FAFSA 101

Submitting the FAFSA

To receive most types of financial aid—including federal, state, and institutional grants, loans, and work-study eligibility—you must complete the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  If you are not sure if you are eligible to submit the FAFSA, visit MyTXFuture website for more information.

Students: How to fill out your FAFSA form video

Parent portion:  How to fill out the parent portion of the FAFSA form video

Deadlines

The FAFSA is available beginning October 1 for the following school year and must be submitted to the University each year. The priority deadline that UHD would like for students to meet is April 1. Meeting the priority deadline gives you the best chance at being eligible for grant funding that is available on a first come, first served basis. If you do not meet the April 1 deadline, you can still submit the application.

School Code

UHD’s Federal School Code is 003612.

How to File

The FAFSA is an electronic application that is submitted online through StudentAid.gov. To file the FAFSA you will need your and your parent(s) (if dependent) names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and income information. If possible, use completed tax return information on your FAFSA; otherwise, provide your best estimates.

Dependent vs. Independent

Some students are considered independent from their parents and do not have to supply parental information on the FAFSA. For financial aid purposes, there are very specific things that make a student independent from their parents. Press play on the video below to learn more about the differences between a dependent and independent student.

For more information on submitting the FAFSA, please see the Federal Student Aid website:  studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Summer Financial Aid

Financial aid is generally awarded for the fall and spring semesters. If you would like to be awarded for the summer semester, you must have a completed FAFSA on file for the applicable year and be enrolled in summer courses. Most summer financial aid will require at least halftime enrollment.

Aid for Mini Sessions

Financial aid is not available specifically for mini sessions.  However, the enrollment for the mini session will be combined with the following 16-week semester for aid determination and it’s possible you may receive enough financial aid to reimburse the cost of the mini session depending on your eligibility.  The May mini session is combined with the regular summer session, and the December mini session is combined with the regular Spring semester.

Financial aid students must pay for their mini session courses by the established payment deadline or set up a payment plan to avoid enrollment cancellation.