It’s easy to feel overwhelmed navigating the financial aid process. This page is designed to help students with the basics, including the main steps along the way, information on how aid is calculated, how to maintain aid eligibility, tips for using UNCGenie, and important terms and definitions.

Steps in the process

Step 1:
File a FAFSA
File the FAFSA every academic year, as early as possible. The new, simplified 2024-25 FAFSA is available nowRead more on what’s different and how to prepare now.

Missed the FAFSA Priority Filing deadline? It’s not too late! We process FAFSAs all year round, but the sooner you file yours, the better your chances at a great aid package!
Step 2:
Watch for document requests
Monitor your aid status on UNCGenie and respond to requests for additional information quickly. 
Step 3:
View your award
View your aid award when it’s available, starting in March for fall of the upcoming academic year. Financial aid offered may include a mix of loans, grants, and scholarships. 
Step 4:
Accept aid
Accept the elements of the financial aid package in UNCGenie for aid to be paid out against the student bill. (You don’t have to accept everything you’re offered, and can accept partial loans if desired.)
Step 5:
Complete loan documents
Complete Loan Entrance Counseling, Master Promissory Note, and Annual Student Loan
Acknowledgment
, required by the federal government for loans.
Step 6:
Confirm payment arrangements
Check that the Cashiers Office has your status listed as “confirmed” to avoid past due billing notifications. Note that aid may not fully cover your bill, in which case you should make plans for payment.
Step 7:
Prepare for disbursement
Complete forms for aid payout including Title IV Authorization (that allows for aid to cover additional billing expenses) and, if a refund is expected, a direct deposit request in UNCGenie.
Step 8:
Get your aid money
Aid disbursements take place starting the week before classes begin. Check the Student Accounts page to make sure your aid is paid as expected. 
Step 9:
Pay any final balance
Any remaining balance on the student account must be paid by the payment deadline date. If aid exceeds the amount due on the bill, expect a refund to be issued for the overage. 
Step 10:
Repeat!
Repeat these steps every academic year, starting with the FAFSA application. Student aid is not automatically renewed. (The FAFSA is typically available starting in October, but the 2024-25 application is delayed until December 2023 due to form changes as part of the FAFSA Simplification Act. More info here.)

How aid is calculated

The amount and type of financial aid awarded to a student is a product of several factors. These include the student type, FAFSA filing date, full-time vs. part-time enrollment, and other considerations. 

UNCG’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will take these factors into account, determine eligibility for aid based on the FAFSA, and try to combine all elements to award students aid that comes as close to their estimated Cost of Attendance as possible.

Students who file a FAFSA submit information about their (and usually their parental) income. This information is calculated into an Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC is not the actual amount the student/family will need to pay at UNCG. Rather, it’s an index used to help determine how much and what kinds of aid a student is eligible to receive. Starting in the 2024-25 award year, the new FAFSA replaces the current application, and among the changes, the EFC is replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI). For more information on these significant, positive changes, visit our new FAFSA resources page.

Students may choose to adjust their course schedule after their aid is awarded or disbursed for the semester. The end of UNCG’s Schedule Adjustment Period is the deadline for students with aid to drop or add courses. 

  • Schedule adjustments made before the deadline may impact aid (any difference would be automatically updated by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships). 
  • Credit hours are locked at the end of schedule adjustment. Financial aid will not be be increased due to the addition of credit hours after that point.

Financial aid cannot be used for repeat courses. If a student has earned credit for a class (A+ through D-) and then retakes it, that is considered a repeat course. If a student has not earned credit for a class (failed or withdrew) then it is not considered a repeat course. 

Students and families can use our Net Price Calculator tool to get a general sense of the amount that previous students like themselves paid to attend in a given year after grant and scholarship aid. Try our Bill Estimator Tool for a more accurate estimate of the student’s bill (even though it doesn’t include financial aid).

Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance is an estimated budget of what a student may spend over the course of the academic year. This estimate is based on local cost of living calculations and surveys of the student body. Financial aid awards cannot exceed the Cost of Attendance.

The Cost of Attendance is not the bill and is not designed to be an estimate of the bill. Students can view actual charges through the Student Account Center or use the bill estimator.

There are two types of costs listed on the COA: direct and indirect

  • Direct costs are those that would normally appear on the student’s bill, such as tuition and fees for their registered classes, and housing and meal plan, if the student is living on campus. 
  • Indirect costs are estimated expenses that students may have, but are not part of the student’s bill. Types of indirect costs may include:
    • Rent, if living off campus
    • Food, such as groceries purchased outside of a meal plan
    • Books and supplies
    • Travel home or commuting costs
    • Personal and miscellaneous (toiletries, clothing, linens, etc.)

