AskSFS

Kimberle Crenshaw lecture as part of the CBC's Black History Month Extravaganza held in Trabant on February 22, 2018.

Have Questions?  Need Assistance?  Just askSFS.

Students and families can find answers to frequently asked questions, ask SFS a question, report a concern about billing or financial aid, or request certain actions from SFS by selecting a category below.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Financial Aid

For programs during spring and fall semesters, current financial aid would apply (less any on-campus grant funding).  If you study abroad during Winter or Summer Sessions, you may be eligible for loans through the federal government or alternative lenders.

Students participating in UD-sponsored study abroad trips are automatically considered for scholarships through the Center for Global Programs and Services.

Students studying through other institutions should consider a Consortium Agreement.

You must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), using UD's school code:  001431.  Graduate students are eligible for federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, up to a maximum of $20,500 for the academic year.

Actual borrowing eligibility depends on certain factors, such as course load and additional departmental funding.

If you are registered for at least 6 credit hours, you may be eligible to receive federal financial aid.  After you have registered for the special session (Winter or Summer), use the Submit a Question feature below to request a review of your aid eligibility.  Under the Financial Aid category, select the Special Session Financial Aid Request subcategory and complete the required fields.

After SFS reviews your request, we will notify you via email of any eligibility.

Timing of financial aid eligibility notification varies based on student status.  For information specific to you, refer to your category in the below tables.

Admitted Freshman 

 

 

Application Process

Recommended Deadline

Notification

Merit Scholarship*

Common Application

January 15

mid-March

Need-Based Grant

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

January 15

mid-April

Federal Loans

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

January 15

mid-April


 

Returning Students 

 

 

Application Process

Recommended Deadline

Notification

Merit Scholarship*

None

None

None

Need-Based Grant

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

April 15

mid-July

Federal Loans

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

April 15

mid-July


 

Graduate Students 

 

 

Application Process

Recommended Deadline

Notification

Federal Loans

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

April 15

mid-July


 

Transfer Students

     

 

Application Process

Recommended Deadline for Fall Admits

Recommended Deadline for Spring Admits

Notification for Fall Admits

Notification for Spring Admits

Need-Based Grant

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

April 15

October 15

mid-July

mid-December

Federal Loans

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

April 15

October 15

mid-July

mid-December

The student must sign in using his/her social security number and FSA ID (received when filing the FAFSA) at studentloans.gov to complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN).  Please note, parents may not complete the MPN for student loans.

Studentloans.gov explains the direct loan obligation you agree to meet as a condition of receiving a federal direct loan and students sign in there using their SSN and FSA ID (received when filing the FAFSA).  This is only required one time for federal loans.

Funding from federal loans begins when you submit your FAFSA.  UD will automatically offer federal loans (subsidized and/or unsubsidized), based on your official Student Aid Index (SAI), as determined by the FAFSA.

To determine your annual eligibility for federal financial aid, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each academic year.

In order to be reviewed for federal financial aid, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each academic year.  University of Delaware's school code is 001431.

It is not possible to update marital status on the FAFSA from single to married.  You will need to decide whether it is in your best interest to submit the FAFSA now as a single (and/or dependent) student or to wait to submit the FAFSA after you are married.

You should report the information of the parent with whom you lived longer during the 12 months prior to the date you complete FAFSA, regardless of which parent claimed you as an exemption for tax purposes.  If you lived equally with each parent, or didn't live with either one, you should provide the information for the parent from whom you received more financial support in those 12 months or the last calendar year during which that support was provided.

To determine whether you need to report your parents' information on your FAFSA, please refer to the Dependency Status Worksheet.

Once the federal government has processed your FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report.  We encourage you to review this SAR and make any necessary corrections.  You should also confirm that you have reported the University of Delaware school code (001431).  The federal government will automatically send your application information to UD.

A stepparent is treated like a biological parent if the stepparent has legally adopted you or if he/she is married, as of the date of application, to your biological or adoptive parent whose information will be reported on the FAFSA.

