How and When to Apply for Financial Aid (Current U-M Students) Applying for Fall/Winter 2009-2010 Applying for Spring/Summer 2009 If you applied for financial aid in the previous year, the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) will notify you in January (by email to your umich email account) how to apply for aid in the coming year.  If you do not receive information about how to apply, you should contact OFA in early February.   Entering freshmen and transfer students have different instructions on how to apply for aid. If you will be entering  U-M in the Fall, see our prospective student webpage for aid application instructions. Applying for 2009-2010 Fall/Winter Aid   HOW TO APPLY FOR AID (2 STEPS): 1.  SUBMIT A 2009-2010 FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA):   WHEN: March 1, 2009: To be considered for the Michigan Competitive Scholarship (MCS), Michigan residents must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the federal processor in time for the state to receive your results by March 1 (allow three to four weeks for processing). By filing your FAFSA by this date, you will ensure that you are considered for the MCS and all other aid programs. We recommend applying early! Even if you are not eligible for the MCS, we recommend applying by March 1. It is not uncommon for the federal processor to reject a FAFSA because it is missing information. If your FAFSA is rejected for any reason, your application will not be processed and you will need time to resolve the problem before the deadline. April 30, 2009: To be considered for all aid programs other than the MCS, you must ensure that OFA receives your processed FAFSA from the federal processor by April 30. You may submit the FAFSA after April 30, but you might not be considered for all aid programs. Note that OFA must RECEIVE your FAFSA from the federal processor by this date, so you should apply well before the deadline. Federal processing can take up to three weeks. Very little, if any, grant funding will be available after this date.   HOW:  Complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov using your Dept. of Education Personal Identification Number (PIN).  You may use estimated data on the FAFSA, but be sure to make corrections to your FAFSA when your actual data is available. It is important to list your full, correct name and to use information from the correct federal income tax return (1040EZ, 1040A, or 1040).  Also, be sure to include your housing plans and list Federal School Code 002325 on your FAFSA, so that a copy will be sent to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. If you don't have a PIN, request one at www.pin.ed.gov.  For a paper copy of the FAFSA call 1-800-4-FEDAID or see www.fafsa.ed.gov. Please see the definition of an independent student to determine whether you must complete parental information on the FAFSA. Also note the following:  PHARMACY AND DENTAL STUDENTS APPLYING FOR A HEALTH PROFESSIONS LOAN AND DEPENDENT STUDENTS: You must supply parental data and a parent signature, even if you are an independent student.  If you are completing the FAFSA online, we advise that one parent sign the FAFSA using his/her own PIN (parents may apply for a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov).  If you do not provide correct parental data or all required signatures, your FAFSA will be rejected, which can jeopardize your eligibility for aid.  AFTER APPLYING FOR AID, CHECK YOUR EMAIL AND WOLVERINE ACCESS OFTEN:  OFA will send you an email if you must submit additional application items for verification purposes (such as tax returns, a Household Information Questionnaire, etc.).  You can also check Wolverine Access (Student Business > Login > Student Center > Financial Aid > Aid Year 2010 > Documents/Review) to see if you must submit additional documents.  If you are asked to submit additional application documents, OFA must receive these items by May 31, 2009, to consider you for all aid programs. 2.  SUBMIT AN APPLICANT DATA FORM (ADF) IF ANY OF THE CRITERIA BELOW APPLY TO YOU:   You will graduate in December 2009 You will enroll for only one term (either Fall 2009 or Winter 2010); this includes students enrolled in U-M-sponsored co-op programs You will be enrolled in the Nursing program in either Kalamazoo or Traverse City You are a student who is a parent with child care expenses You will be on Detached Study You will participate in a U-M-sponsored study abroad program (for non-U-M study abroad programs, contact OFA immediately) WHY:  You must complete the Applicant Data Form (ADF) so that we can accurately calculate your aid package. HOW:  The 2009-2010 ADF will be available online beginning in mid to late January.

Federal School Code 002325     Remember: You must complete a new FAFSA for each academic year that you wish to receive aid. However, as a continuing student, you are not required to complete another CSS/PROFILE application. Overview of 2009-2010 Application Deadlines: March 1, 2009: STATE OF MICHIGAN DEADLINE and SUGGESTED FILING DATE: For consideration for the Michigan Competitive Scholarship (MCS), the state must receive your processed FAFSA from the federal procesor by this date (allow three to four weeks for processing). Applying by this date ensures you will also meet the U-M deadline. April 30, 2009: U-M PRIORITY DEADLINE: OFA must receive your processed (not rejected) FAFSA from the federal processor by this date in order to consider you for all aid programs.  Check Wolverine Access to see if you need to submit additional application documents. May 31, 2009: SECONDARY DEADLINE:  If OFA requests that you submit additional application items for verification  purposes, OFA must receive them by this date (not postmarked by this date) to consider you for all aid programs.  Only some students will be requested to submit additional application materials. OFA will contact you by email if additional application items are required. 2009-2010 Fall/Winter Aid Application Instructions (PDF) 2009-2010 Fall/Winter Applicant Data Form: Online or PDF Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Confused about the FAFSA? See The Five-Minute FAFSA--a humorous introduction to the FAFSA and how to fill it out. Application Calendar - Fall/Winter 2009-2010(PDF) Who Is Eligible for Financial Aid? Types of Aid Available Aid from Other Sources: If you received aid from sources other than the Office of Financial Aid, such as departmental awards or private scholarships, it is your responsibility to know the application requirements and deadlines for those aid programs and to reapply for the funds. For reapplication procedures, contact the source or organization that awarded the funds to you. Continuing Eligibility for Aid (see right blue bar)