ensure that FAFSAs are completed accurately.

If selected, you may be required to submit:

STILL NOT SURE IF YOU SHOULD FILL OUT THE FAFSA?

The FAFSA is too hard to complete.

Many complete the FAFSA within 30 minutes and our office is happy to assist.

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I make too much money to qualify for aid.

Let our office determine and confirm eligibility, and all students will at least be offered a loan.

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I am not completing the FAFSA because I don’t have a competitive GPA.

The FAFSA does not factor in GPA, and some scholarships don’t consider GPA either.

TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID?

GRANTS

Federal Grants

• Federal Pell Grant up to $7,395 a year
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) - up to $4,000
• Federal TEACH Grant – up to $4,000

State Grants

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NC Scholarship

• Limited funds for NC residents
• Based on SAI less than $7,500, AGI less than $80,000
• Enrolled at least ½ time in a degree-seeking program
• Attending one of 16 UNC system universities or community college

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SCHOLARSHIPS

• Most Schools and Universities offer their own scholarships, so check their websites to see what they have.
• UNCW offers a variety of institutional scholarships. The 2025-2026 application period is 12/1/24-3/1/25.
• There are a variety of third-party scholarships, with their own criteria, deadlines, and applications. Avoid scholarships offers that charge a fee or ask for private information.
• Find more information here: https://uncw.edu/seahawk-life/money-matters/financial-aid/types/scholarships/

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FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOANS

• Federal loans are funded by the US Treasury, through the Department of Education via federally approved servicers.
• Federal loans require a current, completed FAFSA
• Federal Student loans are entitlements- there are no credit checks or co-signers
• Federal loans require entrance counseling, a master promissory note, and exit counseling.

• Federal loans for undergrads can be subsidized or unsubsidized- your FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI) will determine this.
• Always accept subsidized loans first in SeaNet
• The government pays the interest rate for subsidized loans while you are in continuous attendance at a ½ time rate.
• Interest accrues immediately upon disbursement for unsubsidized loans.
• 2024-25 interest rate is 6.53%

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PARENT PLUS LOAN

Direct PLUS Loans are available from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to help parents pay the cost of their child’s education at a four-year college or university, community college, or trade, career, or technical school.

• An application, credit check, and approval are required to receive a Plus loan. 
• Parents can apply on www.studentaid.gov using their FSA-ID.
• 9.08% fixed interest rate for loans disbursed between July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025

�Note: Interest rates are subject to change July 1 each year for new loans borrowed.

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PRIVATE LOANS (NON-FEDERAL)

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• There are a variety of private loans, with their own terms, conditions, and repayment plans

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• ELMOne is an umbrella organization representing college lenders - https://www.elmselect.com

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WORK STUDY�STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

The Federal Work Study (FWS) provides part-time jobs, on and off campus, for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need based on the FAFSA.

Benefits:

• Flexibility
• Opportunity to acquire knowledge and employability skills in a nurturing environment
• Insight to campus operations from an administrative perspective
• Positions are often available that pertain to the student’s course of study
• Positions available through America Reads and America Counts (tutoring in local schools)

GRADREADY

• GradReady is an online tool that UNCW provides at no charge to students
• It assists with personal finance and money management
• Available now at https://gradready.com/sponsor/uncw
• Details at https://uncw.edu/seahawk-life/money-mat

GOT FERPA?

• Once registered, your permission is required before any information contained in your educational record can be shared. To grant access to another person(s) your information, you must grant “proxy access” through Proxy Management on SeaNet. Search “SeaNet Proxy” on the UNCW website.

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• This means we cannot discuss your

financial aid information with your parents

until you’ve set them up as a proxy.

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• You can read more about FERPA on the

UNCW Registrar’s Office.

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FEEDBACK & CHAT TUESDAY SCHEDULE

Feedback Survey at QR Code or Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

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Our Chat Tuesday Spring schedule is listed at https://uncw.edu/seahawk-life/money-matters/financial-aid/find-your-counselor

QUESTIONS?

Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid

Warwick Center

910.962.3177

Office Phone Hours 8:30am – 5pm

https://uncw.edu/seahawk-life/money-matters/financial-aid/

finaid@uncw.edu

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