There are no exceptions, and a prenuptial agreement does not exempt the stepparent from providing information required of a parent on the FAFSA.

UD offers financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is best to file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon after it becomes available in advance of the next academic year as possible.  Recommended deadlines are as follows.

  • Incoming freshmen:  January 15, prior to the fall of admission
  • Returning students:  April 15, prior to the aid year for which they are applying

Note that students who file after September 1st will be considered for federal financial aid but may not be eligible for institutional support (such as University grant funding).

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) was an efficient way to get your tax information directly from the IRS without needing a copy of your taxes when completing the FAFSA.

If your family's financial circumstances change after filing your FAFSA, you can file an appeal to determine if and how this change will affect your financial aid eligibility.  Please submit a query below to be considered.

You may want to consider either a federal Direct PLUS (Parent) Loan or an alternative loan to cover the gap between your financial aid and remaining expenses.  PLUS Loans are federal loans available to parents of dependent students.  Alternative loans are non-federal loans offered through a private bank or other lending institution.  Information about both types of loan programs can be found on SFS"s website.

In order to finalize your Direct Loan, you must complete both Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN).  The Direct Loan Entrance Counseling will explain the obligations you agree to meet as a condition of receiving a federal Direct Loan.  The MPN is a required document that allows UD to disburse Direct Loan funds to your account.  You only need to complete these steps once while you are a UD student.  In subsequent years, the maximum eligibility for Direct Loans will be processed once you have filed the FAFSA for those years.

Direct Loan Exit Counseling is required of all Direct Loan borrowers who graduate or withdraw from the University, or who drop below half-time status.  Exit Counseling explains your rights and responsibilities as a Direct Loan borrower and can be completed at studentloans.gov.

If you intend to move off campus for the next academic year, declare off-campus on your FAFSA.  Your cost-of-attendance (COA) budget will then allow you to use any excess funds above fixed costs (tuition, fees) to pay for off-campus expenses.  To receive those excess funds, the student must log in to UDSIS and select "Request a Refund".

Note that financial aid pays when classes start, so be sure you have proper arrangements to pay rent if it is due before that time.

If you change your housing status mid-year or after you file your FAFSA, submit a query below to see how your COA and aid will be affected.  Delaware residents receiving an "On-Campus Need-Based Grant" will lose eligibility if they change from on-campus living to off-campus living.

You may find application instructions for the PLUS Loan on the SFS website.

Please ensure all outside scholarship checks are made out to University of Delaware and include your name and student ID number in the memo line.  Checks should be mailed to:

Cashier's Office
30 Lovett Avenue
Newark, DE  19716

 

Outside scholarships reduce your academic costs, so they may also reduce or replace the need-based portion of your financial aid package.  Per federal guidelines, the combination of all educational aid cannot exceed your cost of attendance for the academic year.

You may find information regarding endowments on the SFS website.  Most endowments are offered automatically, but some do require an application (generally accepted between mid-April and June 15 each year, for offers the following academic year).

Students who are selected for verification, a federal review of FAFSA information by the Department of Education (DOE).  The DOE alerts selected students via the Student Aid Report (SAR) sent upon FAFSA submission.  UD also notifies selected students via email and through the To-Do List displayed in My Finances and UDSIS.

ISIR verification indicates that you are required to complete additional documentation to finalize your financial aid eligibility.  Submit the listed documents on your To-Do List so that SFS can complete the federally required review.  If you have submitted all required documentation, and this item still appears on your list, SFS is working on the review.  Depending on the time of year, this could take several weeks.

You can log in to My SFS Docs to review and confirm submission of your documents.

Federal Student Aid (FSA) and the Biden-Harris Administration have announced loan forgiveness plans of up to $20,000 for prior Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 for other federal loan borrowers.  To be eligible, the borrower's annual income must be below $125,000 (individuals) and $250,000 (married couples/heads of households).  In the coming weeks, the Administration will launch a simple application for borrowers unsure of whether DoE has their income data.  To be notified by DoE when the application is open, sign up at their subscription page.

