Financial Assistance Information

Contact Information:

Email: finaid@uis.edu
Phone: (217) 206-6724
Office Location: UHB 1015

It is the mission of the UIS Office of Financial Assistance to provide financial aid resources to students, administer aid programs with the highest integrity and provide first-class customer service.

The University of Illinois Springfield Office of Financial Assistance coordinates and administers federal, state, institutional and private financial aid programs. Assistance is available in the form of scholarships, grants, tuition waivers, assistantships, loans, student employment and military/veteran-connected benefits. 

The UIS Office of Financial Assistance primarily communicates with students via University e-mail. Please pay close attention to important notices sent to your UIS e-mail. Students can find detailed information on the website www.uis.edu/cost-aid. 

Important Information for Students

The law (the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, and regulation 34 CFR 668) requires UIS to notify enrolled students annually of the availability of the consumer information; including but not limited to:

  • student rights under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.
  • types of financial aid available at UIS.
  • annual estimated cost of attendance.
  • the graduation rate of degree-seeking, full-time undergraduate students at UIS.
  • an annual campus security report; and,
  • a report on athletic program participation and financial support data.

This information may be found on the UIS Consumer Information webpage at www.uis.edu/consumer-info. Students are sent an email each semester informing them where to find this information.

Student Eligibility Information

Undergraduate Students must generally meet the following conditions to be eligible for federal and State of Illinois financial aid:

  • US Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen.
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent, except those who transfer in at least 60 college credits.
  • Degree-seeking student or post-baccalaureate student seeking teacher licensure.
  • Enroll in at least 3 credit hours each semester, although many programs such as student loans require at least 6 credit hours.
  • Enroll in courses applicable toward program requirements. 
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
  • Owe no refund on a federal grant nor be in default on a federal student loan.

Graduate students must meet the following conditions to be eligible for federal student financial aid:

  • US Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen. 
  • A Bachelor’s degree and proof of that degree must be on file with the Office of Admission.
  • Fully Admitted as a degree – or certificate – seeking student in a financial aid-eligible program. Students conditionally admitted to a program are generally not eligible for graduate financial aid until they are fully admitted. 
  • Enroll part-time (at least 5 credit hours) each semester.
  • Enroll in courses applicable toward program requirements. Students enrolled in foundational or prerequisite courses are not eligible for financial aid unless they are enrolled in graduate-level courses at least half-time.
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
  • Owe no refund on a federal grant nor be in default on a federal student loan.

In addition, students must establish eligibility for financial aid by attending and/or participating academically in all courses for which they are registered each term. Students who do not establish eligibility each term in all registered courses by attending and participating may have their financial aid reduced or rescinded. Financial aid is based on established enrollment status such as half-time or full-time status. Financial aid will only pay for classes required to complete program requirements in your specified program of study as indicated in the UIS Catalog. Financial assistance funds cannot pay for audited classes. 

Please note that most international students do not qualify for financial aid programs administered by the Office of Financial Assistance, with the exception of UIS scholarship and graduate assistantship/internship programs.

Application Information

Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible for all forms of assistance and it is recommended that they complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after October 1 each year and list UIS as a school choice (school code: 009333). Deadlines may apply for certain aid programs. 

Illinois resident undergraduate students who are not eligible to apply through FAFSA may be eligible to apply for State of Illinois aid programs through the Illinois Alternative Application form located on the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website.  

If you have experienced significant changes to your family’s financial situation, you may request a Change in Financial Circumstances review. Please visit the UIS Financial Aid website in the Applying for Aid-Change in Financial Circumstances section for more details.

Students may be selected by Federal Student Aid or UIS to provide additional documentation to verify eligibility. This process is called verification and students will be notified via email if they are selected and provided with information on how to complete the process in Self-Service. Be sure to satisfy all outstanding requirements timely to avoid delays in processing your financial aid offer and/or disbursing your financial aid.

If a student fails to provide the requested documentation within the following timelines, UIS will not be able to disburse financial aid, employ the student in the FWS program or originate loans. UIS does not make any interim disbursements to students who have not yet completed the verification requirements. Students who submit documents after the deadline may or may not be able to be verified by the end of the term.  

