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Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services


Frequently Asked Questions about the FAFSA Application

How do I receive Financial Aid?

Financial aid consists of federal, state, and institutional grants, loans, work study, and scholarships. Students must complete the FAFSA in order to be considered for financial aid at UTSA.  The earlier you complete the FAFSA, the more aid you may be eligible for. The priority application deadline is March 31. You may fill out your FAFSA after this date however, most grant funding will already be exhausted. UTSA encourages its students to file earlier than March 31 due to the amount of students we have at the university that are eligible for grant funding.

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Where do I obtain the FAFSA?

The online application is available at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Please note that the FAFSA is a FREE application.  You do NOT need to use other websites (that charge you) to complete the FAFSA.

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Can I have someone else fill out my FAFSA for me?

Yes, but remember, the FAFSA is a completely FREE application that can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov . If you need help filling it out, there are many free tools available to help you. You don't need to pay anyone to help you fill out your FAFSA.
If you have someone else fill out your FAFSA for you (unless it was one of your parents or your spouse), you should make sure they list themselves as a "preparer" at the end of your FAFSA. They will have to provide their Social Security Number or Employer Identification Number to verify that the information they reported was correct to the best of their knowledge.
The best place to look for help before you start filling out your FAFSA is at your school's financial aid office. If you have already started filling out your application and you need help with a specific question, click on the "Need Help with this Page?" link located at the bottom of every FAFSA page. If that doesn't answer your question, you can get live, private help from a customer service representative by clicking on "Live Help" at the top of the FAFSA page.

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What do I need to complete the 2007-2008 FAFSA?

January 1, 2007 is the first day you can apply for the 2007-2008 FAFSA. You will need a copy of your 2006 tax return, and your parents’ 2006 tax return if you are under the age of 24 and not married. If you are married you will need your spouse’s 2006 tax return along with your own in order to complete the application. You also should have all 2006 W2's available.

If you have not filed your 2006 taxes you can estimate your tax amount either by using last year’s tax information, or by estimating your income using your most recent pay stub. You will need to make an update to your FAFSA with your actual 2006 tax information by April 15, 2007.

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What do I need to complete the 2008-2009 FAFSA?

January 1, 2008 is the first day you can apply for the 2008-2009 FAFSA. You will need a copy of your 2007 tax return, and your parents’ 2007 tax return if you are under the age of 24 and not married. If you are married you will need your spouse’s 2007 tax return along with your own in order to complete the application. You also should have all 2007 W2's available.

If you have not filed your 2007 taxes you can estimate your tax amount either by using last year’s tax information, or by estimating your income using your most recent pay stub. You will need to make an update to your FAFSA with your actual 2007 tax information by April 15, 2008.

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What is the UTSA school code?

010115

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Where can I apply for a PIN number?

You can apply for a pin number online at www.pin.ed.gov. Your PIN can be used each year to electronically apply for federal student aid and to access your U.S. Department of Education records online. Your PIN serves as your electronic signature and provides access to your personal records. You should never give your PIN to anyone, including commercial services that offer to help you complete your FAFSA. Be sure to keep your PIN in a safe place.

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If my parents do not claim me on their taxes, can I be independent on the FAFSA and not provide their income?

According to the Department of Education, you are not considered an independent student unless:

  • You were born before January 1, 1984 (for the 2007-2008 FAFSA)
  • You were born before January 1, 1985 (for the 2008-2009 FAFSA)
  • You are working on a Masters or Doctoral Degree
  • You are married
  • You have children whom you support financially at least 51%
  • Both of your parents are deceased or you were a ward of the court until age 18
  • You are a veteran of the US Armed Forces

If you answer no to all of these statements above, you are considered dependent by the Department of Education and must provide your parents income even if you are independent by the IRS. Please remember that both you and your parents must sign your FAFSA if it is to be considered valid.

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What is a Student Aid Report?

The SAR (Student Aid Report) is the report you will receive after completing the FAFSA.  It includes your answers to the questions on the FAFSA and should be reviewed carefully.  The SAR also includes your Estimated Family Contribution (see below).  UTSA will receive the information from your SAR electronically and will be used to award your financial aid. It is important that you read your SAR to determine if mistakes were made on your FAFSA. As long as there are mistakes or errors, the college will not be able to award you financial aid. If your SAR indicates that you made an error, you will need to make corrections online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

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What is the Expected Family Contribution and how is it determined?

The Office of Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services follow the federal methodology and regulations established by the Department of Education (ED) to determine your need and eligibility for financial aid. We are required to establish a cost of attendance for each student then subtract your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to determine your remaining need. The EFC number is calculated by the Education Department and is based on the information you provide on your FAFSA form. You will find your Estimated Cost of Attendance, Resources, EFC and Remaining Need listed on your award letter. Resources such as veteran’s benefits listed on your FAFSA, tuition exemptions and waivers, and employer reimbursements will affect your total financial aid package and may be reduced after funds have been disbursed.

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If my parents are divorced, whose income do I provide?

Whichever parent claims you as dependent is the parent whose income information you will need to claim on the FAFSA. If that parent is remarried, you will need to put the step-parent’s information as well.

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If I live with relatives other than my parents, do I put their income on the FAFSA?

The only people whose information that you may put on the FAFSA are your parents. If you do not have contact with your parents, you would want to contact UTSA’s Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services Office 1-800-669-0919 for information on what to do. If your parents are deceased, you would only put your own income information on the FAFSA.

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If I am married but my spouse and I filed separately, do I still have to put my spouse’s income on the FAFSA?

Yes, you will need to combine your income to put on the FAFSA.

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My parents had a dual income when they filed their taxes, however now one of my parents is unemployed. What do I do?

You will need to put the same information filed on your parents’ 2006 tax return on your FAFSA, but will want to contact UTSA’s Enrollment Services Office 1-800-669-0919 to alert us of a change in circumstances so that we can advise you of what to do next.

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What do I do if I made an error on the FAFSA?

You can make corrections to your FAFSA using FAFSA Corrections on the Web at this website:  http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/complete014.jsp.

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How do I find more information for specific questions regarding the FAFSA?

For more specific questions, please visit the FAQ's on the FAFSA website at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/faq001.htm.  In addition, you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243

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Designed & maintained by Financial Aid and Enrollment Services—Last update: May 13, 2008