This information is intended to help answer questions about federal & state financial aid opportunities at the University of Central Oklahoma.  A decision to come to UCO involves many considerations, such as the concern of how to finance a college education.  There are several federal aid programs for which an applicant may apply.  A brief description of these programs is given later in this document.  More detailed information is located on-line in the Federal Student Guide.

If you need further assistance after reviewing this information, please feel free to contact our Student Financial Services Service Center located in the University Center, Room 141, or call our office at (405) 974-3334.

The Office of Student Financial Services provides written materials to assist applicants in obtaining assistance.  Documents, forms and letters provided by this office are very important and require the applicant’s immediate attention.  These written materials are designed to guide the student through the Student Financial Aid process and, if understood and adhered to, can ensure a smooth process. 

Written policy/materials will always take precedence over any verbal information the applicant may secure from sources outside the Student Financial Services office. 

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Applying for Aid

 Applications may be found in the following areas:

Colleges or Universities
Public Libraries
High School Counselors Offices
Internet: www.fafsa.ed.gov

How to Apply

If you applied for federal student aid in the previous school year, you should be able to file a renewal FAFSA.  If you applied electronically, you should get a reminder, either through regular mail or e-mail (depending on whether or not you provided your e-mail address to the federal processor).  This reminder would include your PIN, which you would use to go online to complete your Renewal FAFSA on the Web and sign it electronically.  If you applied using a paper FAFSA in the prior year, you would receive a paper Renewal FAFSA.  If so, review the pre-printed information, make necessary adjustments or additions, sign it, and mail it to the federal processor.  DO NOT submit the FAFSA to the Student Financial Services Office. 

If you didn’t apply for federal student aid for the previous school year, you can apply by completing the FAFSA for the year you are applying.  You can apply through the internet at www.fafsa.ed.gov. We encourage all applicants to apply electronically, for it has proven to be a faster and more efficient means of applying.

We encourage all applicants to apply electronically, for it has proven to be a faster and more efficient means of applying. 

To apply for a PIN to electronically sign your application, go to www.pin.ed.gov.  You may view your PIN online immediately, have it sent to your e-mail address, or have it sent via postal mail in 7-10 days.   

Once the Federal Application has been processed, the Federal Student Aid Processing Center will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR) acknowledgement.  UCO does not require you to submit the SAR or SAR Acknowledgement to the Financial Services Office unless UCO was not listed on your FAFSA as one of your school choices.  When you receive your acknowledgement, review it carefully for accuracy.  If there are errors, immediately follow the instructions concerning corrections.   If the SAR is correct, keep it for your records.  You will be notified in writing by UCO if additional information or documentation is required.

Applying for Summer Aid

The summer session at UCO is considered the end of the Award Year; therefore the FAFSA data used to determine aid eligibility for the Fall and Spring terms of that academic year would be used to determine aid eligibility.  Students seeking federal financial aid for the Summer term must complete the UCO Summer Aid Application in addition to the current year FAFSA.  (Summer Aid Applications are available on-line from March through July). The deadline for processing the FAFSA is June 30.  Applications received after that date will be rejected.  Be sure to review the Summer Aid Application closely for deadline dates associated with the summer term.  

For Federal aid eligibility purposes for Summer, the undergraduate definition of full, three-quarter, and part-time enrollments are the same as for the Fall and Spring Terms.  For undergraduates full-time is 12 hours or more; three-quarter time is 9 - 11 hours, and half time is 6 - 8 hours.  For students working on a Master's degree, full time is 9 or more hours, and half time is 5 -8 hours.  Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements outlined later in this document.

After we have received your Summer Aid Application, along with any other requested information, you should allow up to four weeks for a response.  An award notification, a letter indicating ineligibility or a letter requesting additional information will be e-mailed to your UCO e-mail address.  If we request additional information please respond promptly to avoid processing delays.  Your application may automatically be delayed if you are currently on probation for the Spring term, for we must review your term progress before your request for summer aid can be considered.  In addition, processing may be delayed if your program of study for the Summer term has changed, and is different than the one used for the previous Fall and/or Spring. 

Pell grant funds will be available in the summer only to eligible Pell grant recipients who have not utilized their full eligibility during the Fall and Spring. (Full eligibility is equal to a Pell awarded at the fulltime level for two semesters, generally fall & spring.) 

As a result of your Summer Aid Application, funds may be offered to you, however grant funds will not be credited to account until you have enrolled, and a loan request will not be certified until after you have enrolled in at least halftime status. 

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 To be considered for Federal Student Financial Aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Transferring To UCO

 If transferring to UCO during the current academic year you should be aware of the following:

 A.   You must inform the College/University you are currently attending that you are transferring and request that any pending disbursements for the semester you will not be attending are canceled.  In addition, you should submit official copies of your academic transcript including transfer work from all schools attended, to the UCO Admissions and Records Office.

 B.    If you have already applied for federal financial aid but did not list our school code, you will need to adjust your Student Aid Report (SAR).  If you applied electronically you should go to the FAFSA website at fafsa.ed.gov and update your application to add our school code, or you may call the federal processor at (800) 433-3243 and request to have our school code added.  If you choose to call the processor, you will need to have a copy of your SAR in order to provide them with the Data Release Number (DRN).  This number is located in the upper right hand corner of your SAR.  Our school code is 003152.

