Financial Aid issues

If you are still waiting for your financial aid award:

• Be sure you have submitted a FAFSA online . Check the FAFSA site, using your PIN, to see if you have done the application correctly and to see if you are one of the 30% randomly selected for verification. Verification will require your sending in more documents before you can be given a financial aid package, so you will want to take care of it as early as possible. If you are selected for verification, you can find the worksheet to be submitted with a copy of your tax forms at www.umass.edu/umfa.
  
• Check SPIRE to see the status of your financial aid award in the Finances section and the To Do list under "My Personal Portfolio" on SPIRE. The to-do list may indicate something that is still needed for financial aid. Be sure that you have completed everything in your to-do list.
  
• When you are notified that you have a financial aid award, it will be based on a six-credit load by default. You must take at least six credits to be eligible for financial aid. This initial package will allow you to register through CPE for six or more credits, with the aid award to be adjusted proportionately to your actual credit load after add/drop in mid-September. Most new UWW students enroll for just the two UWW core courses during the first semester, so no adjustment would have to be made.
  
• When calling the financial aid phone line (413-545-0801), tell the FA rep right away that you are a UWW Continuing Education degree student. Probably 90% or more of the students on financial aid are in the day division, requiring a significantly different process, and the FA staff on the phone may assume you are in the day division, too.
  
• Be persistent, but also patient. Things do work out, but they often take time. Just be sure you have your end managed by checking SPIRE regularly to see if the award or a To Do item shows up.