2024-2025 Academic Year Estimated Undergraduate Cost of Attendance
Undergraduate Full-Time (12 Hours per semester)

On CampusIn-StateOut-of-State
Tuition*$4,422$20,774
Fees*$3,262$3,262
Books & Supplies**$850$850
Housing**$6,130$6,130
Food**$4,558$4,558
Transportation**$1,570$2,236
Loan Fees**$50$50
Personal/Miscellaneous**$1,766$1,766
Total$22,608$39,626

*DIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will appear on student’s bill.
**INDIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will not appear on student’s bill but have been used to calculate financial aid award for the academic year.

2024-2025 Academic Year Estimated Undergraduate Distance/Remote Cost of Attendance
Undergraduate Full-Time (12 Hours per semester)

Distance/RemoteIn-StateOut-of-State
Tuition*$4,422$8,844
Fees*$1,056$1,056
Books & Supplies**$850$850
Housing**$8,926$8,926
Food**$4,558$4,558
Transportation**$1,822$1,822
Loan Fees**$50$50
Personal/Miscellaneous**$1,766$1,766
Total$23,450$27,872

*DIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will appear on student’s bill.
**INDIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will not appear on student’s bill but have been used to calculate financial aid award for the academic year.

2024-2025 Academic Year Estimated Graduate Cost of Attendance
Graduate Full-Time (11 Hours per semester)

Off CampusIn-StateOut-of-State
Tuition*$5,376$20,090
Fees*$2,990$2,990
Books & Supplies**$1,000$1,000
Housing**$9,166$9,166
Food**$4,558$4,558
Transportation**$1,822$2,488
Loan Fees**$50$50
Personal/Miscellaneous**$1,766$1,766
Total$26,728$42,108

*DIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will appear on student’s bill.
**INDIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will not appear on student’s bill but have been used to calculate financial aid award for the academic year.

2024-2025 Academic Year Estimated Graduate Distance/Remote Cost of Attendance
Graduate Full-Time (11 Hours per semester)

Distance/RemoteIn-StateOut-of-State
Tuition*$5,376$10,752
Fees*$970$970
Books & Supplies**$1,000$1,000
Housing**$9,166$9,166
Food**$4,558$4,558
Transportation**$1,822$1,822
Loan Fees**$50$50
Personal/Miscellaneous**$1,766$1,766
Total$24,708$30,084

*DIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will appear on student’s bill.
**INDIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will not appear on student’s bill but have been used to calculate financial aid award for the academic year.

For a customized estimate of expected student bill based on individual circumstances like major and housing preferences, try our Bill Estimator Tool.

How to maintain aid eligibility

After receiving financial aid, students must continue meeting certain requirements in order to continue qualifying for aid in the future. Students must:

Federal regulations require that students receiving financial aid under federal programs must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP). These programs include federal Pell grants; Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants (SEOG); Iraq and Afghanistan Service grants; federal loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and PLUS); and Federal Work-Study. Satisfactory Academic Progress must also be maintained for the North Carolina state scholarship and grant programs, and UNCG scholarship and grant programs.

UNCG evaluates SAP for each student at the end of each term. Each student is evaluated on the following areas:

  • Minimum GPA (grade point average)
  • Cumulative credit hour completion rate (attempted vs. earned hours)
  • Completion of a degree within a maximum number of credit hours

Note: Attempted hours includes all types of withdrawals and incompletes.

The following table outlines the general terms of the SAP policy for the current academic year. Students can view the complete policy here.

Minimum Cumulative GPACumulative Completion RateMaximum Time Frame
Undergraduate2.067% of attempted vs. earned credit hoursDegree must be completed within 150% of the published length of the program (number of hours required for the degree). Attempted hours include all withdrawal hours and transfer credits
Graduate3.067% of attempted vs. earned credit hoursDegree must be completed within 150% of the published length of the program (number of hours required for the degree). Attempted hours include all withdrawal hours and transfer credits

Students in good financial aid standing who do not meet the SAP requirements after a term will first be placed on Financial Aid Warning. These students can still receive financial aid and no actions need to be taken.

Students may be placed on Financial Aid Warning more than once but may not have two consecutive terms with this SAP status. If a student who is already on warning does not make SAP at the end of the following term, they will become ineligible for financial aid. The student may appeal for consideration of aid for a future term.

