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Applying for Financial Aid
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) gives you access to the largest source of financial aid available to help you pay for your educational needs. You should also add UCM’s code 002454 so we receive your information. Below is the step-by-step guide to assist you with the process of applying for financial aid. You'll find complete instructions for creating your FSA ID and complete the FAFSA form on the Federal Student Aid (FSA) website.
You can also research aid resources from the State of Missouri here: https://dhewd.mo.gov/ppc/resources/mo-residents
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FAFSA STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
for Undergraduate, Transfer and Graduate Students
Step 1: Get admitted to UCM
- Be admitted to UCM.
- Be enrolled in and maintain at least half-time enrollment at UCM (classified as 6 credit hours as an Undergraduate student and 3 credit hours as a Graduate student). Most Institutional/State aid requires full time enrollment (12+ credit hours for an Undergraduate student and 6 credit hours as a Graduate student)
- Apply for scholarships.
Step 2: Submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
What you need to do
- Request a FSA ID, if needed.
- Gather important documents.
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year beginning October 1. UCM’s school code is 002454
- Wait for your Student Aid Report.
- Transfer students should cancel the aid at your previous college/university (if applicable)
- Watch your mailbox for notification that UCM has received your FAFSA.
What we do
- Download the FAFSA information and begin processing your Financial Aid file.
- Notify you via letter and/or E-Mail that UCM has received your FAFSA.
- Notify you if additional documentation (via E-mail/Letter/Text) is needed before awarding.
Step 3: Meet UCM eligibility requirements
What you need to do
- Read and understand how Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements affect your Financial Aid.
- Ensure you are in an eligible academic program (degree-seeking).
What we do
- For new students, we verify your admission to UCM.
- For continuing students, we review your SAP.
- We verify that you are in an eligible academic program (degree-seeking).
Step 4: Follow up on your financial aid
What you need to do
- Log in to MyCentral to check for outstanding Financial Aid requirements.
- Check your UCM E-mail for notifications.
- Check your UCM E-mail and MyCentral regularly for status updates or new information or requests for missing information.
- Once all of your items are completed, you are ready to go to step 5.
What we do
- Process all paperwork. Notify you if there is missing information or documents.
Step 5: Wait to hear from UCM
What you need to do
- Wait for your award letter in the mail. Subsequent Financial Aid communications will be sent to your UCM E-Mail account.
- Once you get your award letter, continue to Step 6.
What we do
- Set your Financial Aid budget.
- Determine your eligibility for any Federal, State, Institutional, and Foundation awards.
- Make initial awards and notify you
- Make adjustments as we become aware of other aid sources.
Step 6: Accept your awards
What you need to do
- Read the Financial Aid Policies.
- Log in to MyCentral, review your awards, and review your bill.
- Determine your net cost by calculating your UCM charges and subtracting your Financial Aid. (Do not include Federal Work Study in your calculations as that is work and is earned throughout the year)
- Accept or Decline each award.
- Continue to Step 7.
What we do
- We prepare your awards to disburse at the appropriate time.
- For accepted loans, we submit information to the US Department of Education.
Step 7: Additional steps (if accepting student loans)
What you need to do
- For the Stafford Loan, complete Entrance Counseling for first time borrowers.
- For the Stafford Loan, complete Master Promissory Notes for new students.
- PLUS Loan application & Credit Check (for Parents of Undergraduates: must use Parent FSA ID)
- PLUS Master Promissory Note (for Parents of Undergraduates: must use Parent FSA ID)
- Once you complete these items, you are ready to continue to Step 8.
- If interested in Private Student Loans (beyond the loans above), visit https://www.elmselect.com/?schoolId=367
What we do
- Wait for you to complete the additional items above.
- Disburse your loans once these items are complete.
Step 8: Check for disbursed funds
What you need to do
- If you completed everything in advance, the earliest disbursement in a semester occurs on the final day of the 100% Add/Drop period.
- Check MyCentral for disbursed funds.
- Once all funds disburse, continue to Step 9.
What we do
- Verify your enrollment meets disbursement requirements for each award.
- Adjust your Aid if Less than Full Time
- Disburse your Financial Aid.
Step 9: Check for your refund
What you need to do
- Set up your refund preference through MyCentral.
- Be aware that some types of Financial Aid can only be used to pay for certain types of charges. Therefore, you could receive a refund even if you have outstanding charges on your student account. You are responsible for paying the balance on your account, if one remains even after you receive a Financial Aid refund.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID GUIDE
Types of Financial Aid Available
Information about scholarship and award programs for which international students may qualify is available from UCM International Admissions and UCM Scholarship Finder. Federal Aid is dependent on your citizenship or immigration status. Please refer to the instructions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Payment methods outside of financial aid can be found on the Payment Options page.
SUMMER FINANCIAL AID GUIDE
Awarding should occur within 2 weeks after you enroll for the Summer, so allow us
time to get you re-awarded.
