University of Massachusetts Amherst

University Without Walls

Students

 

Giving to UWW

New Student Information--INCOMING STUDENTS FALL 2009

Information about your financial aid status

"Going back to school has been one of the most important and valuable experiences for me, both personally and professionally. UWW was a wonderful environment for me. The staff were accessible and helpful. Bonds were made with fellow students that I don’t believe would've happened in a traditional learning format. "

—UWW graduate

We have encouraged all applicants to complete a FAFSA even before submitting the application to CPE for admissions to prevent delays in registering because of financial aid issues.     To register when CPE registration begins on July 22 or later, you should be prepared to cover the tuition and fees bill, either on your own or with a financial aid package from UMass Amherst.

UMass has not received FAFSA information? If you have completed your FAFSA in the last two weeks or so, then it probably hasn't yet arrived in the twice-weekly download to the UMass computers. If, though, you had filed your FAFSA some time ago, then you will want to check into the situation.  Here are the steps:  

  1. First, if you have received login information to SPIRE by now, go onto your SPIRE account (spire.umass.edu) and look at the financial aid report to see if it has changed.  If you haven't received your login information yet for SPIRE, skip to the next step.  (SPIRE mailings follow matriculation which follows receipt of the Intent to Enroll form and fee by UWW.)
  2. Using your FAFSA pin, check your FAFSA record at www.fafsa.ed.gov to see that all was processed appropriately. 
    1. Did you include the UMass Amherst school code of 002221? If not, FAFSA wouldn't know to send it to UMass Amherst. Were you selected for verification? See below.  
    2. Did you put in the correct birth date? Social Security number?
    3. Do you have the same name on your FAFSA, your Social Security account, and your CPE application?
    4. Did you check the correct gender, citizenship status, degree status? If you are a female who accidentally checked male, for instance, your FAFSA could be held up because you have no draft registration on file. If you indicated that you had a bachelor's degree, then that may also hold up your FAFSA.
  3. If everything looks fine on your FAFSA record but SPIRE does not show you as having a financial aid award and does not indicate anything on your "to do list," contact Marianna McKim (marianna@finaid.umass.edu), the financial aid officer assigned to Continuing & Professional Education and ask her what the problem could be if the FAFSA isn't showing when it was completed several weeks or more ago.

Selected for verification? You will see on the FAFSA web site and on the SPIRE to do list if you were selected for verification. Follow up immediately by filing the appropriate documentation. Read the paragraph on verification on the UMass Financial Aid web site. You can download the appropriate forms from that site's forms and publications page. If you have sent in the required forms, you will not see anything on your SPIRE to-do list if they have been received. You may not be packaged right away, however, since verification often takes quite a long time.

Direct student loan form required? If SPIRE is indicating that you need to file a direct student loan form, go to the loans page of the UMass Financial Aid web site for more information.

For more information on the financial aid process, check the following resources:

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University Without Walls • 100 Venture Way, Suite 200 • Hadley, MA 01035 • (413) 545-1378 • uww@uww.umass.edu
http://www.umass.edu/uww/