Verification due dates by term of entry:

Fall - November 15
Spring - April 15
Summer- June 15

Financial Aid Offer

The UIS Office of Financial Assistance will prepare a comprehensive financial aid offer notification for students who apply for aid, based on eligibility as demonstrated by the FAFSA or the Illinois Alternative Application. Students will be notified by e-mail of the availability of the financial aid offer notification in Self-Service. Students must have an active NetID and password to login and view their aid offer.  Students who wish to accept Federal Direct Loans will need to accept their loan offer and complete additional loan documents. It is important to read all Terms and Conditions of the aid offer upon acceptance.

Critical Dates Affecting Financial Aid

Students applying for need-based assistance should be aware of the following dates:

October 1 – FAFSA application and Illinois Alternative Application typically opens for the following year.

On or before December 1 – UIS Donor-funded Scholarship application available on the Office of Financial Assistance website.

Mid-February – Deadline to apply for UIS Donor-funded Scholarships for the upcoming year.

March 15 – FAFSA and Illinois Alternative Application priority submission date.  

November 15 – Last day to submit documentation to be considered for fall financial assistance.

April 15 – Last day to submit documentation to be considered for spring financial assistance.

June 15 – Last day to submit documentation to be considered for summer financial assistance.

Summer Semester Financial Aid

Financial aid eligibility for the summer semester is determined based on many factors. Financial aid for the summer semester is very limited. The Office of Financial Assistance will offer financial aid to eligible students based on registration for summer semester. Direct Loans may be available if students have remaining annual loan eligibility and are enrolled at least half-time. Pell Grant may be available to certain eligible students. There is no State of IL MAP Grant available in the summer, nor are most forms of UIS institutional financial aid. Contact the Office of Financial Assistance to learn more.

Intersession Financial Aid

Intersession is a part of the spring semester. When financial aid determines final eligibility for the spring semester, intersession enrollment is considered along with spring enrollment to determine aid eligibility. There is no separate intersession financial aid program. 

Types of Financial Aid Programs:

Federal Financial Aid: To receive assistance from federal aid programs including Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal TEACH Grant, Federal Work Study and Federal Direct Student Loans, students must meet all eligibility requirements set forth in the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Most financial aid programs have annual and maximum lifetime limits. UIS processes FAFSA applications and offers eligible students federal financial aid through the electronic aid offer notification in Student Self-Service. For more information and details about aid programs, please visit the Office of Financial Assistance.

Students who borrow federal student loans must complete entrance loan counseling and a Master Promissory Note. Parents of dependent undergraduate students may wish to apply for the Federal Direct PLUS Loan. Applicants must apply for this loan on the Federal Student Aid (FSA) website, studentaid.gov, and must pass a credit check. Please visit the Office of Financial Assistance website and go to the Types of Aid- Loans section for more information.
State of Illinois Financial Aid: State of Illinois aid programs include the State of Illinois MAP Grant, Illinois National Guard Grant, Illinois Veterans Grant, Golden Apple and more. Students must meet eligibility requirements as established by the Illinois legislature and administered by Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). Programs such as IL MAP grant only require a FAFSA or Illinois Alternative Application to apply, while others require specific applications through the ISAC Student portal. Most programs have annual and lifetime limits. Visit the ISAC website at www.isac.org for more information. 

Institutional Scholarships, Grants, and Tuition Waivers: Each year, UIS provides a limited number of scholarships, tuition waivers, and grants. Graduate students may apply for graduate assistantships and/or internships to qualify for tuition waivers. Visit the UIS Financial Assistance website for descriptions of all current programs, eligibility requirements and application information. 

Student Employment: Part-time employment opportunities exist for students continuously enrolled in six or more credit hours. Students must apply and be hired for on-campus employment. Students will be paid for the hours worked as a pay check similar to any other part-time job. 

  • Employment opportunities are posted on the UIS CareerConnect website.
  • All current UIS students are automatically registered for UIS CareerConnect.
  • The student must access their profiles on CareerConnect and upload a valid resume to begin their job search.

UIS Emergency Loan Fund: This fund provides short-term loans to students who meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy requirements and who are also enrolled at least half time (a minimum of six credit hours). These short-term loans are offered on a very limited basis and must be paid back within the next billing cycle through University Bursar. Contact the Office of Financial Assistance if you are in need of this short-term loan.

UIS Donor-funded Scholarships: There are more than 330 institutional scholarships and awards supported by friends and alumni of the university. The scholarships are available to all types of UIS students including international, online, graduate, part-time and so on. The annual application is available beginning in the fall each year and must be submitted by mid-February each year. Visit the Office of Financial Assistance website to learn more.

