unco.edu/financial-aid
Funding Your
College Education with
FINANCIAL AID
2020-21
2 | University of Northern Colorado
Getting Started
Together we can help you make
your dream of a college education
a reality.
Understanding the financial aid process
is an important step toward fulfilling
your educational goals. This guide will
answer many of your questions about
the financial aid process, including
eligibility, applications and the types
of aid available. Attention to deadlines
is one key to applying successfully for
financial aid. Funding is limited after the
deadline, so timeliness can be a factor in
your offer. Be sure to submit all required
applications and follow-up information
on or before the deadlines established by
the Oce of Financial Aid.
The Oce of Financial Aid has
walk-in counselors available
8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, at Bear
Central, 2nd floor of the UNC
Campus Commons building.
You can also reach us
at 970-351-4862 or
ofa@unco.edu.
Note: Application procedures discussed in this publication are based on information available at the time of printing. Carefully
review all correspondence, including e-mail messages from the Oce of Financial Aid. Correspondence will reflect changes that
may have occurred in procedures or regulations.
unco.edu/financial-aid | 3
Applying for Financial Aid
OBTAIN A FEDERAL STUDENT AID ID FSA ID
• You and your parents (where applicable) need to first obtain a
FSA ID from fsaid.ed.gov. Once you receive the FSA ID, you may
complete the FAFSA at fafsa.gov starting October 1. Your FSA ID
is used to confirm your identity when accessing your financial aid
information and electronically signing your federal student aid
documents.
START THE FAFSA APPLICATION
• Whenever possible, use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA
to capture your completed 2018 tax data to file the 2020-21 FAFSA
accurately. The IRS Data Retrieval tool allows you to import your
income information directly from your IRS tax return. If you have
not yet filed a 2018 tax return, contact our Oce of Financial Aid at
ofa@unco.edu or 970-351-4862.
• Add UNC’s school code, 001349, in order for us to receive the
results and determine your financial aid eligibility.
SUBMIT THE FAFSA BY THE MARCH  DEADLINE
• You can complete a FAFSA after March 1, but funding may be
limited. All students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA, and
most institutional aid requires UNC to have a FAFSA on file.
• You will receive a confirmation email from the U.S. Department
of Education with your electronic Student Aid Report. Make sure
to verify that all of the information that you reported is correct.
If you need to make corrections, you may do this online at
studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa. Be sure to check your email spam folder
for your FAFSA confirmation if you did not receive it within a
week.
FAFSA VERIFICATION
Each year, the federal government comes up with an algorithm to decide which
FAFSAs need to be verified, much like a tax audit. Sometimes this is because of a
missing signature, a number that doesn’t add up or a random selection. If your FAFSA
is selected for verification, you will need to submit additional documentation. If your
FAFSA is selected, UNC will alert you via your email and SMS/Mobile text, and the
Oce of Financial Aid (970-351-4862) will work with you directly if you have any
issues completing the verification process. Using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool will
greatly reduce your chance of having to provide follow-up information.
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4 | University of Northern Colorado
COST OF
ATTENDANCE
=
NEEDFAMILY CONTRIBUTION
(EFC)
How Eligibility is Determined
To establish your eligibility, the U.S. Department of Education
first needs to determine the resources available to you.
RESOURCES INCLUDE:
• Family Resources and assets
• Personal savings
• Summer and school year earnings
• Outside scholarships
EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION
To determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), the government
looks at both parent (where applicable) and student resources. Income and
asset information provided on the FAFSA determines the EFC. Factors
include:
• Number of family members attending college
• Completed 2018 income and taxes paid
• Number of working parents
• Assets (excluding the value of the home you live in currently)
• Age of older parent (for estimating retirement needs)
• Child support paid or received and any other untaxed income
Eligibility is determined each academic year based on the information
you submit in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at
studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa.
Over 75% of University of
Northern Colorado students
receive some type of
financial assistance.
The Oce of Financial Aid determines your budget (cost of attendance)
by adding together your estimated expenses for the nine-month academic
year. Resources are subtracted from your expected cost or your “budget.”
The difference is your financial need. To put it simply:
unco.edu/financial-aid | 5
Note: Ursa information can only be shared with students and not with family members because of the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA). More information about FERPA is available on the UNC Registrar’s website at unco.edu/regrec/ferpa.
Before March, oers are considered estimates.
In March, the Oce of Financial Aid will follow up
with an ocial aid oer and your next steps.
$150.1 million total
financial aid awarded.
Receiving a Financial
Aid Estimate and Oer
After reviewing your financial aid application,
the Oce of Financial Aid will send you an
estimated financial aid offer (depending on the
timing of your application submission) and then
an ocial aid offer.
Your financial aid offer will detail the amounts
and types of financial aid for which you are
eligible. Offers are based on full-time attendance
(12 credits) at UNC as an undergraduate. Some
aid is available for part-time undergrads.
“UNC is a great
place to grow. It has
an open platform
for you to have a
voice and express
yourself.”
Armando Silva ’10,
Visual Arts
6 | University of Northern Colorado
GRANTS
Don’t have to be repaid. Examples
are the Federal Pell Grant, Federal
Supplemental Educational Opportunity
Grant (FSEOG), Colorado Student
Grant funded by the Colorado General
Assembly and UNC and 1889 Founders
Grant. Some of the grants listed are
restricted to Colorado residents.
WORKSTUDY
Oers part-time employment to
students who work on campus for
university employers or o campus in
certain community service positions.
Work-study is available to residents
and non-residents. Students are paid
according to the number of hours
worked. Students cannot perform
work-study duties during scheduled
class times.
FEDERAL SUBSIDIZED LOANS
Funds that must be repaid at a future
date, usually beginning six months after
you graduate or leave school. Interest
is paid by the government while the
student is enrolled at least half-time.
NEEDBASED AID
NONNEEDBASED AID
NONWORK STUDY EMPLOYMENT
oers part-time positions on campus for
students to work within various university
oces. This is a good alternative for
students who want to work but aren’t
awarded work-study.
NONEED WORKSTUDY has dierent
eligibility requirements. To apply you
must complete the FAFSA and not qualify
for need-based financial assistance.
This award is only for Colorado resident
undergraduate students. First priority is
given to students who meet the March
1 deadline for the FAFSA and who also
received funding from this program the
previous year.
LOANS must be repaid. Some may be
available for up to the cost of attendance
minus other aid and are oered to qualified
parents and/or students. An example
is the Federal Direct Parent PLUS loan,
available to parents of dependent students.
The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Staord
Loan is available up to annual maximums.
Students may choose the option to pay
the interest on the loan while in school or
have the interest deferred until repayment.
Deferring the interest will result in higher
repayment amounts.
SCHOLARSHIPS can be based on merit,
talent or other donor criteria. Scholarships
are semester-based and cannot be doubled
up in one semester.
Types of Financial Aid
All financial aid applicants may be eligible for
the following types of financial aid.
WUE Resident Tuition
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE).
Your application for admission also serves as your
application for WUE tuition.
To automatically receive the WUE tuition rates, you must be a
permanent resident of one of the following states: Alaska, Arizona,
California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington or Wyoming.
The WUE tuition rate applies to all terms (for part-time and full-time
enrollment) — fall, interim, spring and summer. It isn’t applied for
programs and courses offered through the Oce of Extended Campus,
as Extended Campus has separate tuition rates.
Colorado Resident
College Opportunity Fund Stipend.
If you’re a Colorado resident, make it a top priority to apply for the
College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend. The fund was established
by the Colorado legislature to reduce the cost of tuition for Colorado
resident undergraduate students. Register for the stipend online at
collegeincolorado.org. You’ll also need to authorize your COF stipend to
be used at UNC on the Financial tab of Ursa. If you don’t apply for the
stipend, then you’ll pay a higher tuition rate. Check your student bill in
late August to see the stipend.
Note: Students cannot qualify for in-state residency after attending UNC as a WUE student. One would need to decline WUE
and pay non-resident tuition for one year before establishing in-state residency.
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“Applying for scholarships has been a huge help because it
allowed us, for the first time in our lives, to have a stable
home and get closer to finishing our education.”
Cassandra Toca ’18, Spanish and Mexican American Studies;
Sandra Toca ’18, Criminal Justice and Sociology
8 | University of Northern Colorado
Estimated Cost to Attend UNC
2019-20 undergraduate fall and spring semesters, 30-credit academic year
*
For more information, go to unco.edu/costs.
