Receiving Aid

When you receive your email award notification, you need to log into SPIRE to review the types and amounts of financial aid you are eligible to receive for the upcoming academic year. From this point, you need to follow a few important steps.

1. Review your award in SPIRE carefully.
2. Check your To Do List in SPIRE to see if additional documents are needed to finalize your award.
3. You must complete a promissory note for each of your loans in order for the funds to be credited to your tuition bill.

If you receive Federal Direct Student Loans (subsidized or unsubsidized), and you are a first-time borrower, you must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Direct Loan Entrance Counseling on studentaid.com before the funds can be credited to your tuition and fee bill. You will only need to complete the MPN for Direct Loans one time - it is valid for 10 years and for any subsequent loans you may receive.

Once you have reviewed your financial aid award letter, you may appeal the award if you did not receive your maximum eligibility and your Cost of Attendance is higher than what we estimate for you.

Any of the following circumstances may result in an increase to your Cost of Attendance and may result in the granting of additional unsubsidized loans:

• Living expenses off campus that are higher per semester than the standard housing in the Cost of Attendance (including rent/mortgage and utilities; you cannot include groceries in your appeal).
• Additional expenses for books, supplies, or a computer purchased for educational purposes.
• Dependent care expenses.

To initiate an appeal, please download and complete the appropriate appeal form which can be found in the Forms section of this website. You will need to include a written explanation and supporting documentation detailing your situation, and will be subject to a verification process. To ensure that your appeal is processed accurately, Financial Aid Services will request special documentation.

Many students receive educational financial aid awards—including scholarships, grants, waivers, or educational loans—through sources other than Financial Aid Services. If you receive non-university aid awards, you must report them. Report your additional resources using the Report Outside Aid button in SPIRE.

If you receive aid through another source after receiving your UMass Amherst award, Financial Aid Services may be required to adjust your need-based aid. In most cases the additional aid will be applied toward your remaining need before your loans, work-study, grant or scholarship aid is reduced.

Before your financial aid funds can be disbursed to your student account, you must meet the disbursement criteria specific to the aid program(s) you have accepted. Detailed descriptions of these aid programs are available on SPIRE with your financial aid award and in the publication Guide to Understanding Financial Aid available to download on the Forms section of this site. Unless otherwise stated, your financial aid funds are evenly split between the fall and spring terms.

Many grants require full-time enrollment (12 credits for undergraduate students, nine credits for graduate students). However some grants will be adjusted by a prorated amount for less than full-time enrollment. You must be enrolled at least half time (six credits) for the William D. Ford Direct Loan to disburse to your account and you must also have a valid Promissory Note and Entrance Interview Form (if required) on file.

Once you have resolved all eligibility issues (including verification and satisfactory academic progress) your financial aid for the upcoming term will be disbursed no earlier than ten days prior to the start of classes. Your financial aid will be credited to your UMass Amherst tuition and fees, room and board (if living on campus), and miscellaneous fees. Final adjustments due to changes in your credit load will occur shortly after the add/drop ending date of each term which may impact a balance due. 

Refunds and Excess Express

If the amount of financial aid and other credits on your bill exceed tuition, fees, and other charges, you may receive a refund. You may use your refund for off-campus living expenses, indirect expenses, or any other education expenses for the term. You will either receive an excess check or you can arrange for direct deposit into your bank account through Excess Express. You can make these arrangements with the Bursar’s Office.

Reminders

• Before the Bursar’s Office may release your excess funds, you must complete your Direct Loan Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling on studentaid.gov.
• If you are receiving a Graduate Appointment or any other waivers not listed on your Award Summary, please report them to Financial Aid Services. This will minimize any delays in releasing your excess funds.
• If you are a graduate student on Program Fee, update your enrollment status (half time or full time) with the Graduate Records Office. The Bursar's Office will confirm your eligibility online before releasing your refund.

Taxable Income

The funds that you receive from scholarships, benefits, fellowships and grants that, combined, exceed the cost of tuition, fees, books, and required equipment and supplies, are considered taxable income. This includes Federal Pell Grants but not federal loans.

For example, any amount that you use to pay for room and board or any stipends for living expenses are taxable. You are responsible for your own record keeping, so that you can complete your tax forms properly. You may want to keep a receipt file of educational purchases.

For more detailed information, consult the IRS, your income tax form instruction booklet, or your personal tax adviser.

The Bursar's Office will bill you for tuition, room and board, and all mandatory fees. The fall payment due date is usually the beginning of August and the spring payment due date is usually the beginning of January. If the balance is not paid in full by the due date a late fee may be assessed.

You have several options for paying your bill. Visit the Bursar's Office for full details on billing and payments.

UPay Monthly Payment Option

UMass Amherst also offers students the option to enroll in a payment plan through the Bursar's Office to pay your tuition and fees. By paying a one-time enrollment fee, you will be able to set up a plan with multiple payment installments each semester.

For information on how to enroll in the UPay payment plan please visit the Bursar's Office or call 413-545-2368.

Important Tips

• Never disregard a billing statement.
• Carefully read everything you receive from the Bursar's Office.
• Create a file for your UMass Amherst billing statements and any correspondence or notes regarding the statements. Also, include any information pertaining to your financial aid.
• Keep copies of all bills for tax reporting purposes.
• It is very important to be aware of the payment due date and UMass Amherst policies. It is advisable not to wait until the payment due date to contact the Bursar's Office with questions regarding your billing statement.