Military and Veteran Education Benefits

UIS programs are approved by the Illinois State Approving Agency (SAA).  Please visit the UIS Military and Veterans website for detailed and updated information. The Office of Financial Assistance must process and certify students for military and veteran education benefits each semester (GI Bill®, Illinois National Guard, Illinois Veterans Grant and MIA/POW; among other programs). A Request for Military Education Benefits Form must be filed with the UIS Office of Financial Assistance each semester the student is requesting benefits to be processed. Additional paperwork may be required depending on the type of benefit. There is typically a delay of several weeks in payment of benefits. It is in the students’ best interest to complete the application early. Contact the Office of Financial Assistance to find out more information about the documentation required for a specific benefit.

Students receiving military and veteran benefits must notify the office of any changes affecting the amount of disposition of benefits, including changes in academic programs. Students cannot audit courses. Certain State of Illinois military and veteran aid programs may be used concurrently with Federal Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits.

Students may not receive military education benefits for courses not successfully completed. Students must meet satisfactory academic progress requirements to remain eligible for most benefits. A student who withdraws or leaves UIS should refer to the withdrawal section of this catalog.

For information concerning the UIS policy on military course credit, please refer to the “Undergraduate Education” section of this catalog.

UIS will not take any of the following actions toward a student using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Ch. 33) or Veteran Readiness and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits while awaiting tuition and fee payments from the VA:

  • Prevent student registration.

  • Assess a late fee.

  • Require that students secure alternative or additional funding.

  • Deny student's access to any resources such as access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities.

However, to qualify for these provisions, such students may be required to:

  • Produce a VA Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class.

  • Provide written request to the be certified.

  • Submit any additional requested information needed to properly certify enrollment.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available on the official Department of VA website.

Military Tuition Assistance (TA)

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. If a student withdraws from the term, and their tuition and fees are pro-rated, UIS will return any unearned TA benefits on a prorated basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. The funds are returned to the military service branch when the student stops attending courses. Tuition credits are granted based on the date of the official withdrawal. Credit policies vary according to the duration of the course. The tables below represent the percentage of unearned TA funds that will be returned based upon the week in which the student drops, corresponding to our tuition and fee refund policy found on the UIS Records and Registration website.

Full Term Courses:

Weeks 1-2:    90% return

Week 3:         80% return

Weeks 4-5:    70% return

Weeks 6-7:    60% return

Week 8:         50% return

Weeks 9-10:  40% return (60% of the course is completed at 9.6 weeks)

Weeks 11-16:  0% return

Half Term Courses:

Week 1:     90% return

Week 2:     70% return

Week 3:     60% return

Week 4:     50% return

Week 5:     40% return (60% of the course is completed at 4.8 weeks)

Weeks 6-8:  0% return

Students who drop a course, or courses, but do not completely withdraw, will only have tuition pro-rated through the 10th day of the term for full term courses and 5th day for half term classes. Tuition Assistance will be returned accordingly through these dates, identified each semester on a document found under Other Resources on the UIS Registrar Course Schedules & Catalogs website. 

Enrollment Changes and Financial Aid Eligibility

Financial Aid Adjustments and Reduction in Hours: Enrollment status for the semester is determined at the census date, or the end of the add/drop period, which is established each semester by the Office of Records and Registration in the published Academic Calendar. Student enrollment status at the end of the census day is what is used by the Office of Financial Assistance to determine eligibility for financial aid for the term. Financial aid is offered, and early disbursements are made based on certain assumptions, including enrollment status. The definition of beginning attendance (including participation in the case of an online course, for example) is based upon students’ enrollment in the course work past the established census date. In addition, students whose enrollment status is determined based on first half and last half enrollment may not be eligible for financial aid until attendance begins in the last half course (example, 3 credits in a first half course and 3 credits in a last half course establishes half-time eligibility for aid).

Therefore, if a student’s enrollment status changes between the time aid was offered and/or disbursed and the end of the census day, financial aid will be adjusted accordingly. This will often result in a balance owed back to the University on the student account. Tuition and fee adjustments are made based on the Records & Registration published policies each semester.

Reducing your credit hours has implications for both your aid eligibility for the current semester and future terms. Your aid eligibility is based on the number of credit hours for which you are enrolled after the add/drop period ends. For example, if your aid was disbursed based on full-time enrollment (12 credits undergraduate; 9 credits graduate) and you drop to part-time during the add/drop period, your aid will be reduced.

