Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The Office of Student Financial Services is more than happy to assist you in every possible way. Here, we have compiled a list of the questions we hear most often. If you have other questions, please contact us.


Applying for Financial Aid (FAFSA, Dependency Status, Quality Improvement/Verification)

How do I apply for financial aid?
The key application for federal, State and IUPUI financial aid is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA must be completed for each aid year and the FAFSA priority application receipt date is March 10 of each year. Additionally, you must be admitted to IUPUI. For more information, visit the Applying for Aid, Eligibility, FAFSA, and Application Tips sections.


What are some tips for applying for financial aid?
The key tip is to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the priority application receipt deadline of March 10 for the next aid year. For additional tips, visit Financial Aid Tips.


What if I need to make corrections to what I originally submitted on my FAFSA?
If you need to revise or correct any information originally reported on FAFSA, you may visit FAFSA on the web to make the corrections.

How do I apply for a loan?
For most loans, your eligibility will be determined and you will receive a Financial Aid Notification listing any awards for a Federal Stafford Loan and/or Federal Perkins loan. For other loans, a separate application is required. This includes a federal PLUS Loan or a Private/Alternative Loan. For additional information, visit Loans


How do I appeal to be considered as an independent student for financial aid?
A student who does not meet the federal criteria for independent status on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may submit a Request for a Dependency Status Override. The Higher Education Act allows a financial aid administrator to make dependency overrides on a case-by-case basis for students with unusual circumstances. Please note that none of the following qualify to make a dependency override: (1) Parents refuse to contribute to your education, (2) Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for Quality Improvement, (3) Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for federal income tax purposes, or (4) Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency


My Student Aid Report (SAR) says I was selected for "Verification." What does this mean?
For financial aid at IUPUI, you do not need to take any action if you were selected for verification. Based on criteria established by federal and internal guidelines, some IUPUI students are selected and notified to complete Quality Improvement (QI). Monitor your Onestart account To Do List for that information.


How are financial aid awards determined?
Most financial aid (grants, loans, work-study) awards are based on "financial need" which is defined as the difference between your Cost of Attendance (COA) and your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). By meeting the March 10 FAFSA application receipt deadline for the next aid year, you will maximize your consideration for financial aid awards. The amount of each award may also be determined by the funds available to award, eligibility criteria for each type of award, and your enrollment status. For additional information, visit How Financial Aid is Awarded.


What if I need additional financial resources to attend IUPUI?
If you need additional financial resources, please contact our office. We will review your financial aid award status, help you explore options (e.g. federal PLUS loan or Alternative/Private Loan), and determine whether you may want to submit a Special Circumstance Form due to unusual circumstances related to your Cost of Attendance or Expected Family Contribution. Special circumstances include: (1) Elementary or secondary school tuition, (2) Uninsured medical or dental expenses, (3) Child care cost, (4) Recent unemployment of a family member, (5) Parent enrolled half-time or more at a college or university, (6) Purchase of a personal computer (one time adjustment) or (7) Other changes in the family’s income or assets due to loss of job, death, divorce or separation.


When will I receive a Financial Aid Notification (FAN)?
New and first year transfer students who meet the FAFSA priority application receipt deadline of March 10 are typically sent a Financial Aid Notification (FAN) by April 1st; Continuing students are notified by June 15th. For later submission of the FAFSA, your FAN is typically sent two weeks after the IUPUI receipt of your FAFSA if we do not need additional information. Please regularly monitor your IUPUI email account for any requests for missing information, selection to complete Quality Improvement, or notification that you do not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. For student that are entering or returning for a Spring semester, the FAN process typically begins in early November. For the Summer semester, the FAN process typically begins in early April for students who have enrolled. For more information, visit Financial Aid Notification.