Borrowers can view their loan balances and Pell Grant status by logging into their Federal Student Aid account.

FSA's Debt Relief AnnouNcement Information

 

Upon request, the University of Delaware can provide student account summaries for the Fall 2006 semester through the current term.  Records before this date are no longer available.

SFRA

The SFRA is a mandatory agreement that outlines financial obligations and responsibilities for attendance at the University of Delaware.  All students must complete the SFRA annually.

The SFRA must be accepted in order to continue to access University services, including class registration, as an active UD student.

The SFRA must be completed at least once per academic year, or if changes to the current agreement are mandated.

Ultimately, all students are responsible for their UD student accounts, including any unpaid balances (should the third-party payer not pay completely).  As such, all students must accept the SFRA.

It is possible that funded students may accrue charges on their student accounts that are not covered by the University and/or outside sources of aid.  For instance, students may be sponsored for tuition and fees only, and incur housing and/or food charges for which they are responsible.  Student accounts also reflect items such as Bookstore and Student Health Services charges.  In these instances, students are financially responsible for those additional charges and, as such, must accept the SFRA.  Additionally, in the event an account balance results from a change of circumstance in funding source, students are responsible for the amount due.

While you are a student at UD, the University must be able to contact you regarding your academic and financial obligations and requirements.  The SFRA applies to any contact made regarding your financial obligations to the University.  Alumni may opt out of further communications by contacting the appropriate department(s) directly.

Failure to complete the annual SFRA can result in the application of a hold to your student account, which will prevent access to your grades, transcripts, and registration-related activities.  To have such a hold removed, simply complete the agreement form.

The SFRA hold will be removed within a few minutes of completing the form.

Students are emailed a confirmation of the SFRA upon completing their acknowledgment.  It is also available on SFS's website.

Form 1098-T

The 1098-T (along with the 1098-T Detail) is an IRS form that colleges and universities are required to issue to certain students.  It provides the total dollar amount paid to your student account for what is referred to as qualified tuition and related expenses and is necessary to determine eligibility for the American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit.  For more details on the potential benefits of these tax credits, seek the advice of a qualified tax professional, or refer to the IRS website.

You (the student) can view and print your 1098-T electronically by logging in to My Finances.  As part of UD's online communication strategy, electronic delivery allows you to access your 1098-T earlier and easier.  You will be notified by email once we issue the statements and will gain immediate access to your 1098-T detail without mail delivery delay.  You can then print this information securely from your own home rather than having it sent via the postal service.

The 1098-T will be available online at My Finances by the end of January.

You can find this information at the bottom of the 1098-T under "Instructions for Student."  It is also readily available on the IRS website.

Box 1 reports payments made to the student account within a calendar year for qualified tuition and related expenses, defined by the IRS as "tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at an eligible educational institution."  The IRS considers student center fees, student comprehensive fees, and registration fees as qualified related expenses.  The IRS does not consider student health fees, transportation fees, insurance fees, or housing and food of any kind as qualified related expenses.  Therefore, payments toward these fees are excluded from amounts reported on the 1098-T.

Reasons for a difference could include:

  • The amount in Box 1 includes amounts paid toward qualified tuition and related expenses.  This amount, per federal regulations, does not include housing and food, insurance, health service, parking, or other expenses.
  • Tuition and qualifying fees may be reduced when a student receives scholarships, grants, waivers, graduate contracts, or similar funding that reduces student costs.

The federal government no longer allows colleges and universities to report qualified expenses in Box 2, as was permitted prior to tax year 2018.  Instead, we are required to report amounts paid toward those qualified expenses in Box 1.

University of Delaware is prohibited from providing tax advice or guidance on tax determinations or calculations, and from disclosing any student information over the telephone or to anyone other than the student.  We offer as much information as possible and include informative resources and references where available.  If you have questions about the 1098-T and how to report the data, we urge you to consult with other resources, such as a qualified tax professional or the IRS website.

Complete the federal form W-9S.  Be sure to submit your full name, including middle name.  Provide your University of Delaware ID number at the top of the form.

Use this secure link to upload the completed form to the University Registrar.

CRRSAA and HEERF III funds are included in the Box 1 calculation that shows total payments made towards qualified tuition and related expenses.  Per federal regulations, these grants are not included in the Box 5 amount for total scholarships and grants.

Please contact the Registrar's Office to reactivate your student account.  Once reactivated, you can log in to My Finances and download the 1098-T.  Due to sensitive data on the form, 1098-Ts are not emailed.

Billing

Please contact us using the Submit A Question feature below and include an explanation of what is wrong.  Log in to My Finances to financially clear your account by Reporting Additional Credits, and use Adjustment as the funding type. This will reduce your balance temporarily so you can pay your balance while you wait for us to update your tuition.

Using the Submit a Question feature below, select the Additional Charges category and Housing Question subcategory, and include the specifics about the charge in the Question/Comment box.

If you need to make a payment to your account, log in to My Finances and use the Report Additional Credits option to adjust the balance due.  Use Adjustment as the funding type, provide the dollar amount, and comment the reason.  Be sure to click Next Step when you return to the Make a Payment screen in order to finalize the adjustment and payment.

Using the Submit a Question feature below, select the Additional Charges category and Food Charge Question subcategory, and include the specifics about the charge in the Question/Comment box.

If you need to make a payment to your account, log in to My Finances and use the Report Additional Credits option to adjust the balance due.  Use Adjustment as the funding type, provide the dollar amount, and comment the reason.  Be sure to click Next Step when you return to the Make a Payment screen in order to finalize the adjustment and payment.

Refunds can be processed starting on or around the first day of classes.  Funds showing as pending cannot be refunded.  To request a refund, log into UDSIS and select Request a Refund under the Finances heading.  This links you to a webform that must be completed by the student.

After submission of the webform, refunds are processed through either direct deposit or mailed check.  If you have a question regarding your refund request, and the 14-day processing period has passed, please submit your ReqID via the Submit a Question feature below.

Calculate your estimated charges, select the installment payment plan and make the first installment payment.  Ensure your required documents are submitted immediately via My SFS Docs.

Continue to make timely installment payments while your verification is processed.  When your financial aid is finalized after verification is complete, you can recalculate your charges/credits and adjust your payments accordingly.

Remember that students may not register for future semesters unless the balance has been paid.  Pending aid does not count as payment.  Complete information on verification is located here.

Have your health insurance card handy and visit University Health Plans (UHP) and click the Waiver Form link in the left-hand menu.  Provide your UDID and date of birth.  Answer the subsequent questions regarding your existing coverage, and be sure to complete all steps, including the final submission of the form.  Upon completion, you will receive a confirmation number via email.  If you do not receive this confirmation, we will not receive your waiver.

UHP will review your waiver and notify UD, then an offsetting credit will appear on your student account.  For record-keeping purposes, the charge remains, but the waiver credit will negate the charge.  Typically, credits post to the student account the Monday following successful submission of the waiver form.

If you paid in full, you (the student) can request a refund of the credit balance in UDSIS under the Finances heading.

If you have remaining payments to make, My Finances will automatically adjust the installment payment amounts.

You, the student, can view your account and billing information by logging in to My Finances.  You can grant access for others to view the bill by logging in to UDSIS and clicking on Grant Parent My Finances Access under the Financing heading.

To grant access to a new user, input the user's email address under the Invite a Parent/Guardian section, select the user's relationship to you, and check the My Finances box.  Click Send Invitation and the user will receive an email from consult@udel.edu inviting them to create their Parent/Guardian Services account.