COLORADO
RESIDENT
WUE
1
RESIDENT
NONRESIDENT/
NONWUE
TUITION
(15 credits/semester)
$10,416
COF
2
=$7,596
$14,724 $19,854
FEES $2,390 $2,390 $2,390
HOUSING AND MEALS
3
(Tier 2 housing, 19 meals/week)
$11,204 $11,204 $11,204
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES $1,200 $1,200 $1,200
TRANSPORTATION
AND OTHER COSTS
$3,554 $3,554 $3,554
ESTIMATED COSTS
$28,764
COF
2
=$25,944
$33,072 $38,162
COLORADO
*2019-2020 undergraduate fall and spring semesters. 15 credits per semester (30/year) allows most students to graduate in
4 years.
1
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Program — WUE provides reduced tuition to students who are residents of one of
the states participating in the WUE program (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY). Note: Students cannot
qualify for in-state residency after attending UNC as a WUE student. One would need to decline WUE and pay nonresident
tuition for one year before establishing in-state residency.
2
This is what students pay after the College Opportunity Fund (COF) is applied to their bill. To be eligible for COF rates, Colorado
resident students should apply at CollegeInColorado.org.
3
Based on UNC 19 Meals Per Week plan and Tier 2 housing plan.
unco.edu/costs
*Taking 15 credits per semester (30 per year)
allows students to graduate in four years.
Try our online estimator tool:
go.unco.edu/price-calculator
Donor Funded Scholarships provided
$5,783,211 in financial aid to
students during fiscal year 2019.
unco.edu/financial-aid | 9
Scholarships
To be considered for other scholarships,
submit the UNC Scholarship Application.
Your application for admission also serves as your application for a
number of admission-based scholarships. Once you’ve been admitted,
you may submit the UNC Scholarship Application to be considered for
other scholarships, which you can apply for through your Ursa account
at ursa.unco.edu.
The UNC Scholarship Application opens in November and the
deadline is February 1. If you don’t qualify for scholarships as a new
student, keep trying as the criteria and number of scholarships change
each year.
Note: For transfer students with scholarships, only transferable credit hours earned after high school graduation are
considered for scholarship eligibility.
Extended Campus students are not eligible for automatic admission-based scholarships.
For detailed information about
all UNC Scholarships, visit
unco.edu/financial-aid.
More than $3.4 million in scholarships available through the UNC Scholarship
application for students with interests that span the university’s oerings.
10 | University of Northern Colorado
1 Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Program — WUE provides reduced tuition to students who are residents of one of
the states participating in the WUE program (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY). Note: Students cannot
qualify for in-state residency after attending UNC as a WUE student. One would need to decline WUE and pay non-resident
tuition for one year before establishing in-state residency.
2 Based on 15 credit hours per semester and after the College Opportunity Fund (COF) is applied to the student’s bill. To be
eligible for COF rates, Colorado resident students should apply at CollegeInColorado.org.
3 Based on UNC 19 Meals Per Week plan and Tier 2 housing plan.
TRANSFER ADMISSION
BASED SCHOLARSHIPS
FRESHMAN ADMISSION
BASED SCHOLARSHIPS
COLORADO
RESIDENT
WUE
1
RESIDENT
NONRESIDENT/
NONWUE
BEAR SCHOLARSHIP
Minimum 3.0 GPA and either
20 ACT or 1030 SAT
$8,000
($2,000 per year)
$16,000
($4,000 per year)
$20,000
($5,000 per year)
PROVOST SCHOLARSHIP
Minimum 3.4 GPA and either
24 ACT or 1160 SAT
$10,000
($2,500 per year)
$16,000
($4,000 per year)
$24,000
($6,000 per year)
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Minimum 3.6 GPA and either
27 ACT or 1260 SAT
$12,000
($3,000 per year)
$20,000
($5,000 per year)
$28,000
($7,000 per year)
TRUSTEE SCHOLARSHIP
Minimum 3.8 GPA and either
29 ACT or 1330 SAT
$24,000
($6,000 per year)
$24,000
($6,000 per year)
$36,000
($9,000 per year)
COLORADO
RESIDENT
WUE
1
RESIDENT
NONRESIDENT/
NONWUE
PHI THETA KAPPA
SCHOLARSHIP
Member of Phi Theta Kappa
$1,000 per year $1,000 per year $1,000 per year
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP
3.0 GPA
$1,000 per year $2,500 per year $6,000 per year
TRUSTEE SCHOLARSHIP
3.5 GPA
$2,000 per year $3,500 per year $8,000 per year
unco.edu/admissions/cost-aid
COLORADO
COLORADO
unco.edu/admissions/cost-aid
unco.edu/financial-aid | 11
Tip: NEVER pay for an outside, private scholarship service or give
your credit card or social security number to a private company.