What is a federal Stafford loan? What is the difference between a federal Stafford Subsidized and a Stafford Unsubsidized loan?
A Federal Stafford Loan is a low interest rate loan for students that can be used to help pay for your college education. If you meet certain financial need criteria (based upon information supplied on your FAFSA), the federal government will pay the interest for undergraduate students on your Subsidized Federal Stafford loan while you attend school at least half time or during times when you qualify for an authorized deferment. If you do not meet the financial need criteria (based upon information supplied on your FAFSA) to qualify for a Subsidized loan, you can receive an Unsubsidized Federal Stafford loan. You are responsible for paying the interest while you are in school. If you do not want to make the interest payments, the interest will be added to your principal balance through a process called capitalization. With either the Subsidized or Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans, repayment on the principal begins six months after graduation, leaving school, or dropping below half-time status.  Interest on the grace period for undergraduate Subsidized Stafford Loans is calculated as of loans issued after July 1, 2012.  This is a temporary regulation that is currently scheduled to expire in two yeears.


What if I receive other assistance from my department or an outside donor?
All financial assistance you receive must be reported to the Office of Student Financial Services and may reduce your eligibility for financial aid.; however we work to ensure that you receive the best aid for which you are eligible.   Please contact us if you will be receiving any additional assistance.


How can I check my financial aid awards if they have changed?
You can visit OneStart > Services > Self-Service > Bursar & Financial Aid to view the up-to-date status of your student financial aid awards.  If your award changes after your initial Financial Aid Notification, an e-mail notification to check your OneStart account is sent to your IUPUI account.


How can I check my State eligibility?
Visit eStudent to check your eligibility as well as reviewing your Financial Aid Award Summary via OneStart.

Financial Aid Eligibility (SAP, Enrollment)

How many credits must I take to be eligible for financial aid?
To be eligible for most state awards, you must be enrolled full-time (12 credit hours) per semester. Federal student loans and work study require you to be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours for undergraduate students and 4 credit hours for graduate students). Most Undergraduate students receiving Federal Pell Grant may be eligible for the award even if they are enrolled in less than half-time.


What is SAP?
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a federally required evaluation of your progress towards completion of your degree. The evaluation includes the following three components:
• You are required to maintain a minimum program GPA of 2.0 (undergraduates) and 3.0 (graduates).
• Successfully complete at least 67% of your attempted coursework.
• Complete your degree within 150% of the published timeframe. If your degree requires 120 credit hours, you must complete it within 180
 credit hours including F, X and W grades.


How do I know if I have been selected for not meeting the SAP standards?
A notification will be sent to your IUPUI email account notifying you if you have been selected as not meeting the minimum SAP standards. It will direct you to your OneStart account to determine why you did not meet our minimum SAP standards.


How often will I be evaluated for SAP?
Students are evaluated annually to determine whether or not they meet the SAP standards. The timing of this evaluation is dependent upon the date which we receive your completed FAFSA information. Evaluation begins in May of each year once grades have been posted to your transcript for the Spring semester and continues weekly for the remainder of the upcoming academic year. If you have already filed a FAFSA, your SAP status will be determined in May. For those who file later, once your FAFSA information has been received, you should be evaluated for SAP within the next 7 days and notified if you do not meet the minimum standards. Once you have gone through the initial evaluation, you will not be reviewed again until the following year. Should you feel that your progress now brings you above the minimum standards, please request a reevaluation from our office. If you are in fact above the standards, no further action is required and we will change your status.


If selected as not meeting the SAP standards, what action(s) do I need to take?
The next step is to complete an appeal and submit it to our office. Go to our website where you will answer a series of questions which determine the appeal form you need to complete. Please make sure that you are using the correct appeal form including all necessary information. An incomplete appeal can delay review and subsequently delay the availability of financial aid awards.


What are the components of a complete SAP appeal?
A complete SAP appeal includes the following components:
• Completed appeal form including information from your advisor when necessary.

• A typed statement explaining the circumstances that contributed to your unsatisfactory academic progress during all periods of enrollment regardless of whether or not you received financial aid for those terms and any supporting documentation. Your statement should also include any behavioral modifications you have or will be making to ensure you can be academically successful in the future.

