Applying for Financial Aid

Application Tips

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
   • For priority consideration, the FAFSA processor must have received your FAFSA by February 15.
   • Submit your FAFSA even if you have not received your admissions decision.


2. The University of Maryland school code is 002103-00.


3. Maryland residents may apply for aid from the Maryland State Scholarship Administration (MSSA) by listing a Maryland school on the FAFSA and completing the FAFSA by March 1.
   • For more information about state aid, please utilize MSSA’s web site at www.mhec.state.md.us.


4. Search and apply for private scholarships.


5. Review your Student Aid Report (SAR).
   • Four to six weeks after you submit your FAFSA, the federal processor with send you a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR is a summary of your FAFSA data. Please review it and make sure all your information is correct. If you need to make corrections, do so online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, or mail a corrected SAR to the federal processor. If all your information is correct, keep your SAR for your records.


6. The federal processor will send us a copy of your SAR data. Do NOT send your SAR form to UM.


7. Disregard any verification notices on your SAR.
   • If your SAR states that you have been selected for “federal verification”, please do NOT send your tax forms to UM. We have a separate verification process and will notify you if additional information is needed.


8. We may ask you for additional documentation. Please respond promptly to all requests.
   • One to two weeks after we receive your SAR data, we will review your data and determine if we need to clarify or verify any of your information. If we do, we will send you a request for additional documents. Please make sure you provide the student’s name and social security number and all required signatures on all documents, especially tax forms.


9. Await notification from the Office of Student Financial Aid.
   • Once all documentation is received and evaluated, we will send you a financial aid award. Your notification will include an award letter and instructions on applying for student loans.


10. Please contact us via on-line chat, email or phone (301-314-9000 or 1-888-313-2404) if you have questions about the application process.