  • Federal regulations allow for certain cases in which the institution may waive the SAP standards. Appeals (professional judgment) are the only way to correct unresolved SAP deficiencies and regain financial aid eligibility.
  • Appeals may be considered due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. Examples may be an extended illness, serious illness or death of a family member, significant mental health issues, and more. The extenuating circumstances must be documented for the specific term(s) in which SAP requirements were not met. 
  • SAP appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis by an appeals committee. The student will correspond with the committee via email, not in person.
  • If the appeal is approved, the student will regain financial aid eligibility. 
  • Some appeals may be approved for a probationary term with certain conditions outlined by the appeals committee during the probationary term.

When Financial Aid Repayment is Required

UNCG has a federally-mandated Return of Funds Policy that governs the return of certain financial aid funds, called Title IV funds, disbursed to students who completely withdraw from the University. Title IV funds include federal loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, PLUS, and Perkins), federal Pell and TEACH grants, and federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants (SEOG).

If a student completely withdraws from UNCG or stops attending classes after they have received aid for the semester, they may be ineligible for all or a portion of the funds that were originally paid out. The federal government mandates that students who withdraw may only keep the financial aid they have ‘earned’ up until the time of withdrawal. Students who receive any combination of all nonpassing grades (F, W, WF, I, US, NP, etc.) may be considered an Unofficial Withdrawal and may also be expected to repay the “unearned” portion of their financial aid.

The withdraw date used in the Return to Title IV calculations for Official Withdrawals is the is the date that a student informs the university that they will be withdrawing from the university. UNCG requires instructors to provide a last date of academic activity for students who have received a non-passing grade. This is the date used in Return to Title IV calculations for Unofficial Withdrawals.

During the first 60% of the semester, a student earns Title IV funds in direct proportion to the length of time they remain enrolled. This means the student will owe repayment if they withdraw during the first 60% of the term. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point will not have to repay Title IV funds for the term. 

Earned Title IV Funds Calculation

  • Divide the number of days the student attended by the number of days in the entire semester. 
  • Calendar days are used in the determination of percentages.
  • School holidays/breaks of five days or longer are excluded. 
  • Students must repay the difference between the total Title IV funds disbursed and the percentage of funds they “earned” based on this calculation.

Financial Aid History and Information Security

All customer information is safeguarded. This applies to all non-public personal information that has been provided to UNCG by students, parents, customers, and the customers of other financial institutions that have provided information to the school.

Financial Aid adheres to the following policies and regulations related to data security:

UNCG also has its own set of policies governing information security, which can be viewed on the Chancellor’s website.

UNCG works with Information Technology Services, the state agency NCSEAA, the UNC General Administration, and the U.S. Department of Education to safeguard personal data for students, parents and others who may have concerns with their data. UNCG’s ITS team is responsible for the full control of security but additional protections are in place in both Financial Aid and Business Affairs to protect data from being shared. 

Our policies are in place to: 

  • Insure the security and confidentiality of customer information
  • Protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information
  • Protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer

Here are the main elements of UNCG Information Security policies: 

  • UNCG employs designated coordinators that oversee our information security program.
  • We regularly conduct risk assessment and evaluate current safeguards to ensure we are identifying reasonable foreseeable internal and external risks to customer information that could result in the unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, destruction, or other compromise of such information. and assesses the sufficiency of any safeguards in place to control these risks. Employees are trained on information security and data management policies and expectations.
  • We follow best practices in information systems, network and software design, information processing, storage, transmission, and disposal.
  • We have plans in place for detecting, preventing, and responding to attacks, intrusions, or other systems failures.
  • We develop safeguards to control any potential risks. These safeguards are regularly tested for effectiveness in key controls, systems, and procedures.
  • We re-evaluate and adjust our plans based on results of testing and monitoring, and for changes to operations, business arrangements, or other circumstances that may impact the existing information security program.
  • We take reasonable steps to use service providers that are capable of maintaining appropriate safeguards for the customer information, and we include language in our contracts with them to ensure they are maintaining these expectations.

Students who want to view details of their aid history should reference the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). This is the Department of Education’s central database for student aid, available via the Federal Student Aid website. An FSA ID and password are required for access.

NSLDS provides a centralized, integrated view that helps students see: 

  • Total aid from loans and Pell Grants
  • Status of loans
  • Loan interest rates
  • Loan servicer information

Loan servicers are the companies or banks that handle billing, repayment plans, and loan consolidation for Federal student loans. Students should reach out directly to their loan servicer if they wish to consolidate loans or begin loan repayment before it is required. 