Complete Withdrawal for Aid Recipients

Federal regulations state that financial aid is earned by attending and/or academically participating in registered course work. You have not earned 100% of your financial aid until you have successfully attended 60% of the term. If you fully withdraw from the university before this date, a portion of your financial aid has not been earned.

The unearned portion is equal to the percentage of the term remaining on the date of withdrawal. Your financial aid eligibility will be recalculated based on your actual period of attendance and you may be asked to repay a portion of the aid that has been distributed to you. Financial aid disbursed in excess of this calculated percentage must be returned to the appropriate federal aid program (e.g., Federal Direct Loans, Federal Pell Grants and so forth). If a financial aid refund has been issued to the student prior to their withdrawal, it is likely that a balance due to the university will result on the student account. This balance is the responsibility of the student to repay to UIS.

For students who withdraw (i.e. drop all courses or stop attending or participation) from UIS during the semester for which federal financial assistance is received, the Office of Financial Assistance must review and complete a Return of Title IV calculation (as determined by the US Department of Education). This process will determine the amount of aid earned by the student, and if a return of any federal student aid is required. The following will be completed during this process.

  • The percentage and amount of federal aid earned will be calculated.

  • The amount of federal aid to be disbursed or returned will be determined.

  • Unpaid institutional charges will be billed.

  • The student may owe a repayment if the federal aid disbursed exceeds the percentage of aid the student earned.  

Failure to Earn Credit

If you fail to earn credit for any of your classes (grades of F, W, I, DFR and NC), federal regulations require the Office of Financial Assistance to assume you stopped attending your classes. If you did stop attending class, you are treated as an unofficial withdrawal. This means that the last date of attendance as reported by your instructors or the midpoint of the term is used as your last date of attendance and your aid eligibility accordingly. This will result in you owing funds back to the university unless you can provide documentation of attendance past the 60% point of the term.

Policies

Read the Financial Aid Withdrawal, Return of Funds, UIS Student Guide to Financial Aid and Disbursement Process policies on the UIS Financial Assistance website in the Policies section.

Repeating Classes

Federal regulations specify rules for repeat course work. These regulations may impact students’ financial aid eligibility for programs such as Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Direct Loans and Federal Work-Study. The regulations prevent the UIS Office of Financial Assistance from paying for a course that a student has passed and repeated more than one time. In order for a repeated course to be counted towards your enrollment status for financial aid purposes, you may only repeat a previously passed course once (a total of two attempts). If you enroll in a previously repeated and passed course for the third time, this course will not count toward your enrollment for financial aid purposes. Please refer to the Office of Financial Assistance website for complete details. Financial aid will not pay for repeat classes for which a grade of incomplete (I) was previously assigned.

All repeated course work will count towards the total number of attempted credit hours when a students’ completion rate and maximum time frames are calculated to determine satisfactory academic progress (refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for additional information).

Conditional Admission for Graduate Programs

A student must be fully admitted into an eligible degree program and enrolled as a regular student in order to receive financial aid. A “regular student” is defined as one who is enrolled or accepted for enrollment for the purpose of obtaining a degree or certificate offered by the University of Illinois Springfield.

Graduate students are occasionally admitted to UIS conditionally to allow them to complete specified prerequisite courses before they are fully admitted to their programs. Conditionally admitted students are typically not eligible to receive financial assistance. 

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Undergraduate and Graduate Students

In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Congress, the University of Illinois Springfield has established a minimum standard of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy. ALL federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs administered by UIS are covered by this policy. Please refer to the UIS Financial Aid Policies website to view the current SAP policy. If you have questions about the SAP policy, please contact Office of Financial Assistance.

Financial Aid Disbursement

The earliest financial aid can be disbursed to the student account is 10 days prior to the start of the semester. All aid will be credited to the students' account at the University and applied to any outstanding balance. If the amount of financial aid disbursed is greater than the students account balance, University Bursar will issue a refund to the student. Should the student’s enrollment status, eligibility or other factors change, aid may be adjusted, which may result in a balance due back to the University.

Students must pay their tuition, fees, housing, and meal charges by the first due date of each semester as communicated by the University Bursar. Students may also choose to enroll in the optional payment plan for a fee each semester. Please visit the University Bursar website for more information and details on student accounts, refunds, due dates, and payment plans.