Parents

This website is for parents who have students attending the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. While most of our communications will be with your student, this site provides you with some of the general information we may be also sharing with your student. We urge you to keep the lines of communication open with your student as the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) limits the amount of information we can provide you.

Frequently Asked Questions by Parents

What forms are needed to apply for financial aid and is there a deadline?

File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov . Respond to all requests from the financial aid office in a timely manner. There is no deadline to apply for aid. However keep in mind that tuition is due at the beginning of each semester. If your student wants aid all processing and forms must be completed approximately two to three weeks prior to the beginning of the term. Note: federal regulations require that all aid offered to students must be accepted before the last day of classes or we will be unable to process it.

How often do you need to apply and when should we start the process?

Students must reapply for financial aid each school year. This includes filing the federal form (FAFSA) and submitting requested documents to the financial aid office. The process can be started as soon as January 1st for the next school year. It is recommended to complete your federal tax return prior to completing the FAFSA.

What if we have questions about our tuition bill?

Tuition bills are produced by the Student Accounts Office at the beginning of each semester. The bill will most likely not reflect the financial aid credits. The most up-to-date information is available on your student’s TitanWeb account. If you have questions regarding specific tuition charges, the availability of bills, or refunds, contact the Student Accounts Office at 920-424-1332.

When is financial aid available to students?

Funds are disbursed to a student’s account in the week before the start of classes each term. Once aid is disbursed to the account, it will pay off any direct charges. Tuition and room and board (if living on campus) are paid each term. Any excess will be refunded to the student (either by direct deposit or a paper check claimed at the Cashier’s Office) to be used for other educational expenses such as books, rent, food, etc. The student is able to sign up for direct deposit on TitanWeb.

How do we pay for housing if we want to use financial aid?

For a student living on campus, the room and board charges are added to the student account. Any financial aid funds received will be applied to the student’s account through the Student Accounts Office; if tuition, room and board is fully covered by the funds and there is an excess, the refund is released to the student. The student is then expected to use these funds to pay for other education related expenses, such as books, supplies, etc.

For a student living off campus, their housing charges are not added to their student account on TitanWeb. Any financial aid funds received will be applied to the student’s tuition through the Student Accounts Office; if tuition is fully covered by the funds and there is an excess, the refund is released to the student. The student is then expected to use these funds to pay for other expenses, such as housing, books, supplies, etc.

How will you notify my student of his/her award?

Students will receive a letter with directions on how to access their awards online to accept or decline them. If they want a paper copy of it, they are able to print their award on TitanWeb.

What are the total costs?

Financial aid is awarded based on an estimated cost of attendance for the year. The cost of attendance include not only tuition and room and board, but also other estimated expenses a student might incur. You can view available tuition rates on the Student Accounts website. You also can view the estimated Cost of Attendance information on the financial aid site.

In a divorced/separated family, which parent should file the forms?

The FAFSA states: If the student's parents are married, answer the questions about both parents. If the student's parent is widowed or single, answer only the questions about that parent. If the student's parents have divorced or separated, answer only the questions about the parent that the student lived with most during the last 12 months. If they did not live with one parent more than the other, answer only the questions about the parent who provided most of the student's financial support during the last 12 months, or during the most recent year that the student actually received support from a parent. If the student's parent has remarried after being widowed or divorced, answer the questions about both parent and stepparent. If the student has a legal guardian, they cannot use the legal guardian's information on their application. A legal guardian is not considered a parent in the financial aid process. If the student has foster parents, they cannot use the foster parent's information on the application. A foster parent is not considered a parent in the financial aid process. If the student was adopted, follow the instructions above for parents, based on their current marital status. Note: The following people are not considered parents on this form unless they have legally adopted the student: grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, older brothers or sisters, and uncles or aunts.

What if our family circumstances change after we file the financial aid forms?

You may request review for reconsideration of the student’s aid eligibility. The review process is usually successful only if a family’s income or expense information changes significantly from the information originally submitted for the school year. Changes to the financial aid package are not guaranteed as a part of the review process. To request a review, contact your student’s financial aid counselor.

What about scholarships?

The FAFSA process does not award scholarships, however scholarship sponsors may use the FAFSA as part of their criteria. Scholarships are not usually based on financial need and there is not one basic application used to apply for all of them. Scholarships are based on a student’s academic achievement and come from many different sources. The University offers a number of scholarships each year to incoming first-year students. These scholarships are generally based upon high school academic performance. More information can be found on the Admissions website. For more information about these scholarships see our Scholarships page.

Are there jobs available for students who want to work?

The university and surrounding community offer many job opportunities for students. Most students can still do well academically while working 8-10 hours/week. Students who are offered Federal Work-Study in their financial aid award can apply for work-study designated positions; students who have not applied for federal aid or were not offered Federal Work-Study can still apply for jobs on campus as a Student Assistant. Information on current jobs can be found by linking to the TitanJobs site.

My student will need additional funds beyond the financial aid offered. Where should we look?

The Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) (must be awarded through the FAFSA process). You can get information on this loan and start the process here. If you are denied the PLUS because of the mandatory credit check by your lender, your student will be able to borrow some additional funding through the Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan program. The financial aid office will receive a copy of the denial. The student will then be offered an unsubsidized Stafford loan.

Alternative Loans. You can get information on this loan and start the process here. These are non-federal loans offered by private agencies so the costs associated with them tend to be higher than with federal loans.

When can my student be considered independent for aid purposes?

Federal regulations for independent status for financial aid purposes do not mirror Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations for dependents on your tax return. The student will answer the following questions on the FAFSA: Dependency Status For the 2008-2009 Academic Year,* you are an independent student IF at least one of the following applies to you: You were born before Jan. 1, 1985. You are or will be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program (beyond a bachelor’s degree) at the beginning of the 2008-09 Academic Year*. You’re married on the day you apply (even if you are separated but not divorced). You have children who receive more than half their support from you. You have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half their support from you at the time you apply and through June 30, 2009. Both your parents are deceased, or you are (or were until age 18) a ward or dependent of the court. You are currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training. You're a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. (A "veteran" includes students who attended a U.S. service academy and were released under a condition other than dishonorable. For more detail on who is considered a veteran, see the explanatory notes on the FAFSA.) If none of these criteria apply to your student, they are a dependent student for financial aid purposes.

Copyright© 2008
Financial Aid Office
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh