Don't leave money on the table!
Financial aid is readily available to help students and families pay for the cost of college. Need-based financial aid, such as the Pell Grant, Supplemental grants and Work-Study, are provided on the basis of the financial need of the student and is generally determined by your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Other types of financial aid are not determined by need, such as loans and merit-based scholarships. Not all aid needs to be paid back.
Most students receive some type of financial aid, including scholarships, grants, loans and work study. You can use financial aid to help pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies and living expenses such as housing and food.
Start by filing a FAFSA today!
UA Financial Aid Offices
Types of Financial Aid & Education Funding Resources
is an education savings plan designed to make it easy for parents and loved ones to save for education. You can use your Alaska 529 account tax-free for education expenses.
Prepare now so you can complete the 2025–26 FAFSA form as soon as it’s available on or before Dec. 1, 2024. There is no deadline for the FAFSA, but we recommend completing it before February 15 to be considered for all 91Â鶹ÌìÃÀ scholarships. The state of Alaska requires the FAFSA by June 30 for state aid, including the Alaska Performance Scholarship.
Here are some ways you can get ready:
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(if you don’t already have one).
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Learn about the .
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Determine your and whether your parent(s) or spouse will be required to contribute information on your FAFSA form.
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If you’re a dependent student, use the to identify which parent(s) will be a required contributor on your form.
Maintaining Eligibility
Don't lose your financial aid. Carefully read the terms of any scholarships or loans which you receive to ensure you maintain eligibility for the award including filing a FAFSA annually, enrolling in a degree or certificate program, and maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a standard of academic performance created by the federal government to make sure students are continually making measurable progress towards their degree to be eligible to receive financial aid. If a student does not meet these requirements, they are subject to losing their federal, state and institutional financial aid awards.
- Federal regulations found in 34 CFR 668.34 require, as a condition to participation
in federal student aid program, that the University have a satisfactory academic progress
(SAP) policy that monitors:
- Quality—this is monitored by the cumulative grade point average (GPA). To maintain eligibility for financial aid students must stay in good academic standing by maintaining a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA for undergraduates and a minimum 3.00 for graduates.
- Quantity—this is monitored by evaluating the percentage of attempted credits in which passing grades are earned. The minimum satisfactory completion rate is 67% (rounded to nearest 1%). Passing grades for this purpose are letter grades of A, B, C, D, or P. This is an ongoing average, and not a semester or annual percentage.
- Maximum Timeframe—the final component requires that students complete their degree program within 150% of the required credits of the program. For example, if a student is in a bachelor’s degree program that requires 120 credits to graduate, the student may receive funding for the first 180 credits attempted.
- Academic progress will be reviewed at the end of each semester to ensure the student has met the minimum GPA requirements and completed 67% of attempted credits at the University of Alaska and credits that have been taken at other institutions and transferred into the student’s degree program.
- Grades of AU, DF, F, I, W, NB, NC and NP indicate unsatisfactory completion of courses for financial aid purposes. DF grades assigned for thesis work in progress will be allowed as satisfactory for one year only. Failure of a student to satisfactorily complete the required percentage of credits will result in the suspension of most types of financial aid.
- First-time freshmen with no prior post-secondary academic history are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress for the first semester of enrollment.
- Satisfactory academic progress must be maintained and is reviewed even during terms in which aid is not received.
- Academic Disqualification, Dismissal or Removal from Program will result in immediate loss of aid.
Contact Your Financial Aid Office for more SAP resources, FAQs, appeal information and more using the links below: