Navigating UIS: A Comprehensive Guide to Student Self-Service

The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) is committed to providing students with the resources and support they need to succeed throughout their academic journey. From initial inquiries about programs to graduation and beyond, UIS offers a range of self-service tools and dedicated teams to assist students every step of the way. This guide will walk you through the various self-service options available, ensuring you can easily access the information and services you require.

Academic Advising and Support

The College of Public Affairs & Education, among other academic units, provides an array of services to current and prospective students. Student service teams are available to assist you as you progress through your academic career at UIS, from admission to graduation.

Whether you're considering applying to the College of Public Affairs and Education, have just been admitted and need to create an academic plan, or want to explore minors, additional programs, or change your major, advisors can help. You can schedule an in-person or virtual appointment year-round.

For graduate students, the Graduate & Online Student Services team serves as a primary resource for navigating graduate student policies and connecting to other campus departments and services. This team supports online students as well, ensuring their success by coordinating with faculty advisors to track progress, advocate for students in administrative matters, and provide support through any challenges.

To connect with the appropriate academic unit, utilize the directory to contact the main office. They will connect you with the right person to guide you through the various options and build a plan that meets your educational goals.

Read also: Accessing the NEOMED Portal

Financial Aid: A Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding the financial aid process is crucial for many students. This guide will help you navigate the process from the initial offer through the delivery of financial aid. It is important to respond promptly to all requests for information, directing any questions regarding your financial aid to the UIS Office of Financial Assistance (OFA).

Eligibility

Unclassified students, non-degree seeking students, and conditionally/provisionally admitted students are not generally eligible for financial aid. If you are a graduate student, you must be fully admitted to your program. Only specific graduate certificate programs are aid-eligible; please visit Financial Aid for Certificate Programs for more details.

Your financial aid is determined based on academic merit and/or financial need as determined from the information provided on your financial aid application.

Enrollment Requirements

You must inform the OFA of any change in your enrolled hours. Dropping courses or withdrawing from UIS will affect your current and future aid eligibility. Contact OFA before dropping courses or withdrawing from UIS to discuss potential outcomes.

For financial aid purposes, the following enrollment definitions apply for the fall and spring semesters:

Read also: Explore ACC Self-Service

Undergraduate:

Full time = 12 or more credit hours
Three-quarter time = 9-11 credit hours
Half-time = 6-8 credit hours
Less than half time = < 6 credit hours

Graduate:

Full time = 9 or more credit hours
Three-quarter time = 6-8 credit hours
Half time = 5 credit hours
Less than half time = < 5 credit hours

*Certain Graduate Accelerated Programs may follow different definitions

Classes taken for audit are not eligible for financial assistance and do not count toward enrollment purposes for financial aid. It is the student’s responsibility to inform OFA if they enroll in a class for an audit grade.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

As a financial aid recipient, you must satisfy the academic requirements as defined by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy of the University of Illinois Springfield. Please note Academic Good Standing follows a different policy.

Financial Assistance E-Offer Notice

Upon completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), the United States Department of Education (ED) transmits an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) to UIS OFA. This report allows the OFA to offer you financial aid when completed fully and correctly. In the cases of conflicting information, Federal Student Aid (FSA) will notify you in the comments section of your FAFSA Submission Summary. After all requirements have been satisfied by both ED and UIS, the aid offer will be prepared.

Students applying for financial assistance will receive their aid offer notification electronically through the Financial Aid section of the UIS student portal, Self-Service. More information can be found on the Financial Aid Offer Notice page.

Read also: Your Galen Student Portal

Verification

Financial Aid applicants may be selected for a process called Verification. This means that OFA must verify the information submitted on the student's FAFSA, such as tax information, student identity, number in family and other key items as designated by Federal Student Aid. Students should reply promptly to requests for additional information in order for OFA to offer and disburse financial aid. If an applicant fails to provide the requested documentation within the following timelines, UIS OFA will not be able to disburse financial aid, employ the student in the FWS program or originate loans. UIS does not make any interim disbursements to students who have not yet completed the verification requirements. Students who submit documents after the deadline may or may not be able to be verified by the end of the term.

Verification due dates by term of entry:

Fall- November 15
Spring - April 15
Summer- June 15

Financial Assistance Programs

UIS offers a variety of financial assistance programs to eligible students. These programs include:

Federal Pell Grant: Available to help undergraduates with financial need pay for their first baccalaureate degree. The maximum annual amount depends on financial need and program funding, as determined by ED.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): A federally funded, campus-based program. Recipients must demonstrate exceptional financial need as determined by the federal formula. Funds are limited, and Federal Pell Grant recipients are given priority.
Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant: A federally funded program for students who plan a career in teaching. Students may qualify for up to $4000 each year, based on meeting program conditions. In exchange for this grant, a student must sign an Agreement to Serve (ATS) as a full-time teacher at certain low-income schools and within high-need fields for at least four academic years within eight years after completing (or ceasing enrollment) the course of study for which the candidate received the grant. Failure or refusal to carry out the obligations of this program will convert the grant(s) into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan(s) with interest dated back to the time of disbursement.
State of Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP): Funded by the State of Illinois, MAP provides need-based grants for qualified undergraduate students pursuing their first baccalaureate degree to help pay for tuition and mandatory fees. Independent students must be Illinois residents, and parents of dependent students must be Illinois residents to qualify.
Military & Veterans Benefits: Students wishing to use any veteran or military benefits must complete a UIS Request for Veteran Program Benefits form each semester. The form can be accessed on the Financial Assistance web page under Financial Aid Forms. Visit Veteran Benefits for more information.
Graduate Tuition Waivers: Many students utilize graduate tuition and fee benefits through serving as a Graduate Assistant (GA) or in a Graduate Public Service Internship (GPSI). If you receive a graduate assistantship or internship, your financial aid may need to be revised to exclude any institutional grants and waivers or adjust loans.
Federal Work-Study (FWS): Offered to undergraduate students with financial need after their eligibility for grants and need-based scholarships has been considered. The FWS program allows you to earn money to pay for a portion of your educational expenses. The program encourages both community service work and work related to your course of study. FWS is one of the few types of financial aid offered by the Office of Financial Assistance that does not credit directly to your University account. Rather, you must work to earn the amount of FWS for which you may be eligible. Student employees are paid every two weeks. Wages vary depending on the type of work involved. If your offer notice includes an FWS amount, you may search the CareerConnect Job Board for available positions. The Virtual Job Board may be accessed at Student Employment page. A complete description of the position and pay rate is included in each job listing. Students who are hired to work on campus will need to complete the applicable employment paperwork. If you wish to decline your FWS offer or reduce your offer (minimum FWS is $1,000) and request additional Federal Loans, please contact OFA. An advisor will be able to determine if you have additional loan eligibility. If your offer notice did not include an FWS offer but you would like to work on campus as an FWS student, please contact OFA. An advisor will be able to determine your eligibility for FWS. If you have been offered a student loan, your student loan eligibility may be reduced.

Federal Direct Loan Program (DL)

A part of your financial aid offer may include your eligibility to participate in the Federal Direct Loan Program (DL). The federal government created this program to provide low-interest loans to assist students and their families in financing postsecondary education. There is no separate loan application for federal student loans. The FAFSA® is the application.

Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans

The subsidized loan is based on financial need as determined by the government from the results of the FAFSA®. If you qualify for a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, the government will pay the interest on your loan during the following periods:

While you are enrolled in school at least half-time
During the six-month grace period after you graduate or drop below half-time enrollment
During authorized periods of deferment

The unsubsidized loan is not based on financial need. The government does not pay the interest on your behalf. You are responsible for payment of all interest that accumulates while you are in school, during grace periods, and deferment periods. You have the option of making interest payments while you are still in school, or you may defer interest payments until you begin repayment. All other terms and conditions of the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan are the same as the subsidized loan.

Additional unsubsidized loan funds may be available for dependent students whose parents cannot obtain a Federal PLUS Loan. Check with a financial aid advisor for more details on how to qualify for an additional loan.

Terms of Federal Direct Loans

Interest Rates

Federal Direct Loan interest rates and origination fees effective for loans disbursed July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026

Loan Type	Borrower Type	Origination Fees	Fixed Interest Rate
Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans	Undergraduate	1.057%	6.39%
Direct Unsubsidized Loans	Graduate or Professional	1.057%	7.94%
Direct PLUS Loans	Parents and Graduate or Professional Students	4.228%	8.94%

Loan Fees

Loan fees, or origination fees, are fees collected by ED to service your loans. Fees as shown above are deducted from the original amount of your loan. This means that the net amount applied to the student's account will be slightly less than what was accepted.

Loan Disbursement

According to federal regulations, loans borrowed for full academic year periods will be paid in two installments called “disbursements.” Typically, there will be one disbursement in the fall and one in the spring. For loans processed for only one semester (example - a Fall-only loan), the funds will be issued in one disbursement.

Entrance Loan Counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN)

Federal regulations require all first-time borrowers at UIS to complete Entrance Loan Counseling and a MPN prior to loan disbursement. These funds cannot be disbursed until both items have been completed. These can be completed online at Studentaid.gov. Failure to complete these requirements will delay the delivery of your loan.

Exit Loan Counseling

Federal regulations require all students who graduate, drop below half-time enrollment or leave school to complete an Exit Loan Counseling session. This requirement can be fulfilled online at Studentaid.gov.

Repayment

Repayment of your Federal Direct loans begins six months after graduation, leaving school, or dropping below half-time attendance. The standard repayment term is 10 years, but other Repayment Plan Options are available.

Annual and Aggregate Loan Limits

The federal government has set limits on the amount of Direct Loan funds a student may borrow within a given year and throughout their educational career. The annual and lifetime aggregate limits listed below are calculated by including all Direct Loan funds borrowed from all schools attended. Once a student reaches their aggregate limit, they are no longer eligible to borrow under the Direct Loan Program (subsidized or unsubsidized).

Loan Type	Dependent Students (except students whose parents are unable to obtain PLUS Loans)	Independent Students (and dependent undergraduate students whose parents are unable to obtain PLUS Loans)
First-Year Undergraduate Annual Loan Limit	$5,500-No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.	$9,500-No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
Second-Year Undergraduate Annual Loan Limit	$6,500-No more than $4,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.	$10,500-No more than $4,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
Third Year and Beyond Undergraduate Annual Loan Limit	$7,500 per year-No more than $5,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.	$12,500-No more than $5,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
Graduate or Professional Student Annual Loan Limit	Not Applicable (all graduate and professional degree students are considered independent).	$20,500 (unsubsidized only).
Subsidized and Unsubsidized Aggregate Loan Limit	$31,000-No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.	$57,500 for undergraduates-No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.
		$138,500 for graduate or professional students-No more than $65,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. The graduate aggregate limit includes all federal loans received for undergraduate study.

If you have questions about your Direct Loan eligibility or other options available to you, please contact your financial aid advisor to review your loan status. You may also view your borrowing history through the Federal Student Aid portal.

Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

The PLUS Loan is a federal funded program for the parent(s) of a dependent, undergraduate student. Eligibility is not based on financial need; however, applicants are required to pass a credit check. An approved applicant can borrow up to the cost of attendance minus other financial aid offered.

The PLUS loan is an unsubsidized loan, meaning the borrower will be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. When you borrow through the PLUS Loan Program, the parent who borrows must sign a Master Promissory Note agreeing to pay back the loan with interest, according to the terms of the program.

Parents who are interested in the PLUS Loan should visit StudentAid.gov to complete the online application.

Alternative Loan Programs

Alternative, or Private Loans, were designed to bridge the gap between college costs and traditional financial aid resources. These loans are typically borrowed in the student’s name and are not based on financial need. Banks and lenders examine the creditworthiness of the student and cosigner, if applicable, before approving private education loans. The Office of Financial Assistance must certify enrollment.