Other Scholarship Opportunities
Outside of UNC
You can also explore various funding resources outside of UNC
and the government.
Here’s a list of resources to help students and families pay for college.
Report outside scholarships or assistance to the Oce of Financial Aid by
contacting the oce.
COLLEGE IN COLORADO
cicmoney101.org
College in Colorado has a comprehensive website that keeps you from
having to visit multiple sites. You’ll need to create an account. If you attend
school in Colorado, it’s likely you already have an active account. Also,
it’s not just limited to Colorado high school students. They provide a free
financial education program developed to help high school students and
families understand college financing and the role that higher education
can play in their financial futures. Their rewards program allows you to
earn points to register for scholarship drawings and more!
FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS
Out of UNC’s nearly 12,000-plus students,
approximately 38 percent are the first in their family to
attend college. As a first generation student, you’ll find
a culture of caring and inclusive, supportive faculty
and staff. Check out Imfirst.org to learn more about
support and resources for first generation students.
RECOMMENDED SCHOLARSHIP MATCHING SITES
With the following websites, find scholarships that are right for you:
• fastweb.com
• scholarships.com
• weldcountybrightfutures.com
• greeleygov.com/government/ceo/gtown-promise
46% of incoming first-year students are first in their families to attend college.
12 | University of Northern Colorado
Important Financial Dates
Ocial financial aid oers continue to be
sent out on an ongoing basis.
Oct. 1
Nov. 1
Nov. 17
Aug.
Feb. 1
Mar. 1
June 1
June 15
Dec.
OCTOBER
• FAFSA Application available at
fafsa.gov.
• Use UNC school code 001349.
• Apply for a FSA ID at FSAID.ed.gov.
NOVEMBER 
• If you’re an admitted student, the
UNC Scholarship Application is
available through your Ursa account
at ursa.unco.edu.
NOVEMBER 
• College Goal Sunday
Sunday, November 17, 2019
3-5 p.m. Riverside Library &
Cultural Center, 3700 Golden St.
Evans, CO
FEBRUARY
• UNC Scholarship Application
deadline for first-year freshmen and
continuing undergraduate students.
MARCH 
• FAFSA deadline.
• Make sure your FAFSA application
processed correctly and was sent to
UNC.
• Admitted students, check your Ursa
account and BearMail on a regular basis
for updates.
• Ocial financial aid oers begin being
sent to admitted students.
JUNE 
• UNC Scholarship Application deadline
for transfer, graduate and international
students.
JUNE 
• Accept or decline your aid oer
through your Ursa account.
• Contact the Oce of Financial Aid
with any questions you may have.
MIDTOLATE AUGUST
• Your Financial Aid will be applied to your
student bill.
DECEMBER
• Estimated aid oers are sent for
incoming, first-year students.
unco.edu/financial-aid | 13
AID OFFER
The total amount of any grants, loans,
and scholarships oered.
ENTRANCE COUNSELING
Needs to be completed for Federal loans
for first-time borrowers to ensure you
understand your obligations.
FSA ID
Federal Student Aid ID is your electronic
passport to federal student aid online. Your
FSA ID serves as your electronic signature
and can be used to access your financial aid
records.
FULLTIME
Undergraduates who are registered for
at least 12 credits during a semester for
financial aid purposes. UNC recommends
15 credits per semester to graduate in four
years.
GRANT
Need-based financial aid that doesn’t need
to be paid back.
LOAN
Money you borrow and repay with interest.
MASTER PROMISSORY NOTE
Legal document in which you promise
to repay your loan(s) and any accrued
interest and fees to the U.S. Department
of Education. Needs to be completed for
Federal loans if you’re a first-time borrower.
NEEDBASED AID
Money received for college that is based on
factors like income, the number of people in
your family attending college, etc. See page
3 for a more detailed listing.
NONNEED BASED AID
Money received for education that may be
awarded based on grades, test scores or
other non-need specific criteria.
PARTTIME
Undergraduates who are registered for
6 to 11 credits during a semester.
SCHOLARSHIP
Money awarded to help pay for education,
usually for students who meet specific
requirements. This money does not need
to be repaid.
URSA
UNC’s secure online point-of-access to
information and tools, used by students to
manage registration, view grades, view and
pay student bills, receive notifications and
messages about financial aid, complete
student forms and more.
