Learn more about the Fall 2023 financial aid disbursement process:
Eligibility Criteria & Minimum Enrollment Requirement
Disbursement Information & Student Refunds
Why Hasn't My Financial Aid Disbursed?
What is the Financial Aid Recalculation Date and how does it impact me?
How Do Waitlisted Courses Affect My Financial Aid Eligibility?
Need Assistance with your Financial Aid?
Disbursement of Financial Aid for Fall 2023
Disbursement of financial aid is the process in which financial aid awards (grants, loans, scholarships, etc.) are posted to your student account.
Disbursement of financial aid will begin approximately one week prior to the first day of classes (disbursements begin approximately August 14 for courses beginning August 21) and will continue each week throughout the semester as students complete and meet all eligibility requirements.
Get Started - Check your accepted financial aid and disbursement status
To check your disbursement status:
Step 1: Log in to MavLINK, click on the Student Accounts link, and choose "My Account".
Step 2: If you have elected direct deposit, your refund should arrive approximately 3 - 5 business days after the date beside your student refund amount. Check refunds take approximately 12 - 15 business days to process and arrive in the mail.
Learn more about:
- Financial aid eligibility and minimum enrollment requirements;
- The financial aid recalculation date and how the financial aid recalculation date may impact your financial aid eligibility; and
- Reasons aid may be delayed from disbursing to your student account.
Eligibility Criteria and Minimum Enrollment Requirement
- Generally, financial aid is initially awarded based on full-time enrollment status. If you enroll less than full-time, your financial aid and cost of attendance may be adjusted. Learn more.
- To be eligible for a financial aid disbursement, you must meet all eligibility and disbursement requirements.
- Federal Pell grant funds are automatically accepted; however, you must accept all other financial aid awards for them to disburse (assuming you meet all other eligibility criteria).
You must meet all eligibility criteria, including establishing the minimum enrollment requirement.
| Type of Aid | Additional Information/Minimum Enrollment Requirement |
|---|---|
| Federal Pell Grant |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: Varies based on EFC which affects amount awarded. Some students are eligible for Federal Pell Grant at a less than half-time enrollment status; eligibility varies. Your Federal Pell Grant amount is prorated based on your actual enrollment status. Students who are eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant according to the expected family contribution (EFC) calculated on the 2023-2024 FAFSA will have their eligibility recalculated up to the day of the financial aid recalculation date. Amounts awarded will count towards the student's Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (maximum lifetime limit). |
| State and Institutional Grants
|
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: Students receiving State and Institutional Grants must be enrolled at a full-time enrollment level to be eligible. This is verified after the financial aid recalculation date. State and Institutional Grants include: Nebraska Promise |
| UNO Scholarships |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: Varies based on the scholarship received. All scholarships awarded and administered through UNO will automatically be credited to your student account. |
| Buffett / College Opportunity Scholarship (COS) |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: All Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation (STBF) scholarship recipients are required to maintain at least three-quarter time enrollment across all institutions during each term (except summer). Amounts are prorated based on enrollment status. |
| Outside Scholarships |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: Varies based on the donor. Contact your donor to obtain the minimum enrollment requirement. Unless otherwise specified by the donor, outside scholarships are divided equally between Fall and Spring semesters and will be posted to your student account. Outside scholarships of less than $500 may be applied entirely to the semester in which it is received. If a scholarship check is made payable to the student only, the student must inform the Office of Financial Support & Scholarships to ensure the scholarship is correctly reflected in the financial aid award. Scholarships are considered as countable financial aid. The student can then use the check proceeds according to the donor's wishes. Other exceptions are in effect when we are instructed otherwise by the donor. |
| Federal Work-Study (FWS) |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: One (1) credit hour and is dependent upon demonstrated financial aid need. |
| Federal Direct Loans |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: Students must be enrolled in at least a half-time enrollment level to be eligible for a Direct Loan disbursement. Borrowers must have completed Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN) prior to a disbursement being made. Need to complete? Get Started Students Graduating in December: If you indicated that you will be graduating in December, your Federal Direct loans will not be released for disbursement until after the financial aid recalculation date but will show as "Pending Financial Aid" on your student account. |
| Federal TEACH Grant |
Funds will not be disbursed until after the financial aid recalculation date. |
| Undergraduate Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: Students must be enrolled in at least a half-time enrollment level to be eligible for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan disbursement. The maximum PLUS loan amount you can receive is the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid received.