Donor-Funded Institutional Scholarships

The donor-funded scholarship process begins in early November each year. All applications must be submitted by mid-February to be considered. To complete the online application and to receive more information on this process, please go to the Donor Funded Institutional Scholarships page. These funds disburse around the 10th day of th…

UIS Service Portal and IT Resources

UIS offers a comprehensive service portal to address various student needs and technical issues. The new portal lets you easily review the status of your submitted issues or requests by clicking View my Requests on the portal homepage. You can also withdraw and add attachments to your ticket. Report when something is not working correctly or if a service is unavailable through the Report an Issue function.

Reporting an Issue:

Complete the webform with a short description regarding the nature of your issue.
Include the full details of the ticket, including any supplementary information that may aid in resolving it.
Click Submit.

Requesting a Service:

Log in to the portal.
On the UIS Service Catalog page, select a service category. Click an arrow to expand the service description.
Depending on the service area, different services will be listed under the selected category.
A webform will open. Complete the form with a description of the service you are requesting, with as much information as you can provide.
Click Submit.

Key IT Resources and Applications

UIS provides access to a range of IT resources and applications to support students' academic and administrative needs. These include:

NetID Center: Allows you to manage both your NetID password and your 2FA (2-Factor Authentication). 2FA is an extra layer of security to protect your personal data as well as University data available through your account.
Service Desk Manager: A ticketing tool for customer support and IT service desks.
TeamDynamix: An IT and Enterprise Service Management tool used as the platform for the university help centers and service catalogs.
EDDIE/Web Intelligence: Web-based and desktop tools to build, view and print data analyses.
Account Code Search: A tool that allows you to search for Account codes using keywords, much like a Google search.
UI-Pay: A web-based system accessed from Banner Web Self Service for Students pages.
Tuition Waiver Eligibility: This application maintains control table data for computing HR appointments and assessing eligibility for employee tuition waivers.
HR Front End: Customized front end for Banner HR application. 2FA is required for HR Front End access.
My UI Info: Employee Self-Service and Information Environment that enables employees to view employment-related information, such as benefits, policies, and training opportunities. 2FA is required for off-campus My UI Info access.
Adjustment Notification Application (ANA): A web-based application used by departments to initiate requests for payroll adjustments that cannot be processed by the Payroll Adjustment Request Interface System (PARIS).
PARIS: An application used for initiating current pay period time corrections and prior pay period adjustments. 2FA is required for PARIS access.
FormBuilder: An enterprise-level application that allows for Event Registration and Workflow capabilities.
uAchieve: This application is used to create degree audit reports for students.

UIS Mobile and Campus Apps

There are lots of apps you can download to make your stay at UIS easier. The main one you will want to download is UIS Mobile. You can download UIS mobile on both iOS and Android. The Events tab (and calendar icon) displays upcoming campus activities you can also view on UIS Connection, a site where you can find all activities on campus. To attend these events, you will need to download the Corq app. The Browse tab (bottom menu, four-square symbol) also contains the SMTD Bus and StarBikes icon. Tapping on the SMTD Bus icon will take you to the SMTD site. This is a great resource to help you use the SMTD bus system. On the Health and Wellness tab you’ll be able to log into your UIS Patient Portal to see your medical information and records. On the Safety tab you can call Campus Police directly for emergency and non-emergency situations. The Browse tab is located on the bottom menu, with a four-square symbol. While UIS Mobile may seem packed with information, it’s designed to keep everything you need in one convenient place.

Registering for Classes

Looking to register for classes at the University of Illinois Springfield?

Then you've used your NetID before.
- Forgotten Password?
  - If you set up recovery options, reset it here: Reset Password
  - Otherwise, visit the IT Services Help Desk in person or online.
Have a general idea of what classes you need or want to take before meeting with your advisor and meet with them before registering for classes.
Click Submit to complete your registration.
- ⚠️ Note: You can only drop courses until the deadlines listed in the semester calendar (available under the Registration Semester Information section).

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