Deciding to go to college is an investment in YOURSELF and the best financial investment you'll make in your lifetime. 

University Center wants to help everyone afford a college education. That’s why our financial aid services go beyond your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Our financial aid advisor is here to help with all aspects of your back-to-school budget, from federal loans and grants to tuition reimbursement, tuition reduction and scholarships.  

 

Our financial aid checklist can help you apply for federal aid and get the most out of your FAFSA.

Financial Aid Checklist

 

​The OVERALL Financial Aid process can take approximately 6-8 weeks, when these steps are taken.

**You must complete ALL steps, in order to use federal financial aid

 

• Create Your FSA ID

You will need to log onto https://fsaid.ed.gov and create a user name and password known as an “FSA ID” to access and submit your FAFSA. (Note; if you are a dependent, a parent will also need to create one for the FAFSA). You will use your FSA ID on multiple occasions, so we highly recommend you write it down to remember it.

 

• Compete Your FAFSA Application

Log onto www.fafsa.gov and complete your 2019-2020 FAFSA application. You will need your 2017 tax information for the 2019-2020 FAFSA. (Note; if you are a dependent your parent will need their tax information as well). You are HIGHLY encourage to transfer your tax information from the ‘IRS Data Retrieval Tool', when it prompts (this reduces errors and additional documentation needed).

 

Here are school codes that you will need when doing the FAFSA for the BOR Schools:

USD (003474)   SDSU (003471)   DSU (003463)   NSU (003466)   BHSU (003459)   SDSM&T (003470)

 

• Complete Entrance Counseling

In order to use any federal financial aid awards, you must log into www.studentloans.gov and “Complete Entrance Counseling”. You will sign in using your FSA ID. Your aid will NOT be posted to your account if this is not completed. If you have just applied for the FSA ID, you have to wait three days before you can use it. 

 

• Complete Master Promissory Note (MPN)  

In order to use any federal loans, you must log into www.studentloans.gov and complete the “Master Promissory Note”. You will sign in using your FSA ID. The MPN is the loan paper for Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans.

 

• Review & Return Award Letter

Your award letter notification will be sent to you via your school email account and will direct you to log into your Banner Self-Serve. This is where you ca view what is being offered to you, via federal financial aid for the upcoming academic year (Fall/Spring).  Once you have reviewed, be sure to accept and/or reject your funding options, and submit it so your financial aid can be posted to your account.

 

• Complete Attendance Confirmation on Web Advisor

Three weeks before classes begin, you will need to log into your Web Advisor and “Confirm Your Attendance”. This is a required step all students must do, every fall and spring.  This option will be available 3 weeks before classes begin, not before then.

 

If you have any questions, please contact the University Center Financial Aid Advisor (605) 274-9500 or your Home University Financial Aid Office.

    

USD (605) 658-6250          SDSU (605) 688-4695         DSU (605) 256-5152

     NSU (605) 626-2640            BHSU (605) 642-6145         SDSM&T (605) 394-2274

 

 

Financial Aid Websites

• Check Student Loan Balances  www.studentaid.ed.gov  
• Complete FAFSA  www.fafsa.ed.gov  
• Apply for Parent Plus Loans  www.studentloans.gov
• Request Tax Transcripts  www.irs.gov
• Financial Aid Related Questions  www.studentaid.ed.gov