Steps to Secure Financial Aid Funds

This information will walk you through the process of accepting your financial aid package for the 2023-2024 academic year

1. Review your award notification. To accept, reduce, or decline your financial aid, access your UNA Portal, click on Financial Aid Dashboard, and select the current aid year from the top of the screen. Make sure you review any questions from the Financial Aid Office on the Home tab and respond. Click on the Award Offer tab.

  • FOR GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS - Scroll down to the Grants and Scholarships to Pay for College box. Here, you can view and accept scholarship offers. If your scholarship(s) have been accepted, the word “Accepted” will appear on the right side of the screen next to each accepted scholarship. Grants will be automatically accepted for you. Once you have reviewed ALL of your award offer decisions, click Submit at the bottom of the page.
  • FOR LOANS - In the Loans box below, select from the drop-down menus on the right side of the screen whether you would like to Accept or Decline each of your loan offers. You may also click Modify to enter and accept a partial amount of the loan offer. Once you have reviewed ALL of your award offer decisions, click Submit at the bottom of the page.

2. You must read, understand and accept the Terms and Conditions Governing Financial Aid Awards. The Terms and Conditions will appear on the screen AFTER you have submitted your acceptance decisions for your financial aid award offers. Read through the Terms and Conditions, check the box next to the acknowledgement at the bottom, and click Accept Award to confirm your award acceptance decisions.

 

  1. IF ACCEPTING LOANS, STEPS 3 AND 4 MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE LOANS WILL DISBURSE. 

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3. If you are accepting a student loan, you must sign Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN). You must sign the MPN at www.studentaid.gov.  Our office will receive notification of your Master Promissory Note within 2-3 business days.

4. If you are accepting a student loan, you must complete Loan Entrance Counseling. You must complete this step at www.studentaid.gov. Please do not confuse Loan ENTRANCE Counseling with Loan EXIT Counseling or Financial Awareness Counseling. Our office will receive notification of Loan Entrance Counseling within 2-3 business days.

5. Be sure to check any Unsatisfied Requirements or notices at the top of the Home tab and the Award Offer tab. Outstanding requirements may prevent the timely disbursement of your financial aid.

 

Helpful Resources:

File a FAFSA – https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Sign MPN – https://studentaid.gov/mpn

Complete loan entrance counseling – https://studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling/

Office of Student Financial Aid | 256.765.4600 | financialaid@una.edu