Filing for Financial Aid
Eligibility for financial aid is based on financial need and the student's ability to maintain satisfactory academic progress. To be considered for financial aid you must:
- Complete and submit appropriate financial aid form(s). You may pick
these up in the Financial Aid Office, 115 Student Services Building,
or you may also choose to complete the financial aid forms on the Internet.
You can access this information at the Financial
Aid web site.
- Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student for at least half-time study
(6 credit hours).
- Submit financial aid transcript(s) from previously attended institution(s),
whether or not you previously received financial aid from the school(s).
Remember:
- Grants are financial aid you do not have to pay back.
- Work Study lets you work and earn money to help pay for school.
- Loans are borrowed money that you must repay with interest.
- Undergraduate students may receive all three types of financial aid.
- Graduate students may apply for loans and federal Work Study.
Visit the Financial Aid Office, 115 Student Services Building, for an appointment with a counselor to determine your eligibility. You may also call (865) 974-3131 for general information or (865) 974-4462 for student employment.
Important: Complete the financial aid application as soon as possible! The filing process can take from six to eight weeks by mail, with a slightly faster turnaround if you complete the applications online. Applications for the following academic year are accepted beginning on January 1.
Visit the Financial Aid Office web site for a VERY thorough explanation of the financial aid process at UTK. You can also download the UT Application for Financial Aid and get information on scholarships, summer aid, work study programs, grants, and loans.
A Collection of Financial Aid Web Sites
There are literally hundreds of web pages devoted to financial aid resources. In selecting sites to be included here, we wanted to find web pages that were highly informative, easy to understand and use, and offered services free of charge. While it is not an inclusive list, you may find these pages to be helpful in your educational planning.
DISCLAIMER: The accuracy of the links provided on these pages is not guaranteed. The information available at these sites does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Adult Student Services Center, The University of Tennessee, or it's employees. They are provided as a means of information only.
- FinAid is an excellent
resource for financial aid information. You will find information on
numerous Financial Aid programs, a section on the "Best Web Resources
for Student Financial Aid," financial calculators, financial aid information
for special populations, links to on-line publications, government information,
and much more! It also includes FREE scholarship searches on a variety
of databases!
- Sallie Mae is a commercial site, but offers FREE information and services for students. We included it because it has a special information section for Adult and Nontraditional Students. It also has financial planning calculators, downloadable brochures, and general information about financial aid. Using these services, you can develop an idea about the costs of your education in order to help you to plan ahead.
The U.S. Department of Education offers a variety of information on federal financial aid. Each of the sites listed below will take you to a different location on the DOE web site. You may also choose to go directly to the DOE's Main Page.
- The Student Guide to Financial Aid is "the most comprehensive resource on student financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education," according to the web site. It is a very thorough and informative site, so check it out!
- Department of Education Programs and Services
- Information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can also use the FAFSA Express service to cut down on processing time!
- FAFSA on the Web is another government site available for use. The site developers are very concerned with privacy issues when conducting business online, which is a plus. However, not everyone can access this service, since the site uses a certain kind of encryption code (which it uses to protect your information when you send it on the Internet). To access these services, you must be using one of their recommended web browser programs. Check the web site for the current list of these programs; the site recommends that you use the U.S. (Domestic) versions of the programs, as they have the strongest encryption protection.
- Use the Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog, offered by the General Services Administration, to search for information on available federal programs, including grants and scholarships!
- These Frequently Asked Questions Directories include a guide on Adult Education and Literacy.
- A guide to Funding Your Education is also available.