Financial Aid

Location/phone: USF St. Petersburg: BAY 105, (727) USF-4128
Office Hours:  Monday through ThursdaFriday, 8 a.m. to 6  5 p.m.
and Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Web Address:http://www.stpt.usf.edu/finaid/index.htm
Counselor Email: finaid@stpete.usf.edu

          USF St. Petersburg only requires the Free Application for Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal, state and USF financial aid funds. First, apply for a Federal Pin number at http://www.pin.ed.gov, then complete and submit the FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov  Be sure to list school code #001537, to ensure USFSP receives an electronic copy of  your information.

     Since many programs are funded on a limited basis, it is to your advantage to apply between January 1 and March 1 of every year to be considered for the maximum amount and types of aid available.  Other dates and detailed information regarding these programs  are provided on our website through our Programs-At-A-Glance:  http://usfweb2.usf.edu/finaid/at_a_glance.asp. 

Scholarships are another financial aid option for incoming students.  See “Scholarships”.

The Office of Financial Aid communicates important information regarding your aid via e-mail throughout the year.  Therefore, it is extremely important that you ensure that your current e-mail address is correct in OASIS.  Through OASIS, you can also view the status of your financial aid, see any needed documents to complete your financial aid file, and see any awards offered to you.

Degree-seeking, Financial Aid students enrolled at least half-time receive a tuition deferment.   A tuition deferment prevents cancellation of registration for non-payment of fees and temporarily prevents assessment of the late payment fee. Since financial aid is disbursed after drop/add, check OASIS to see if you have a tuition deferment prior to the start of each term (http://www.stpete.usf.edu/sp_oasis/index.htm). If you have tuition deferment, and you have met disbursement requirements, your financial aid will be applied against your student account charges.  Most financial aid is disbursed through your student account and is applied to tuition and other charges posted to the account before a check is issued for any remaining balance. Avoid paying a late payment fee by paying any remaining balance before the deferment deadline Since tuition deferment prevents cancellation for non-payment, you must officially withdraw from all classes by the end of drop/add week to be relieved of liability to pay and to ensure that tuition is not later paid by disbursed financial aid. 

Because we are required by federal regulations to verify the last date of attendance in classes, at the end of each semester the Office of Financial Aid mails letters to financial aid recipients who appear to have unofficially withdrawn (your semester grades are all M, F, U, or I.)  Your last date of attendance may be considered the last date you submitted an assignment or took an exam, or your last date of actual attendance in classes.  This letter requires a response within 14 days, or it will be assumed you did not attend beyond the 50% point of the term.  This may require you to repay a portion of federal financial aid received.

Federal regulations require all schools participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs to have a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy that confirms to the two requirements: Qualitative and Quantitative detailed on the financial aid webpage:

http://usfweb2.usf.edu/finaid/other/satisfactory_progress.htm

These requirements apply to all students as one determinant of eligibility for financial aid.  Your satisfactory academic progress is based on your entire academic record, at all schools attended, regardless of whether you received financial aid.  SAP is calculated each semester after grades have been posted to academic history by the registrar.  One week after the last day of final exams is a good time to check your status.  If  your SAP status is ineligible, you will not qualify for a tuition deferment and must pay by the payment deadline (end of drop/add, which is the fifth day of classes) or your registration will be cancelled.