Financial Aid at UAF
Student Debt Relief
On August 24, 2022, President Biden announced that the US Department of Education will forgive $10,000 in student loan debt to existing borrowers who received loans by 6/30/22 with incomes below $125K (or $250K for married couple), and $20,000 to those who also received Pell Grant assistance as an undergraduate. At the same time, the pause in student loan repayment and interest that began in March 2020 will be extended one last time to December 31, 2022. There are also proposed regulations to simplify repayment obligations and minimize the accumulation of interest.Additional details will follow. Learn more about the debt relief.
The Financial Aid Office provides counseling and information to students and parents, and administers a comprehensive program of financial assistance. Read on to learn more about the types of financial aid available, how to apply for financial aid, financial aid deadlines and more.
Get help paying for your college expenses. Most of our 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.
What is Financial Aid?
Financial aid is funding that helps 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.
We offer a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, loans and Federal Work-Study. Here’s a quick look at each and where to find more information.
Scholarships are free sources of financial aid you do not have to pay back. We offer more than 450 scholarships that you can apply for with a single application, as well as several merit-based admissions scholarships. You may also be eligible for the Alaska Performance Scholarship, UA Scholars Award or other scholarships through outside agencies.
Like scholarships, grants do not need to be repaid after graduation and can be used for any educational expense. In addition to several need-based federal grants (such as the Pell grant) you may also be eligible for the needs-based Alaska Education Grant if you are an undergraduate student and Alaska resident.
College loans must be repaid but can offer a major source of assistance to meet the full costs of your education. Educational loans generally have long-term repayment schedules, offer low interest rates and may offer additional benefits related to financial need.
Federal Work Study is a form of student financial aid that allows you to work at your university to help meet expenses related to education. It’s offered to students who show financial need and indicate interest in programs other than grants when filling out the FAFSA.
Find Financial Aid resources to pay for the cost of graduate school, learn how to apply for scholarships, tuition assistance and loans. Graduate Financial Aid utilizes Unsubsidized loans, PLUS loans, Graduate Tuition Assistance and scholarships.
Get Started: Apply for Financial Aid
The first step is completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
This will determine your eligibility for financial aid, such as federal and state
grants and scholarships. You should receive an award letter via email within about
a week of submitting your FAFSA.
Calculate Financial Aid
A world-class education can be affordable. Our tuition rate is well below the national
average and we rank first in Alaska among four-year colleges for affordability. We
also offer numerous opportunities for financial assistance—scholarships, grants, loans
and more you can use toward all of your college expenses.
Already Applied? Check Your Financial Aid Status
If you’ve already submitted your FAFSA, you can check the status of your financial
aid and set up direct deposit for your financial aid disbursement through UAOnline, your one-stop shop for managing financial aid and more.