If the user is unable to access My Finances, but is already listed under My Parents/Guardians or Pending Invitations, ensure the My Finances box is checked.

Only students are sent billing notification emails, unless additional users have been authorized.  Users listed as My Parents/Guardians with My Finances access will also receive billing notifications.

You are responsible for making payments by the deadlines, even if the billing notice is not received.  My Finances provides up-to-date account activity which can be viewed 24 hours a day.  Payments can also be made at any time.  Late fees are charged for semester payments received after the payment deadline.  A late or inadequate installment payment will incur a late installment fee.

Billing notifications are sent to your UD email account.  The same email notification will also be sent to authorized users to whom you have granted My Finances access.

While SFS cannot mail a paper copy through the U.S. Postal Service, you can print a copy of your account activity, including charges and credits, by logging in to My Finances and clicking on Account Activity/Statements in the left menu.  Select the term you want to print, then whether you prefer summary or detail view, and PDF or spreadsheet.  Click Download Statement to access a printable version.

My Finances allows you and authorized users to view up-to-date account activity for current and prior terms.  It also provides online payment options that are available 24 hours a day, and a function to report anticipated funding from sources not yet showing in My Finances.  The 1098-T tax form is also distributed via My Finances.

First, be sure you filed a FAFSA and that its information, including UD's school code (001431), is complete and correct.  If there is a problem with your FAFSA, then your Student Aid Report will have a special notation indicating what corrections need to be made.

SFS packages returning students' financial aid beginning in July, but if you filed your FAFSA late (after classes have begun), you may notify us via the Submit Question feature below, to determine when to expect your aid to disburse (pay) to your account.

Second, check your To Do List.  This is available in My Finances and UDSIS, and tells you any tasks you need to complete in order for your financial aid to disburse.

Online payment may be made via ACH (online check), the quickest and most convenient method, or credit card.  Credit card payments incur a 2.85% service chargew, which is not paid to UD and is not refundable, even if the related payment to UD is refunded.  The service fee for international students is 4.25%. The minimum service fee for card transactions over $20 and less than $106 will be $3.

Log in to My Finances and follow the steps to select your payment method and complete your payment through CashNet, UD's online payment processing partner.  For ACH payments, have your bank routing and account numbers handy; if you need assistance, there are instructions on the payment site for finding those numbers on your check.

Additionally, checks can be mailed to the Cashier's Office at 30 Lovett Avenue, Newark, DE, 19716, and you can report that you have mailed a check using My Finances.  Checks or cash are also accepted for payment in person at the same address.

ACH payments made prior to 2:30pm on business days are posted the same day after 3:00pm.  Payments made after 2:30pm will post the following business day after 3:00pm.  Once your payment has posted, you can view it under Account Activity on My Finances.

My Finances requires payment in full for the balance due it displays, or an installment payment based on that amount.  But, if you anticipate funding that is not yet reflected, you can report a credit so that you can pay the remaining balance while we await the arrival of that funding.

Upon logging in to My Finances, click the pencil icon under Additional Credits.  This will display a pop-up box where you can select the type of credit from a dropdown menu, enter the amount of expected funding, and add any relevant comments.  Once you click Save Credits, your balance due will adjust and you can make payment based on that new amount.

Please note that reporting additional credits allows you to pay an adjusted amount, but does not guarantee financial clearance through the semester.  If these credits have not been received by the final installment date, you may be responsible for paying the remaining balance and any associated late fees.

 

Student education records are subject to protection under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  UD Parent/Guardian Services is a secure system for allowing UD students to share education and account information with their parents and guardians.  You can grant this access in UDSIS by entering the email addresses of the users you would like to authorize and selecting which components of education information you want to share with them.

You may change your users or their access at any time.  Periodically, you will be prompted to review Parent/Guardian settings before logging in to UD secure applications.

Your parents'/guardians' questions regarding information released to them should first be directed to you, as privacy and safeguarding of your personal information is a priority for UD and is accomplished through industry-standard security practices.