• Supporting documentation includes:
        • Medical condition – a physician's (or health care provider's) statement confirming your medical condition and that (s)he supports
          your decision to continue your enrollment
        • Death of family member – a copy of the death certificate or obituary
        • Divorce/Separation – court document or statement from the student/parent|
        • Military service – official military orders

• A copy of your unofficial transcript – available through OneStart


How will I know if my appeal is received?
An email will be sent to you notifying you of the receipt of your SAP appeal. Please allow 15 business days once you have turned in a complete appeal in order to receive a decision.


How will I know what the decision was on my appeal?
Once the review of an appeal is complete, you will be notified of the decision at your IUPUI  email account.


What do I need to do after receiving an approved decision?
If your appeal is approved, please check your OneStart account to ensure that there are no other Financial Aid to-do items listed. If nothing else is needed, you can expect to receive notification of your financial aid package within the next 7 days.


What do I need to do after receiving a denied decision?
If your appeal is denied, you are ineligible to receive financial aid until you have reestablished your eligibility. You should refer to your denial email for additional information and explanation. If your appeal was denied due to completion rate or GPA issues, you may reestablish eligibility by taking classes and paying for them on your own in order to bring your GPA or completion rate up to the minimum SAP standards.


What happens if I do not appeal?
For those that do not wish to submit an appeal, financial aid will not be awarded until eligibility has been reestablished. The only way to do this without submitting an appeal is to bring your GPA and/or completion rate above the minimum standards of a 2.0 IU GPA (undergraduate) or 3.0 (graduate) and at least a 67% completion rate. Please note that if you were selected for exceeding the 150% rule, you cannot correct that status by taking additional credit hours.


Are there deadlines for submitting an appeal?
Appeals should be submitted by August 1st for Fall, December 15th for Spring, and April 15th for Summer. Appeals received and approved after these deadlines may be limited in the types of financial aid available, therefore we recommend submitting a complete appeal as soon as possible.

Financial Aid Disbursement, Bursar Refunds, Dropping Classes, Withdrawal for Semester

How will I receive my financial aid awards?
Financial aid awards will credit by semester to your bursar account once you are enrolled in the required number of credit hours and meet all other eligibility requirements. Federal student aid will disburse no earlier than 10 days prior to the first day of your first class.. If you have funds available after the tuition, fees and other IUPUI charges have been paid, you will receive a refund check by mail or electronic transfer of funds by direct deposit from the Office of the Bursar. Visit your OneStart account > Services > Self-Service > Bursar & Financial Aid for additional financial aid award and bursar and bill information. From OneStart, you can select the option for direct deposit that provides for a quicker delivery of your refund.


What if my financial aid is not processed when my tuition is due?
If you have a FASFA and all other required 'ToDo' items for the appropriate aid year on file for more than two weeks and are enrolled at least half-time but no financial aid is listed on your OneStart account, you need to contact our office via Ask an Advisor.


When will I receive my refund from the Office of the Bursar?
If your student financial aid exceeds your university charges for the semester, the Office of the Bursar will send a refund to the student or parent (in the case where the refund is created by a PLUS loan borrowed by the parent). The funds are sent to the student by direct deposit if authorized by the student via OneStart or by check through the U.S. Postal Service. To receive any type of refund, it is important for you to maintain current address information via OneStart. Parent PLUS loan refund checks are mailed directly to the parent. Refund payments are sent on Tuesdays and Thursdays after:

• the first day of  the student’s class in a semester, or
• the date the credit balance occurred on the student’s account, if the balance occurred after the first day of classes for the semester.

You may allow the university to pay charges beyond tuition, fees, and on-campus room and board or minor prior year charges by signing a Title IV Authorization Form . The student may cancel or modify the authorization at any time through formal notification.


What happens if I must withdraw from IUPUI?
If you drop classes, withdraw from all classes or stops attending classes, you may be required to repay all. a portion or none of the financial aid received or used to pay tuition and fees. The amount you are required to repay is based on the date you withdraw or stop attending classes. You should discuss any enrollment changes with a financial aid advisor before dropping classes. For more information, visit Dropping Classes and Financial Aid and Withdrawing and Financial Aid.