VERIFICATION
Verification is a standard federal process
where universities are required to confirm
that the data reported on the FAFSA form is
accurate. If you’re selected for verification,
you’ll need to provide extra documentation
to complete your FAFSA. Failure to
complete required documentation in a
timely manner may result in a loss of some
or all aid.
OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID
Bear Central, 2nd floor, Campus Commons
Tel: 970-351-4862
Fax: 970-351-2099
Oce hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Monday-Friday
unco .edu/financial-aid
Deciphering Financial Aid Lingo
The University of Northern Colorado is an equal opportunity/armative action institution that does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual preference or veteran status. For more information
or issues of equity or fairness or claims of discrimination contact the UNC AA/ EEO/ Title IX Ocer at UNC Human Resource
Services, Carter Hall 2002, Greeley, CO 80639 or call 970-351-2718.
14 | University of Northern Colorado
SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL I’M ADMITTED
TO UNC BEFORE I APPLY FOR AID?
No. Submit your financial aid application
(FAFSA) as soon after October 1 as possible.
Once you’re admitted, the financial aid oce
will match your financial aid application to
your admission application on file.
WHAT IF MY AID OFFER DOESN’T MEET
MY NEED OR I DON’T QUALIFY FOR NEED
BASED AID?
Contact the Oce of Financial Aid about
non-need-based loans, such as Federal
Direct PLUS, the Federal Direct Unsubsidized
Staord Loan and alternative (private) loans.
Other possibilities for additional funding
include non-need based scholarships and
employment and UNC’s monthly payment
plan called Bear Pay.
WILL THE COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY FUND
STIPEND SHOW AS PART OF MY AID
OFFER?
No. The College Opportunity Fund was
established by the Colorado legislature for
Colorado resident undergraduate students. It’s
not considered financial aid and doesn’t appear
as part of your aid oer. You must register for
the stipend online at collegeincolorado.org. If
you don’t apply for the stipend, then you’ll pay
a higher tuition amount.
IF I HAVE TO WORK WHILE ATTENDING
COLLEGE, WILL MY GRADES SUFFER?
Surprisingly, studies have shown that
students who work on campus up to 20 hours
per week do better academically and are more
responsible with budgeting their time.
IS THERE AID AVAILABLE IF I DECIDE
TO ATTEND SUMMER SCHOOL?
Financial aid for the Summer Session
is limited but is possible under certain
conditions. Contact the Oce of Financial Aid
or visit unco.edu/financial-aid website for
updates.
DO I HAVE TO COMPLETE A FAFSA EVERY
YEAR?
Yes, each year your situation must be
reevaluated for your eligibility for financial
assistance. FAFSA opens October 1 each year.
WILL THE FINANCIAL AID OFFERED AT
ONE SCHOOL TRANSFER TO ANOTHER
SCHOOL?
Financial aid doesn’t transfer from school to
school. If you’re planning to transfer between
schools during an academic year, contact the
financial aid oce at each school.
AM I EXPECTED TO SAVE MONEY FROM
MY SUMMER JOB?
You are expected to contribute toward your
educational expenses, but your expected
contribution will vary based upon your
income.
WILL WUE SHOW AS PART OF MY AID
OFFER?
WUE is a tuition rate and will be reflected in
your estimated costs.
DO I NEED TO PAY MY FULL COST OF
ATTENDACE ALL AT ONCE?
Direct cost of tuition, fees, and room and
board, if on-campus, will be due half in fall
and half in spring. Indirect costs such as
books, transportation and personal expenses
are not billed by UNC but are controlled by
you (the student).
WHAT ELSE?
Make sure you “know before you owe” UNC
or any college. Make sure you understand
your bill and financial aid before you commit.
We are here to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Note: Individuals willfully providing false or misleading information to secure funds under Title IV federal aid programs will be subject
to a $20,000 fine, a prison sentence, or both under the U.S. Criminal Code. The provision of false or misleading information to secure
funds under the Colorado student aid programs, or any misuse of funds received, may result in criminal prosecution pursuant to
Colorado Criminal Code sections 18-1-101.
unco.edu/financial-aid | 15
Oce of Financial Aid
Campus Box 33
501 20th Street
Greeley, CO 80639-0055
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 21
EVANS, COLORADO
“I only got to where I am today thanks to the amazing
people who have helped me in my journey. My goal in life
is to be able to give back in any way I possibly can.”
Rachael Carrillo ’19, Sociology