Our promise to you

The UNCG Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships staff is committed to the highest standards of professional conduct. As members of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), we adhere to their Code of Conduct and statement of Ethical Principles.

This includes our commitment to conduct financial aid practices with integrity, free from conflicts of interest, in the interest of students and parents, and in compliance with applicable rules and regulations. All employees of the UNCG Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships abide by this code of conduct and UNCG’s Mission. All employees are required to disclose any information about students they have a personal relationship with and that they have made no attempts to provide funds in excess of applicable rules and regulations.

At UNCG, we will never:

  • Accept payment or other material benefits from any outside entity or student/family in exchange for loan referrals or preferential treatment.
  • Accept gifts from any lender, guarantor or servicer of education loans.
    • A gift is defined as: any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having monetary value of more than a de minimus amount.
    • A gift is not:
      • A brochure used for default aversion or financial literacy
      • Food, training, or informational material provided as part of training to improve service
      • Entrance or Exit Counseling assistance that does not promote any specific lender
      • Philanthropic contributions unrelated to loans
      • State education grants or scholarships
  • Accept consulting fees or other contractual financial benefits from a lender or provider of student loans.
  • For any alternative loan borrower, assign through award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s loan to a particular private lenders.
  • Intentionally delay certification of loans based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.
  • Accept a pool of funds from a lender in exchange for private loan referrals, specified loan volume or a preferred lender arrangement for such loans.
  • Accept call center or Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships services or staffing assistance from any lender, except under the following circumstances:
    • Professional development training for financial aid administrators;
    • Providing educational counseling materials, financial literacy materials, or debt management materials to borrowers, provided that such materials disclose to borrowers the identification of any lender that assisted in preparing or providing such materials; or
    • Staffing services on a short-term, nonrecurring basis to assist the institution with financial aid-related functions during emergencies, including State-declared or federally declared natural disasters, federally declared national disasters, and other localized disasters and emergencies identified by the Secretary of Education
  • Accept compensation in exchange for appointments to advisory committees or boards of any entity involved in the processing of alternative student loans.

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will always maintain exemplary standards of professional conduct in all aspects of carrying out our job responsibilities, specifically including all dealings with any entities involved in any manner in student financial aid, regardless of whether such entities are involved in a government sponsored, subsidized, or regulated activity. In doing so, we are bound by the following:

  • Act in accordance with the principles set forth above.
  • Refrain from taking any action for personal benefit.
  • Refrain from taking any action that we believe to be contrary to law, regulation, or the best interests of the students and parents we serve.
  • Ensure that the information we provide is accurate, unbiased, and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential gain.
  • Remain objective in making decisions and advising the administration of the University North Carolina at Greensboro regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
  • Disclose to the administration of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
  • Adhere to University of North Carolina Board of Governors Policy 800.5.1[R], entitled Regulation on Financial Aid Practices, and to all applicable laws and regulations governing federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs.

In addition, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships agrees to be dedicated to the following ethical principles:

  • Commit to removing financial barriers for those who wish to pursue postsecondary learning.
  • Make every effort to assist students with financial need.
  • Awareness of the issues affecting students and advocate their interests at the institutional, state, and federal levels.
  • Support efforts to encourage students, as early as the elementary grades, to aspire to and plan for education beyond high school.
  • Educate students and families through quality consumer information.
  • Respect the dignity and protect the privacy of students and ensure the confidentiality of student records and personal circumstances in accordance with FERPA and the Higher Education Act, Section 483(a)(3)(20 U.S.C. 1090).
  • Ensure equity by applying all need analysis formulas consistently across the institution’s full population of student financial aid applicants.
  • Provide services that do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, or economic status.
  • Recognize the need for professional development and continuing education opportunities.
  • Promote the free expression of ideas and opinions and foster respect for diverse viewpoints within the profession.
  • Commit to the highest level of ethical behavior and refrain from conflict of interest or the perception thereof.
  • Maintain the highest level of professionalism.

In order to comply with UNC General Administration Requirements, all UNCG Financial Aid employees must specify whether or not they have family members who are currently attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

As staff members of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, we understand that:

  • We are prohibited from awarding ourselves financial aid.
  • We are prohibited from awarding another Financial Aid staff member financial aid. Staff members must be awarded via the system or by the Director or Associate Director of Financial Aid.

CONTACT US

Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

  • Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
  • Phone: 336.334.5702
  • Email: Contact Form
  • Mailing Address: PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
  • Campus Address: 159 Mossman Building*
  • *Drop-Ins Welcome.