FAQs: Completing the FAFSA
You do not need to wait until you have applied to or been admitted to UMGC before completing the FAFSA. It is always recommended to complete it as soon as possible.
To potentially avoid any disruption to your course enrollment due to a lack of funding, we encourage you to complete and submit your FAFSA by these dates:
- Summer term: April 1
- Fall term: June 1
- Spring term: November 1
For the 2024-25 aid year the priority deadline for MHEC has been moved to May 15, 2024, with the final deadline being June 1, 2024.
Maryland Residents: The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) has a FAFSA submission deadline of March 1 each year to be considered for many of their state grant and scholarship programs.
A new FAFSA form becomes available every year and is used to determine your financial aid eligibility for the following aid year. UMGC’s financial aid years begin with the summer term each year, and each aid year includes the summer, fall, winter and spring term, in that order. It is recommended that you complete your FAFSA each year as soon as it becomes available if you plan to take courses in any of the terms that fall within the aid year that the FAFSA covers.
Below is a chart of FAFSA years, when they become available to students, and the terms at UMGC in which you may be considered for aid eligibility for each corresponding FAFSA:
| FAFSA | When is this FAFSA available? | Which terms at UMGC are covered by this FAFSA? |
| 2024–2025 | December 31, 2023–June 30, 2025 | Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025 |
| 2025–2026 | October 1, 2024–June 30, 2026 | Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026 |
When you are completing your FAFSA, you will be prompted to add the school(s) where you want your information to be sent. Be sure to enter UMGC's school code: 011644. You will need to include this information to ensure we receive a copy of your FAFSA so we can review your eligibility.
Beginning with the 2024–2025 FAFSA, all contributors listing tax information on the FAFSA must provide consent to use the Direct Data Exchange (DDX), which will transfer tax information directly from the IRS. The DDX eases the process burden associated with completing the FAFSA. If consent to their federal tax information is not received from all contributors, your eligibility for federal student aid may be restricted or denied.
- You and your contributors (if applicable) will be guided through the steps to have your federal tax information transferred as you complete your FAFSA.
There are limited cases where the DDX will not be able to transfer your federal tax information from the IRS, and income and tax data will need to be entered manually.
For more information on completing the FAFSA, please watch the Financial Aid TV FAFSA tutorial, located at the bottom of the page.
If you and/or your contributors were unable to successfully use the DDX, you may need to provide IRS documents to verify your income data in the event your FAFSA is selected for Verification. However, please only send these IRS documents to UMGC if our financial aid office specifically requests them from you. If you send documentation to UMGC that we did not request, this could delay the processing of your application. Please see UMGC's financial aid policies for more details.
View our Financial Aid Verification Policy webpage for details on the verification process.
Step 2: Check Your E-mail and MyUMGC Student Portal for Updates
The 2025–2026 FAFSA will go partially live on October 1 for a beta test for select contributors. It is slated to go live for everyone else by December 1. UMGC has received a few suggestions intended to give you the optimal performance while filling out the FAFSA (these can also apply for the 2024–2025 FAFSA, which is currently available):
- The Google Chrome browser appears to provide the most consistent performance.
- Try not to switch between desktop and mobile views often, as this may cause display issues.
- Using a tablet device may cause display and interaction issues.
- The preferred prototype view is desktop and will provide you with the most consistent experience.
- Do not use auto-complete to enter any information.
From the date you submitted your FAFSA, it typically takes three to five business days for us to receive your application. After initial review, the Department of Education will identify if you need to submit anything further for your application to be fully processed. We will contact you directly by email to notify you if additional information is needed.
We will also update your To Do List in your MyUMGC student portal with detailed descriptions of any additional requirements, you may need to complete. Make sure to check your portal frequently to stay on top of your requirements and submit any requested information to us promptly.
After all the required documents have been submitted and a Financial Aid Counselor has reviewed your FAFSA, you will receive an initial offer letter by email (make sure you are checking your UMGC student email if you have already received one), and you will be able to view the type(s) of financial aid you have been offered in your MyUMGC student portal.
Step 3: Review Your Financial Aid Offer and Accept or Decline Your Loan(s)
Your financial aid offer lists the amount of aid you are eligible to receive to attend UMGC. Your offer may be a combination of scholarships, grants, and loans. Your offer is based on your FAFSA and on the assumption that you will register at least half-time for each term that you receive financial aid. Students are awarded for the full aid year based on their career and grade level. If you decide not to attend UMGC, or would like to modify your aid offer, please contact our office at finaid@umgc.edu.
Step 4: Complete Your Loan Documents and Receive Your Aid
If you choose to accept any student loans, and you are a new borrower at UMGC, you will need to visit StudentAid.gov to complete your Direct Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note. Both documents must be completed before your loan funds will be disbursed to your student account.
Your aid may be revised according to your actual enrollment at the time you register. If you are owed a refund, it will be processed according to the refund disbursement procedures outlined by the Office of Student Accounts. To ensure that your aid is disbursed on time, it is important to check your MyUMGC student portal for updates to your financial aid file. You can review your financial aid offer details and any adjustments in the Financial Aid center of your student portal.
Step 5: Maintain Your Eligibility
To maintain your eligibility for financial aid, you must meet the standards set forth in UMGC's policy on satisfactory academic progress. You should also review how changes to your enrollment can affect your financial aid. It is also important to remember that each scholarship or grant you receive will have its own set of eligibility criteria that you must continue to meet, so be sure you take the time to check on the requirements for all types of financial aid funding you receive so that you do not risk losing your aid.