UD does not directly accept credit card and debit card payments of tuition and other charges but has arranged for a third-party vendor to accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express when payment is made online.

The vendor, CashNet, assesses a 2.85% service charge for processing the transaction. The service fee for international students is 4.25%. The minimum service fee for card transactions over $20 and less than $106 will be $3.

The Student Wellbeing Fee is a mandatory fee that supports and provides students access to the myriad on-campus and remote services offered by Student Health.

This fee is not a charge for health insurance, though please note that some Student Health services will be billed to your health insurance, just as care at off-campus practices would.

UD offers a four-installment payment plan for each fall and spring semester for undergraduates and three-installment payment plan for graduate and continuing education students.  A $50 Installment Payment Plan fee is charged each semester enrolled.  The beginning balance for each semester is divided equally into 4 payments (or 3 for graduate/continuing education students), and payments are due monthly, with the $50 fee being divided among the second, third, and fourth installments.

Subsequent installment amounts will adjust with additional account activity, such as new charges or credits.

When completing your payment in My Finances, you will be prompted to select whether to pay in full or in installments.

Payment plans are not offered during Winter and Summer Sessions.

There are several possible answers to this.

If you recently went through the verification process, a corrected FAFSA may require changes to your financial aid package.  This takes around three business days.

Pending financial aid is removed from pending status if it has not disbursed (paid) to your student account by the semester's third installment payment due date.  Log in to UDSIS and select View Financial Aid or view your Financial Aid Notice in My Finances to ensure the aid is still on your package.  Be sure to review your To Do List for any requested items that have not been submitted.

If you receive additional financial aid in any form, and your educational costs are fully covered, UD is required to reduce/limit the amount of aid you can receive.

If you have reduced or canceled loans, that funding will be removed from pending financial aid, subsequently increasing your balance due.

We anticipate December payment for fall semester and April payment for spring semester for many State of Delaware funds.  This includes ScIP (Scholarship Incentive Program).

With First State Promise, Delaware residents with  family incomes $75,000 or below with modest assets (under $50,000) can expect to receive grant/scholarship support to cover full tuition. Families with incomes less than $35,000 and are living on campus can also expect to receive housing support.

The differential charge is assessed to students in the College of Engineering, the Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, and the School of Nursing.  This supports UD's commitment to provide high-quality education and attract the best students and faculty by better aligning student charges with the higher cost of delivery for these programs.

No, students are only assessed one differential charge, based on the following priority:

  1. College of Engineering
  2. Lerner College of Business & Economics
  3. School of Nursing

Yes, you will be assessed the differential charge relevant to your primary program of study each term you are enrolled.

Yes, if you change your major to one that does not incur a differential charge before the end of free drop/add, you will receive a refund of the differential charge for that semester.

Changes made after free drop/add will not be refunded for that semester.  However, the differential will not be charged for future semesters as long as your major remains outside of the College of Engineering, Lerner College, or the School of Nursing.  Similarly, a change of major into an impacted program after free drop/add will not incur the differential charge until the following and subsequent semesters.

The differential charge will be waived for students enrolled in semester-long or year-long study abroad programs sponsored by UD.

Benefit eligibility is ultimately determined by Veterans Affairs (VA), but the differential will be an allowable charge reported to the VA when considering your benefits.

Yes, the differential is a qualified educational expense for the purposes of the 1098-T tax form.

You may add or drop classes within the free drop/add period without academic or financial penalty.  This period typically ends two weeks after the start of semester classes and 4 days after the start of special session classes.  Be sure to review the academic calendar for exact dates each term.

You will be charged for all classes in which you were enrolled as of that date, even if you make changes after that point.  Contact Student Financial Services regarding impact to financial aid for changes made after free drop/add ends.

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Submit a Question

You can ask SFS a question, report a concern about billing or financial aid, or request certain actions from SFS by selecting a category below.