For students enrolling less than full-time, the cost of attendance is adjusted after the financial aid recalculation date.
If you are receiving a Parent PLUS loan and are not enrolled full-time, loan funds will not be disbursed until after the financial aid recalculation date. This is due to cost of attendance adjustments that need to be made that may cause a change in your Parent PLUS loan eligibility. This adjustment may affect the maximum amount a PLUS loan borrower can receive and loan amounts may be adjusted to prevent a financial aid overaward. |
| Graduate Federal Direct PLUS Loans |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: Students must be enrolled in at least a half-time enrollment level to be eligible for a Direct Graduate PLUS Loan disbursement. The maximum PLUS loan amount you can receive is the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid received. For students enrolling less than full-time, the cost of attendance is adjusted after the financial aid recalculation date. |
| Alternative (Private) Student Loans |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement: Varies based on lender criteria. Non-federal loans made by a lender such a bank, credit union, state agency, or school. |
Minimum Enrollment Requirement
| Undergraduate Student | Graduate Student | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Time | 12 + credit hours | 9 + credit hours |
| Three-Quarter Time | 9 – 11 credit hours | 7 – 8 credit hours |
| Half-Time | 6 – 8 credit hours | 5 – 6 credit hours |
| Less Than Half Time | Less Than 6 credit hours | Less Than 5 credit hours |
Disbursement Information / Student Refunds
Financial aid funds are disbursed to your student account. The disbursement first pays the tuition and fee charges, any housing and food charges, and other institutional charges if authorized by you.
If your account at UNO pays all authorized charges and a credit balance occurs, this is considered a credit balance student refund.
Any remaining credit balance will be refunded via direct deposit (ACH) or paper check.
Once the credit balance has been posted:
Direct Deposit: Receive your refund in 3 - 5 business days.
Paper Check: Mailed to the address UNO has on file for you in 12 - 15 business days.
Direct deposit provides a secure, efficient method to receive your refund.
Learn more about financial aid refunds.
Set up direct deposit on MavLINK by choosing Student Accounts and click "Direct Deposit".
Why hasn't my financial aid disbursed?
- Financial aid "To-Do" list items in MavLINK.
- You may have aid that needs to be accepted/reduced/declined on MavLINK.
- Incomplete verification
- Failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
- Our staff needs to review your file prior to disbursement
- Enrollment conflicts: waitlisted courses, enrollment not meeting minimum requirements (learn more)
Why hasn't my loan disbursed?
- Have you completed Direct Loan Entrance Counseling (first time borrower)?
- Is a valid Master Promissory Note (MPN) on file?
- Do you meet the minimum enrollment requirement (half-time)?
- Parent PLUS: Did you parent complete the Parent PLUS Application for Parents and Master Promissory Note (MPN)?
What is the financial aid recalculation date? How does it impact me?
- The financial aid recalculation date is 11:59PM on Monday, August 28, 2023.
- This date is the last day you can drop courses and receive a 100% refund.
- Awards are adjusted based on your actual enrollment for the term.
- At recalculation, your cost of attendance and Federal Pell Grant will be prorated based on your actual enrollment.
- Eligibility for Federal Pell Grant payments will be based on your enrollment status at the financial aid recalculation date (Last day to DROP a course via MavLINK from the "General" session and receive a 100% refund). Enrollment status means credit hours actually registered. Any enrollments added after 8/28/2023 cannot be counted towards Pell Grant eligibility. Classes still in wait list status after 8/28/2023 also cannot be included.
- State and Institutional Grants (including Nebraska Promise) will be cancelled if you are not enrolled full-time.
- Loans will be cancelled if your enrollment falls below half-time.
- Awards may be adjusted to keep your total financial aid awarded within the cost of attendance and demonstrated financial aid need.
How do waitlisted courses affect my financial aid eligibility?
- Waitlisted courses are not considered enrolled.
- Your enrollment as of the financial aid recalculation date is what determines your final financial aid eligibility.
- If you have courses in waitlist status at the financial aid recalculation date, they cannot be considered towards Federal Pell Grant eligibility.
Need assistance with your financial aid? Our staff is ready to help!
The Office of Financial Support & Scholarships has experienced Financial Support Counselors available to help you with your questions. We suggest first checking our website and MavLINK especially as the first few weeks of the semester is our busiest time of the year. Our team can answer questions regarding your application status, budget resources, aid information, disbursement status, and more.