Navigating Financial Aid at UNT: A Comprehensive Guide for Students

Financing a college education can be a daunting task. UNT Dallas offers various financial aid options to assist students in funding their education. This guide provides a detailed overview of the requirements, application processes, and eligibility criteria for financial aid at UNT, ensuring students can navigate the system effectively. Financial assistance awarded through UNT Dallas may include a combination of federal grants, scholarships, state aid programs, institutional aid programs, loans, and/or part-time work-study opportunities for those who qualify.

Understanding the Basics of Financial Aid

Financial aid at UNT Dallas encompasses a range of resources, including federal grants, scholarships, state aid programs, institutional aid programs, loans, and work-study opportunities. These options are available to students who meet specific eligibility requirements and complete the necessary application processes.

Types of Financial Aid Available

UNT Dallas provides several methods of assisting students in financing their education:

Federal Grants: These are typically need-based and do not require repayment.
Scholarships: These can be merit-based or need-based and do not require repayment.
State Aid Programs: These are funded by the state and have specific eligibility requirements.
Institutional Aid Programs: These are funded by the university and are often need-based.
Loans: These must be repaid with interest. Students can apply for Direct Stafford Loans and Private/Alternative Loans.
Work-Study: This program allows students to earn money through part-time employment while attending school.

Application Resources

Applications and complete descriptions of all programs, requirements, and qualifications are available at the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Student Center.

Application Process and Priority Dates

To access financial aid, students must complete either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Texas Application of State Financial Aid (TASFA). The FAFSA is used for federal financial aid, while the TASFA is for state financial aid.

FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Texas Application of State Financial Aid (TASFA) are available each October for the upcoming academic year and should be completed as early as possible. For federal financial aid, students are encouraged to apply online at studentaid.gov. The FAFSA collects financial information to determine your Student Aid Index (SAI).

Application: Complete the 2026-2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for Summer 2026/Fall 2026/Spring 2027. For federal financial aid, students are encouraged to apply online at studentaid.gov.
School Code: To ensure that your FAFSA reaches UNT Dallas, include our school code, 042421, on your application.

TASFA

For state financial aid, students are encouraged to access the application at untdallas.edu/finaid/basics/tasfa.php. The TASFA can be submitted directly to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Priority Dates

Students whose application files are completed by the priority dates are ensured first consideration for awards.

Fall/spring term/semester: March 15
Spring term/semester: August 15
Summer term: March 15

A separate UNT Dallas summer application must be completed for summer financial aid. This application is available online (my.untdallas.edu) in March for the following summer term. The FAFSA for the year preceding the summer is also required.

Application Data

Application data is received electronically from the FAFSA Processing System (Federal Student Aid Programs) through which applications are processed. The application data must reach our office before a file can be processed.

General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for financial aid at UNT Dallas, students must meet certain general requirements, which vary slightly depending on whether they are seeking federal or state assistance.

Federal Assistance Requirements

Before any federal assistance is granted (Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Stafford Loan, or the Graduate PLUS Loan Programs), general eligibility and program requirements must be met. To be eligible for federal financial aid, you must:

Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.
Be registered with the Selective Service if you are a male at least 18 years old born after December 31, 1959 (most males between the ages of 18 and 25, including permanent residents and other eligible noncitizens, are required to register with Selective Service).
Enroll in and maintain at least a half-time class load for most programs.
Use all funds received through financial aid for educational purposes.
Be accepted for admission by the university and enrolled in a degree granting program.
Be making satisfactory academic progress.
Complete the verification process, if selected.
Have a valid Social Security Number.
Have a high school diploma or a GED (general equivalency diploma).

State Assistance Requirements

Before any state assistance is granted (TPEG, Tuition Grant, or Texas College Work-Study), general eligibility and program requirements must be met. To be eligible for state financial aid you must:

Read also: Financial Aid at Carthage

Establish eligibility by completing and filing the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA).
Be a non-citizen Texas resident.
Submit a statement of Selective Service registration status.
Enroll in and maintain at least a half-time class load for most programs.
Use all funds received through financial aid for educational purposes.
Be accepted for admission by the university and enrolled in a degree granting program.
Be making satisfactory academic progress.
Complete the verification process, if selected.
Have a high school diploma or GED (general equivalency diploma).
Submit an annual statement certifying that you have not been convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs.

Institutional Need-Based Scholarships and Grants

Institutional need-based scholarships and grants require the submission of a complete FAFSA or TASFA as outlined above.

Additional Notes

These eligibility requirements apply to all UNT Dallas students regardless of academic career. Transient and visiting students are not eligible for financial aid.

Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal regulations require the University of North Texas at Dallas to monitor student academic progress to ensure students establish and remain eligible to receive Federal Title IV sources of student aid. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS) monitors the academic progress of each recipient and potential recipient of Title IV funds to evaluate academic progress and to determine continued eligibility for Title IV student aid.

Policy Statement

Federal regulations mandate that UNT Dallas monitors student academic progress to ensure continued eligibility for Federal Title IV student aid. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS) evaluates academic progress to determine ongoing eligibility.

Application of Policy

All undergraduate, graduate, and Law students who are applying for and\or receiving financial assistance.

Definitions

Academic Progress: means the qualitative and pace of progression measures of a student’s progress towards completing requirements for a degree.
Academic Term: means a period of student enrollment. The university academic calendar includes three (3) terms including fall, spring and summer semesters.
Financial Aid Warning: is a financial aid status assigned to a student following an academic term in which the student did not make satisfactory academic progress. The student may still be eligible to receive Title IV program funds.
Financial Aid Probation: is a financial aid status assigned to a student following an academic term in which the student was on Financial Aid Warning and did not make satisfactory progress and went to Not Meeting, but the student successfully appealed the determination of lack of satisfactory progress and the SFAS determined that the student should be able to meet satisfactory academic progress standards by the end of the academic term while on financial aid probation. The student may still be eligible to receive Title IV program funds.
Academic Plan Status: is a financial aid status assigned to a student who will be monitored in accordance with the terms of an approved academic plan. This status is assigned when a student’s appeal is approved following a term on financial aid probation, and SFAS determines that the students will meet satisfactory academic progress standards by the end of the academic plan. The student may still be eligible to receive Title IV program funds.
Financial Aid Not Meeting: is a financial aid status assigned to a student during an academic term in which a student was not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (“SAP”) requirements. Students are not eligible to receive Title IV program funds while at a Not Meeting status.
Grade Point Average (GPA): is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of semester hours attempted in residence at the University of North Texas at Dallas which includes all courses with grades of A, B, C, D, and F. Courses with grades of P, NP, I, or W are not counted in the GPA however, they are counted as courses attempted. For SAP purposes, SFAS uses the Cumulative Grade Point Average as defined by UNTD Academic Policy.
Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS): means the University of North Texas at Dallas office with specific responsibility for evaluating student academic progress to determine initial and continued eligibility for Title IV student aid.

