Frequently Asked Questions

Financial Aid Application Process

• My FAFSA doesn't do a very good job of showing a picture of my (or my family's) financial situation.  Is there anything I can do to show your office how things really look?
• Why do I have to send in a Federal Verification Worksheet and tax returns?
• What is the Office of Financial Aid's fax number?  What sorts of things can I fax, and what must be sent in hard copy?
• Is financial assistance available to international students?

Types of Aid

• Which types of aid do I have to pay back?  Which types of aid do I not have to pay back?
• What's the maximum amount of Federal Stafford Loans I can borrow?
• I see that I still need to submit a Perkins Promissory Note to your office. How do I go about getting a prom note to sign?
• Am I guaranteed private loan money or do I need to do something else to get it?

Award Review

• I cannot access my account to accept my aid online!  What should I do?
• I'm not living on campus this year, but I was still offered a Residence Hall Grant. Do I need to decline it?
• How do I get more money?
• What is considered "full-time"?  Will I lose my financial aid if I fall below this many hours?

Q. My FAFSA doesn't do a very good job of showing a picture of my (or my family's) financial situation. Is there anything I can do to show your office how things really look?

A. If you feel you and your family have financial hardships not reflected in the information provided on the FAFSA, you may consult with a Financial Aid Advisor to begin an appeal process. Keep in mind that your request for more aid eligibility does not mean you will receive more grants or scholarships.

top

Q. Why do I have to send in a Federal Verification Worksheet and tax returns?

A. DU requires all students requesting need-based assistance to provide these documents enabling students to receive their fair share of available aid. It is also a federal requirement that students be verified before financial aid is disbursed. Students only receiving merit scholarships are not required to complete the verification paperwork.

top

Q. What is the Office of Financial Aid's fax number? What sorts of things can I fax, and what must be sent in hard copy?

A. Our fax number is 303.871.2341. Please be advised we cannot send you a notification that we received your fax. We receive thousands of pieces of paper daily, and we need all the time we can to process them! You can fax anything we are asking for except Promissory Notes and loan applications.

top

Q. Is financial assistance available to international students?

A. You may qualify for a merit scholarship offered through the Admissions Office for tuition and on campus room & board. You will not be eligible for other assistance.

top

Q. Which types of aid do I have to pay back? Which types of aid do I not have to pay back?

A. Scholarships and grants do not need to be repaid. You may have to maintain certain academic status to remain eligiable for these. Loans must be paid back, and workstudy recipients must find a job on campus and work to get paid.

top

Q. What's the maximum amount of Federal Stafford Loans I can borrow?

A. (Based on a full-year of continuous enrollment)

*You have to be determined eligible to receive a subsidized loan. Eligibility is based on your income/ asset information measured against the cost of attendance.
**Independent/ hardship students only.

top

Q. I see that I still need to submit a Perkins Master Promissory Note to your office. How do I go about getting a prom note to sign?

A. Information about the Federal Perkins Loan is now available on the Office of the Bursar's website at www.du.edu/bursar/perkins.htm. Please submit all Perkins information to the Bursar.

top

Q. Am I guaranteed private loan money or do I need to do something else to get it?

A. If you want to take advantage of an private loan, you need to first choose a lender and then submit an application directly to them. Private loan money is not guaranteed funding! The lender will do a credit check and will notify you directly whether or not you are approved for the funds. The list of available lenders is on our private loan page . This list is not exhaustive. If you would like to use a lender that is not listed, feel free to do so.

top

Q. I cannot access my account to accept my aid online! What should I do?

A. To log into your myWeb account, go to http://myweb.du.edu and click on Enter Secure Area. Your User ID is your student ID number. Your initial passcode is your birth date (MMDDYY).  Do not use your FAFSA PIN.

If this is your first time visiting myWeb, you must change your passcode when you log in.  The site will indicate your old passcode has expired and will lead you through the process to change it.  If you have previously logged into this site, please use the passcode you created after the initial login. If you have forgotten your passcode, you may contact our office at 303.871.4020 to have it reset.

top

Q. I'm not living on campus this year, but I was still offered a Residence Hall Grant. Do I need to decline it?

A. No. The Residence Hall Grant will not pay into your tuition account if there are no University housing charges on your tuition account. You do not need to worry about declining this award.

top

Q. How do I get more money?

A. If you are an undergraduate student, please view our financing options page. Graduate students have similar options. To search for grants and scholarships, register yourself on scholarship search engines such as finaid.org or check your local library, community center, etc. DU offers maximum institutional funding based on the information submitted through the FAFSA and tax returns. If there are unusual circumstances or additional medical, child support, and/or educational expenses, please contact a Financial Aid Advisor to review your options.

top

Q. What is considered "full-time"? Will I lose my financial aid if I fall below this many hours?

A. For undergraduate students, full-time is considered taking at least 12 credit hours per quarter. Graduate students are considered full-time when taking 8 credits per quarter/semester. Some financial aid is only available to you if you are registered full-time. You are still eligible for Work-Study, Perkins, and Federal Stafford loans if you are least half-time (6 credits undergrads, 4 credits grad/law).

top