This week's top financial aid questions:

When will I hear from USU about my 2012-13 financial aid?

Starting in April, we will send out financial aid offers or other instructions to fully admitted applicants by email.

Do I have to report scholarships and grants on my taxes?

In general, you must report any scholarships and grants that exceeded tuition and fees required to enroll at or attend an educational institution, and course-related expenses, such as fees, books, supplies, and equipment that are required of all students for the courses at the educational institution. Please review IRS Publication 970 - Tax Benefits for Education for more information about your situation.

I am transferring to USU and have financial aid at another college. I was wondering if I can have my financial aid transferred to your school.

Financial aid cannot be directly transferred from one university to another. If you are transferring to another university during an award year you need to add the other school on your FAFSA. Go to www.fafsa.gov to add USU to your application (USU’s school code is 003677.) You do not need to delete the code for the school you are currently attending. After submitting your FAFSA application, the financial aid office at the school you are transferring to will receive your application and begin processing.  You may need to submit additional information at your new school.

Should I pay for financial aid and scholarship guidance?

No! Beware of any service that offers financial advice or assistance after you pay a fee. We are happy to assist you with any questions. There are many free scholarship services online.

What happens to my financial aid if I drop a class now?

  1. If you are on financial aid warning or probation, dropping a class may result in suspension of financial aid for spring semester. Please check with the financial aid office if you are on warning or probation.
  2. Dropping or withdrawing from classes will affect your academic progress, and you will receive either a W "grade" on your transcript. Getting too many W on your transcript could result in financial aid warning.
  3. If you drop or fail all of your classes this semester, you may be required to repay some of your financial aid. More information here.

Will this email that I am on Warning/Probation/Suspension effect my award for fall?
You can still have your financial aid this term if you receive a warning notice. However next semester's financial aid is on hold until you verify your grades with our office. If you receive a suspension notice, then you are not eligible for financial aid including loans for this and subsequent semesters. If you have extenuating circumstances that resulted in your financial aid suspension, you may submit a financial aid appeal.

Why will my ID card not work at the computer labs, library, etc?
Student ID cards only work if your balance at USU is paid in full. You may still owe tuition, fees, or have been assessed a late fee. Please check your account to see if you owe anything for this or previous semesters. You will need to pay the balance as soon as possible in order to access services at USU.

Why do I get emails telling me I have been awarded?  I was awarded months ago?
Sometimes updates to your aid are made during the school year and we are required to inform you of these changes.

When will I get my leftover financial aid money?
Any remaining funds are sent the first day of the semester (around August 30) to the mailing address you have on USU Access. Or you can sign up to have the funds deposited directly into your checking account. Remember, you must be enrolled in at least six credits to receive any loan funds.

Direct Deposit Instructions
Go to www.usu.edu/myusu
Click on “Login to Access (Banner)”
Select “Financial aid” Tab in ACCESS
Select “Direct Deposit.”
Provide the requested information and save.

How will my aid pay my charges?
When you register, financial aid will show up on your account. Scholarships should show as paid; grants and loans should show as "memo's". Even though your aid is not available in cash, it is counted as payment for your classes. As long as the aid is sufficient, you will not lose your classes on the purge date. Checks for remaining funds after all your charges are paid will be mailed to the mailing address you have on USU Access (or deposited in your bank account if you have signed up for direct deposit) to arrive the first day of the semester. After you register, you can look at your charges and check to be sure all your aid has been applied by logging into USU Access.
Warning: Year-long independent study classes do not qualify for financial aid.

How do I sign a Master Promissory Note for Direct Loans?
Go to studentloans.gov.
Click on the "SIGN IN" button.
Login with your Social Security Number, FAFSA PIN, etc and submit.
Click on “Complete Master Promissory Note.”
Click on “Subsidized/Unsubsidized.”
The site will walk you through the rest of the steps.
USU should be notified in 5-7 days that this requirement is satisfied.

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Other Frequently Asked Questions