Summer Semester
Once you enroll for the Summer semester, the Financial Aid Office will be notified via an automated report and will review your eligibility to determine if you have any remaining or additional aid for the Summer semester. Your Pell Grant award for the Summer is assuming that you will be full time; if you plan to be less than full time, the pro-rated (lesser) amount of your Pell Grant will be disbursed instead. For loans, you must be enrolled at least half time (6 credit hours) to be eligible.
Please note that Summer aid estimates are often based upon successful completion of the Fall & Spring semester classes you are currently taking.
In addition, for a continuing UCM student (one enrolled at UCM during the Fall semester and/or the following Spring semester) to receive summer financial aid, they must also have met the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (checked in May after previous Spring Semester grades have been posted).
Questions? Contact the UCM Office of Student Financial Services in person or by mail (1100 Ward Edwards Bldg.), by telephone (660-543-8266) or on-line. Summer office hours are 7:30 am. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
2025 Summer Financial Aid
2025 Summer Financial Aid Information
For the Summer 2025 term, if eligible, you can receive an additional Pell Grant disbursement equal to a full semester amount (if in 12 hours) or half (if in 6 hours). If you are enrolled in less than 6 hours in the Summer, you will receive a pro-rated amount, if eligible. Your awarded amount will be based on either your 2024-25 FAFSA or 2025-26 FAFSA, whichever is applicable. The actual Pell Grant amount will be set at the time of awarding for the Summer. If the 2025-26 FAFSA has not been filed or the 2025-26 financial aid file has outstanding requirements, you will be awarded from the 2024-25 FAFSA. This additional Pell Grant disbursement will count against your lifetime limit.
To be Considered for Summer Financial Aid
To be considered for federal aid for the 2025 Summer Session, the data from your 2024/2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required to be on file with the University of Central Missouri.
1. If you have not yet done so, submit a 2024/2025 FAFSA to UCM (002454) as soon as possible at fafsa.gov. Please be aware that the federal (FAFSA) processor cannot accept a 2024/2025 FAFSA after June 30, 2025.
2. After you enroll for the Summer, the UCM Office of Student Financial Assistance will review your eligibility and award you. The summer assistance offered will be posted at your MyCentral portal for you to accept. Your Summer Pell Grant award will be automatically accepted; you will need to accept/decline any Summer loan offers. Click on "Financial Aid Status" under UCM Financial Aid and submit "Award Year 2024/2025").
Awarding should occur within 2 weeks after you enroll for the Summer, so allow us time to get you re-awarded.
Types of Federal Aid
The types of federal aid expected (but not guaranteed) to be available for the 2025 Summer Session (which is actually the third term of the 2024/2025 award year), include PLUS (parent) Loan, Pell Grant (if you're otherwise eligible), Stafford (student) Loan (if it is determined that you have remaining eligibility from the current 2024/2025 school year), and part-time employment. You can find additional information about the available types of aid on the "Applying for Aid" page under your grade level.
Requirements to Receive Federal Aid in the Summer
In accordance with federal aid regulations, please be aware that you must enroll for and attend the following minimum total number of summer credit hours. These hours can be taken at any time throughout the 2025 Summer Session:
- Pell Grant - at least one (1) undergraduate hour, in certain circumstances. However, most students (if otherwise eligible) will need to enroll for six (6) or more undergraduate hours.
- Stafford Loan – at least six (6) undergraduate hours or at least three (3) graduate hours.
- Work-Study – enrolled for any number of hours. However, Federal Work Study is usually expended by the time we reach the summer term.
- PLUS Loan - at least six (6) undergraduate hours.
Very Important! If you enroll for 2025 Summer Session credit hours, receive financial assistance, but then drop one or more of your classes, some (or even all) of the summer assistance that was credited to your UCM account may have to be reversed from your account, depending on the start date of the class(es) dropped and/or the last date you attended/participated in the class(es). Therefore, be sure to enroll only for the summer classes you plan to attend and participate in, and that are required for completion of your degree/certification program.
***Satisfactory Academic Progress
The minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements that a student must
maintain are that they must maintain a minimum of a 2.0 CGPA, must complete 67% of
all credit attempted, and must not have exceeded one and a half times the credits
required for their degree program (more than 180 credits for a Bachelor's degree).
SAP is evaluated annually in mid-May at the conclusion of the Spring semester after
Spring grades post.
I understand that I could have my summer financial aid canceled if I am not meeting
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements and will be responsible for the
Summer charges. I also understand that I can appeal my SAP suspension with my Financial
Aid Counselor to have my aid reinstated, and must provide further documentation to
support this appeal.
Application of Federal Aid to Student Account
Your grant and/or loan assistance will be scheduled to credit your UCM account after your summer classes begin. The UCM Office of Student Financial Services will then provide you (by direct-deposit to your personal bank account or by a mailed UCM check) any credit balance funds remaining after your total summer charges have been satisfied. Please realize, however, that your credit balance cannot be released until after the first day of the first summer class for which you're enrolled.
Non-Degree or Visiting Students
| Financial Aid Policies |
| The Student Financial Services office maintains a collection of policies and procedures that facilitate the financial aid process. If you are considering withdrawing or dropping a class, or have done so in the past, you should be aware of the policies and procedures that can impact your ability to keep and/or receive financial aid. |
