Office of Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services

 Why Complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)?  This is how a student’s eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid is determined  Completing a FAFSA is FREE  How early can you complete a FAFSA?  January 1, 2013 for school year  Do you have to have filed your tax return or received your W2s to fill out the FAFSA?  NO. You can estimate using a last pay stub and make an update once you have filed (updates must be made through the IRS Match Feature on the FAFSA)

Full Time Fall / Spring UndergraduateLiving On-Campus Tuition and Fees (based on 15 hours per term) $ Books (based on 15 hours per term)$ Room and Board (average)$ Transportation (average)$ Personal / Miscellaneous (average)$ Total Estimated Cost of Attendance$21,721.00

 Apply for  Fill out your  Fill out beginning January 1 st  UTSA FAFSA Priority Deadline: March 15 th

 Social Security Number  Driver's License Number (if you have one)  Alien Registration Receipt Card (if applicable)  W-2 Forms and other records of money earned  Income Tax Return; Records of Untaxed Income  Knowledge of Federal Benefits received, such as Supplemental Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and Welfare

 Records of child support paid  Records of taxable earnings from Federal Work-Study or other need-based work programs  Records of student grant, scholarship, and fellowship aid, including AmeriCorps awards, that was included in your (or your parent[s]) Adjusted Gross Income  Stock, bond, and other investment records  Business and farm records

 What exactly has to be reported?  If the parent/student owns a business that employs over 100 employees, they must report all assets; if not, nothing is to be reported  If the parent/student owns a farm and does not live on it, they must report all assets and land value; if the family owns the farm and lives on it (it’s their primary residence), they do not report these values  For cash/savings, a student should report what is in their checking/savings after bills are paid

 Born before January 1, 1989?  As of today, are you married?  As of Fall 2013, will you be a Graduate Student?  Currently serving in U.S. Armed Forces?  Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?  Children who live with you that you will support 51% in  Dependents who live with you that you supported 51% in

 Since age 13, was the student in Foster Care, Orphan or Ward of the Court  Emancipated Minor determined by a Court  Legal Guardianship determined by a Court  Unaccompanied Youth who was Homeless  High School or School District Homeless Liaison  Director of an Emergency Shelter or Transitional Housing  Director of a Runaway or Homeless Youth Basic Center or Transitional Living Program

 If the student answered no to all of the questions, then the student is dependent  This is regardless if the student is self-supporting or if the parents refuse to contribute to their education  Students who say no to all of these questions must fill out the FAFSA and include parental information and income  Students with extenuating family circumstances (abuse, non-existent relationship) can file a Request for Independent Status through their school

 Gives financial aid administrator authority to allow otherwise dependent applicant to apply as independent applicant due to unusual circumstances  Parent abuse, abandonment, incarceration, etc.  Not used simply because student lives outside parent household after age 18 or parents object to provide data  Must be supported by documentation by professionals outside the family  Student should contact Financial Aid Office for instructions after submitting the FAFSA without parental data

 U.S. Department of Education’s definition of parent is limited to:  Biological parents  Stepparent legally married to biological parent  Adoptive parents  A “parent” cannot be  A legal guardian  Grandparent / aunt / uncle, etc, whom the student lives with

 If the student is dependent  Student and 1 parent must sign  If the student is independent  Only the student must sign

 After receiving completed application, the Department's processor will analyze FAFSA information and, using a formula established into law by Congress, calculate an Expected Family Contribution (EFC)  The results of application, the Student Aid Report, will be sent to the student and schools listed on application  It is important for students to read the SAR carefully since if the SAR has a rejection, the FAFSA will not process until a correction is made

 The student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is subtracted from the estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) to determine unmet financial need. Cost of Attendance = $21,721 - Expected Family Contribution= 0 Unmet Financial Need= $21,721

 The school will notify student of financial aid package by sending an award letter  The award package is also placed on ASAP  School may ask for additional information  Student accepts/declines awards either by signature on award letter or on ASAP  Student must complete additional requirements for each award type

 Apply for General Scholarships with the General Scholarship Application  Freshmen -  Continuing Students –  Check with your college/department for other scholarships  Utilize Outside Donors  Surf the Net (  Check companies and community organizations  UTSA Outside Scholarship Form

 Available to first-time Freshmen, who are Texas residents  Annual family income and wages of $30,000 or less  Any assets must be worth less than $50,000  Guaranteed grants and / or scholarships to cover tuition and mandatory fees for 4 years  Must complete the FAFSA and be admitted to UTSA by the March 15 th Priority Deadline  Must complete 24 credit hours per academic year (at least 12 credit hours in Fall and Spring)  Must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA

 HB1403 is an historic law passed in 2001 that granted certain non-immigrant students, including undocumented students, the ability to be classified as Texas Residents, which results in two benefits:  Pay in-state tuition at a Texas public university  Qualify for state financial aid.  In 2005, SB1528 amended the provisions of HB1403 so that they applied to all individuals who had lived in Texas a significant part of their lives. Citizens, permanent residents, and certain non-immigrant students could also establish a claim to residency following this provision.

 Students are eligible to submit the TASFA (Texas Application for State Financial Aid) if they:  Are not a US Citizen or Permanent Resident  Graduated from a Texas public or private high school or received a GED  Resided in Texas for three consecutive years leading to graduation or receipt of a GED

 Provide their institutions a signed affidavit indicating intent to apply for permanent residency as soon as possible  Have registered as a new entering student at an institution of higher education not earlier than the Fall 2001 semester  Have resided in Texas for the twelve months prior to enrollment

 The student must submit a paper TASFA to the Office of Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services  The Texas Application for State Financial Aid can be accessed at  Students with a family income less than $6500 must submit documentation of how expenses are paid  Males must register with the Selective Service and provide proof that they have registered or are not required to register

 Awards are based on financial need and offered on a first- come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted  Awards are for tuition and fees only; awarding is in July  Only awarded students will be notified  The program is not available in Summer terms  The student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress

 The following websites offer scholarships for HB 1403 students:  

 Must maintain a 2.0 Cumulative GPA  67% completion rate of attempted hours  i.e. Fall = 12 hours / Spring = 12 hours  Total Attempted = 24 hours  Must complete 17 hours  Maximum hours attempted must not exceed 1 ½ times the required number of hours necessary to earn degree  i.e. Undergraduate Program = 120 hours x 1.5 = 180 hours

University of Texas at San Antonio Office of Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services One UTSA Circle San Antonio, TX (210)