 C.    If you were awarded funds from the Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant Program (OTAG) but have not received any/all of your funds for the academic year, you must notify their office that you have changed institutions.  Their number is (405) 225-9456.

 D.   Students under the age of 24 who were previously classified as independent by another institution should prepare to have their dependency status re-evaluated by our office.  You will need to secure from our office the  “Request for Dependency Override” form and submit it back to us along with the required documentation.  After your request and all supporting documentation is received and reviewed, a decision will be made.

 E.  If you have been selected for verification, you will need to provide information to verify your income.  If your application is incomplete processing will not continue until all items requested are received.  In order to avoid late penalties, your file must be complete by the UCO Student Financial Aid file completion deadlines.  These deadlines can be found in the Financial Aid Processing Timeframes link of this website.    Other information will be requested as needed.  All requests by our office for additional documentation will be sent by mail or emailed to your UCO email address.

For more information on transferring to UCO, please contact the Transfer Office at (405) 974-2248.

Transferring From UCO

 If transferring from UCO during the current academic year you should be aware of the following:

 B.    If you applied for and were awarded financial assistance during the current school year you should contact the institution where you will be attending to find out what forms are necessary to apply for aid.

 C.    If you have been awarded a Pell Grant during the current school year, you will need to check with the new institution to find out if they can electronically secure your Student Aid Report or you may contact the Federal Student Aid Processor by phone or mail to request duplicate copies of your Student Aid Report (SAR).  This process takes about 14 days from the receipt of the request.  You may contact the Federal Student Aid Processor at (800) 433-3243 for more information.

 D.   If you were awarded Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG) funds, you must notify their office that you will be changing schools.  You can reach them by calling (405) 225-9456.

 E.    If you had a loan while attending UCO, you must contact your lender(s) to let them know you are changing schools and to cancel any subsequent disbursements to UCO.  Further disbursements will require a new application from the school you are transferring to. Stafford and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan borrowers will need to complete Exit Counseling before transferring.  You may complete the Exit process on line by going to the General Information segment of this website and clicking on Federal Student Information then selecting Entrance Counseling.  You may be required to submit deferment forms to your lender for these student loans as you are attending other institutions. 

Perkins Loan borrowers will need to complete an exit interview with Jeddie Botsford in the UCO Bursar’s Office.   To defer your Perkins Loan you will need to mail a certified UCO Perkins deferment forms to the UCO Bursar Office, Attention:  Jeddie Botsford, each semester you are attending another school.

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General Eligibility Requirements

To receive funding from any of the federal or state student aid programs, you must meet all of the following criteria. 

1. Be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen

2. Demonstrate financial need, except for some loan programs.

3. Have a high school diploma or GED certificate.

4. Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working on a degree or certificate program at UCO.

5. Must not be in default or owe a repayment to any federal program.

6. Meet UCO Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy requirements.

7. Certify funds will be use for educational purposes. 

8. Comply with the Selective Service Registration requirements.

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Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance is used to determine the maximum amount of funding you are eligible to receive.  Please note, these costs may vary from school to school.  The Cost of Attendance includes allowances for Tuition & Fees, Room & Board, Books, miscellaneous and personal needs for the period you are requesting assistance.  The allowance for Room & Board may vary depending on where you will live while you attend school.  (Off-Campus, On-Campus Residence Halls, On-Campus Commons or Suites, or with Parents).   For planning purposes the following three budgets are offered as estimates of reasonable expected expenses based upon undergraduate enrollment in at least 14 hours.  :  

Changes in enrollment or where you will live while in school can significantly affect your eligibility, and may require funds to be repaid. Our office can identify enrollment changes, however it is your responsibility to notify our office in writing if you change where you will live.   

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Types of Aid Programs

UCO participates in the following Federal and State Programs: 

Federal Pell Grant (FPELL), Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Perkins Loan (FPERK), Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL), Federal Work-Study (FWS), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), the National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART), and the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH).  More detailed information about these programs can be found in the Federal Student Guide.  We encourage you to secure one and become familiar with these programs and how they may assist you in financing your education.   This guide is available in the Student Financial Aid Service Center.  We also participate in the Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (SOTAG) program. 

 Information/Communication Services

Applicants may visit our Service Center without an appointment and receive general assistance, obtain application materials, and drop off documents.  Counselors are available by referral from the Service Center for more technical assistance.  Applicants are advised to obtain a UCO Student I.D. card, and present it when seeking help from the Financial Services Office.  Access to financial aid records will be denied without this form of identification. 

 Self Service Options

The Office of Student Financial Services offers the following self-service options, which allow students to check their financial aid status:

Telephone Access - Students may call our office at (405) 974-3334 during office hours.  Our fax number is (405) 340-7658.

Web Access – Students may log in to UCONNECT From the School Services Tab, select Broncho Central Services and then select Student and Financial Aid Records.

On-Line Access - Students may check their status by using one of the self-service terminals located on the first floor of the University Center.

Forms Outlet/Drop box - Various forms are available online in the General Forms section of our website.  A drop box is available outside of the Student Financial Services Office for your convenience to turn in information outside normal hours of operation.  .

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For comments or suggestions, please contact the Office of Student Financial Services.
This page last updated 06 Jan 2009.