Procedures and Responsibilities

Evaluation of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) - OFAS monitors the academic progress of each recipient and potential recipient of Title IV student aid. Student academic progress is evaluated at the end of every academic term following the posting of final grades to determine continued eligibility for Title IV student aid. Evaluations of SAP by OFAS are conducted exclusively to consider eligibility for Title IV student aid and neither replace nor override other University of North Texas at Dallas academic policies related to evaluation of a student’s academic status. The standards of SAP are either the same as or stricter than the University of North Texas at Dallas academic standards for students who are not receiving Title IV student assistance.
Satisfactory Academic Progress - Every graduate, undergraduate, and Law student who applies for and receives Title IV student aid must maintain SAP to remain eligible for such aid, regardless of whether the student is a first-time applicant or has received aid in the past, and regardless of whether the student attends University of North Texas at Dallas full-time or part-time. To achieve SAP, students must meet both qualitative and pace of progression standards at the end of each academic term as defined below:
A. Qualitative Requirement for SAP - To meet the standard for SAP, students must meet or exceed the following grade point average at the end of the academic term. Grades from transfer coursework at an institution other than University of North Texas at Dallas will not be factored into the calculation of a student’s cumulative GPA.
i. Undergraduate students - 2.0 cumulative GPA for all terms.
ii. Graduate students - 3.0 cumulative GPA for all terms.
iii. Law students - 2.0 cumulative GPA for all terms.
B. Pace of Progression Requirements for SAP - An ongoing measure that ensures a student in on track to complete their program in the maximum timeframe. Pace of Progression is determined by dividing the cumulative number of hours a student has successfully completed by the cumulative number of hours a student has attempted. All attempts at a course, including repeated courses, are included in the calculation of total hours attempted and pace of progression. Students must successfully complete at least 67% of all credit hours attempted. Attempted hours include repeated, failed, incomplete, withdrawn from, and transfer credit hours.
C. Incomplete Classes - Incomplete classes will be considered the same as an “F” when evaluating SAP. Once an Incomplete class has had a final grade assigned, in accordance with UNTD Academic Policy, SAP will be recalculated for the most current term.
D. Withdrawn Classes - Withdrawn Classes will be considered as an unsuccessful course attempt when calculating pace of progression and maximum time frame.
E. Repeated Courses - Repeated Courses are included in the calculations for pace of progression as well as maximum time frame as both attempted hours and completed hours, if attempt was successful. Repeated Courses are included in the cumulative GPA as defined by UNTD Academic Policy.
F. Transfer Courses - Transfer Courses are applied in two different ways for SAP purposes.
i. Pace of Progression - All courses accepted by UNTD in transfer will be counted as hours attempted and hours completed in the pace of progression calculation.
ii. Maximum Time Frame - Only those transfer courses accepted toward a student’s current academic program of student will be counted in the maximum time frame calculation.
G. Remedial Courses - Remedial Courses, as defined by UNTD Academic Policy, are included in the pace of progression calculations however, remedial courses are excluded from the maximum time frame calculation.
H. Pass\No Pass Grades - Courses with a grade of “Pass” are counted as hours attempted and hours completed for the pace of progress and maximum time frame calculations. Courses with a grade of “No Pass” are counted as an unsuccessful course attempt in the pace of progression and maximum time frame calculations. Pass\No Pass Grades are defined by UNTD Academic Policy.
Financial Aid Warning - Students failing to meet SAP will be placed on financial aid warning. Students on financial aid warning remain eligible to receive Title IV program aid for the academic term following the academic term during which the student did not meet SAP standards. Students will not be placed on financial aid warning for consecutive academic terms. If a student is not meeting SAP requirements at the conclusion of an academic term which s/he is on financial aid warning, the student will not be eligible for financial aid in any future academic terms until all SAP requirements are met or the student successfully appeals as set forth below.
Financial Aid Notices - Loss of Eligibility - SFAS will provide notice of the loss of eligibility for Title IV student aid to a student not meeting SAP including specific details regarding the process for re-establishing eligibility and the process for appeal of the determination.
Appeal of Eligibility - Failure to Meet SAP - A student may appeal a loss of Title IV eligibility by submitting a written notice to OFAS no later than the prescribed deadline of the academic term for which a student is appealing that identifies circumstances to be considered in mitigation of the failure to make SAP. The notice of appeal must include a description of mitigating circumstances that may be considered by OFAS with an explanation of how the mitigating circumstances affected the student and how the student will be able to make SAP in the subsequent academic term. Mitigating circumstances that may be considered by SFAS include:
Serious injury to the student, or a member of the student’s immediate family, or
A. Serious injury to the student, or a member of the student’s immediate family, or
B. Serious extended illness of the student, a member of the student’s immediate family, or
C. Death of a student’s relative, or
D. Learning disability as documented in the Office of Disability Accommodation, or
E. Military service, or
F. Working towards a special degree, maximum credit hours or
G. Other special circumstances.
Appeal Approved: After a successful appeal, a student may be placed on financial aid probation as set forth in paragraph 6 below. Title IV aid may be disbursed during these periods.
Appeal Denied: If a student appeal of financial aid eligibility is denied, the student is responsible for paying educational costs until the student improves his/her academic records to meet SAP. Students who are denied due to maximum time frame are responsible for paying educational costs for the remainder of their degree plan.
Financial Aid Probation - If an appeal of financial aid eligibility is approved, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and Title IV aid may be disbursed during the period of probation. The probation period must include requirements that a student must meet to achieve SAP by the end of the probationary period. If a student is not meeting SAP at the end of the financial aid probationar…

Specific Conditions for Financial Aid Applicants

Refunds and Repayments. Minimum standards must be achieved by the end of any given enrollment period at UNT Dallas. Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is defined in both quantitative and qualitative measures.

Official transcripts are not issued to any student who has an unpaid account or owes a defaulted federal student loan received from any university.

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