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Steps to Apply

To help guide you through the financial aid process, follow these steps when applying for financial aid.

Step 1. Apply for Admission in a Degree-Seeking Program

Please complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) while you are applying for admission; however, financial aid is offered only to admitted students. Once you are admitted to UWF, you may move forward with completing any outstanding financial aid requirements (if applicable).

  • Degree-seeking students are enrolled in programs that lead to a bachelor's, master's, specialist, or doctoral degrees.
  • Non-degree seeking students are enrolled in certificate programs or applied as non-degree seeking. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible for financial aid via the FAFSA or any institutional aid offered through the OFAS.

Step 2. Complete the FAFSA

The FAFSA form you will need to complete will depend on the term(s) you attend UWF. For the strongest aid consideration, complete the FAFSA and any verification steps by your term priority date.

Which FAFSA do I complete?
Attending Term FAFSA Aid Year FAFSA Status
Fall 2024 2024-2025 Open
Spring 2025 2024-2025 Open
Summer 2025 2024-2025 Open
Fall 2025 2025-2026 Set to fully open December 2024

UWF's school code is 003955. If you have already submitted the FAFSA but did not include UWF in your school list, you can correct this at the FAFSA website. 

Step 3. Review your FAFSA Submission Summary

The FAFSA Submission Summary is an electronic document from the U.S. Department of Education's office of Federal Student Aid that lists the answers to the questions on your FAFSA. It also provides basic estimates about your eligibility for federal student aid, but it is not a financial aid offer. Additionally, the summary will provide important information including if the FAFSA was successfully processed or if a student has been selected for verification.
 
If your FAFSA Summary Submission indicates you were selected for verification, additional documentation may be required. Students not selected by the ED are subject to institutional verification as a result of conflicting information or administrative determination. A notification is automatically sent to your student email address providing details on how to create an account in uwf.studentforms.com. Financial Aid eligibility is not determined until verification has been completed; therefore, financial aid offers will not be sent until all verification documents have been received, processed, and accepted. If you are selected for verification on a subsequent FAFSA transaction after receiving a financial aid offer, verification must be completed prior to another financial aid disbursement.

Step 4. Review your Student Aid Index (SAI)

SAI succeeds what was formerly known as Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and is reported on your FAFSA Submission Summary when successfully processed. The SAI is a formula-based index number ranging from -1500 to 999999 and is calculated from the information you and your contributors (if applicable) provide on the FAFSA. The SAI is the basis for creating a financial aid offer. Your SAI is not a dollar amount of aid you will receive, what your family is expected to provide, or your final financial aid offer.

Step 5. Determine Your Scholarship Eligibility

For new students, the process for awarding academic scholarships is directly linked to admission. A number of academic scholarship programs are available to students who have demonstrated high academic achievement. The Financial Aid Office also awards a limited number of need/merit-based scholarships. For more information, visit Scholarships.

The Cost Calculator is designed to help you estimate your UWF financial aid options. The average time to complete a full estimate is 3-5 minutes. When you need help, feel free to speak to your admissions counselor or contact Undergraduate Admissions at admissions@uwf.edu or 850.474.2230.

Step 6. Review Your Offer Letter

Review Aid Notification and Review timelines for checking your Financial Aid Status in MyUWF to determine if you have been awarded. Your financial aid package may be a combination of scholarships, loans, grants, and Federal Work-Study funds. Find out how we determine your financial aid offers.

When you receive your offer letter, please review the offer letter and attachments carefully. Make sure your enrollment status, residency, and housing status are correct. If any of these factors are incorrect, please notify the Financial Aid Office in writing.

Step 7. Sign Your Master Promissory Note

If you are a first-time borrower and your award includes a Federal Direct Loan, you will be required to sign a master promissory note and complete entrance loan counseling before disbursement of the loan.