The Office of Student Financial Aid provides information, publications, and counseling related to the comprehensive financial assistance program offered by the University of North Alabama. Students and prospective students are encouraged to inquire and seek other financial information in person, by telephone, or by email.

Federal Programs

The University participates in Federal Title IV Student Aid Programs, including the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Work Study, Federal Direct Student Loan Program, and Federal PLUS Loans. The University does not participate in the TEACH Grant program.

Application

Students may apply for all federal student aid programs at UNA by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and requesting that the federal processor make application data available to UNA. UNA’s federal school code is 001016. Students should file the FAFSA online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. The student must have a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) to sign the online FAFSA. If a parent is required to sign the FAFSA, the parent will need an FSA ID to sign online. The student and the parent may obtain FSA ID’s at https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch .  The Office of Student Financial Aid is not able to offer the student a paper FAFSA. If the student desires a paper FAFSA, the student may call 1-800-4FED-AID and request up to three copies of the FAFSA, or the student may download a printable version of the FAFSA at https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-25-fafsa.pdf 

Eligible Classifications

A student must be enrolled in an eligible degree-seeking program and must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen in order to receive federal student aid. Special students, transient students, early college students, and unclassified students are not eligible for federal student aid, including federal Direct Loans and Direct PLUS loans. Students must be registered for a minimum of six hours per semester to be eligible for federal loans.

Return of Title IV Funds

A student who receives federal student aid (except Federal Work Study) and subsequently withdraws from all course hours during the semester is subject to federal regulations regarding complete withdrawal. The University is required by federal regulation to determine what portion of a student’s federal aid must be returned if the student does not complete at least 60% of the semester. Withdrawal, for the purposes of calculating return of Title IV funds, includes both official withdrawal and unofficial withdrawal. Cut-off dates for Return of Title IV Funds are established each year and are available online at http://www.una.edu/financial-aid and in the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree program in order to be eligible for federal student aid. The student must meet the following standards of academic progress:

1. Grade Point Average (GPA). The student must meet the University’s minimum academic GPA requirement for the student’s respective academic class level. (Refer to the Scholastic Standards section of Academic Procedures and Requirements in the current UNA catalog.)
2. Percentage of Course Hours Completed. A student must complete at least 67% of all course hours attempted at UNA and other institutions. All course hours attempted, including any course which may have been dropped or for which the student did not receive a passing grade, are included in the calculation. There is no academic forgiveness of course hours attempted for federal calculation purposes even though the student may apply for and receive the benefit of the University’s repeat/recompute policy or Second Chance provision.
3. Maximum Time Frame. A student is allowed a maximum of 180 course hours to complete undergraduate degree requirements for a first degree and a maximum of 224 course hours to complete the requirements for a second undergraduate degree.

A student’s academic progress will be checked at the end of each academic semester, and the student will be notified of his or her status via UNA Portal Self-Service and email. Students who are not meeting satisfactory academic progress may file an appeal with the Office of Student Financial Aid if the student has experienced unusual or mitigating circumstances that have impacted his or her academic performance. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of his or her satisfactory academic progress status. See the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy at http://www.una.edu/financial-aid for more detailed information.

State Student Aid Programs

The University participates in financial assistance programs sponsored by the State of Alabama, including the Alabama Student Assistance Program (ASAP). No separate or additional application is required for consideration of the student’s eligibility for ASAP funds. Eligibility is based on FAFSA data. ASAP funding is very limited and is awarded only to students determined to have the greatest financial need based on FAFSA data. The University does not participate in the Alabama Student Grant Program.

University Programs

Scholarships

The University of North Alabama offers a comprehensive scholarship program, including excellence, service, and performance (music and athletic). High school seniors desiring consideration for excellence scholarships must submit an application for admission to the University, a high school transcript, ACT/SAT score(s) and résumé.

The Office of Admissions will notify the student of acceptance to the University and of any excellence scholarship offer.  All scholarship programs may be limited in funding and may be limited in the number of offers to qualifying students.

Transfer students who apply for admission to UNA before the transfer scholarship deadline, may be eligible for a Transfer Scholarship. To be eligible for the Phi Theta Kappa scholarship, the  student must  have their PTK advisor submit a letter stating they are a member in "good standing" to the Office of Admissions (admissions@una.edu) by the deadline.  A student may contact the Office of Student Financial Aid with any questions about  Transfer Scholarships.

In addition, generous benefactors have endowed numerous scholarships over the years. Information about endowed scholarships is available at http://www.una.edu/financial-aid. The Endowed Scholarships application is available November 1 and must be submitted by March 1. Applications will be available at http://www.una.edu/financial-aid.

Institutional Scholarship Refund Policy:

Institutional scholarships are applied toward the payment of UNA tuition and fees, on-campus room and board, textbooks at the UNA Bookstore.  The total amount of institutional scholarship awards (per semester) may not exceed the cost of tuition, on-campus room, board and textbooks purchased through the UNA Bookstore when added to any other institutional scholarship.  Institutional Scholarships are non-refundable and may not result in a cash payment to the student.  Students who receive federal aid or non-institutional scholarships may receive excess funds. 

Student Employment

The University offers part-time employment opportunities through the University Work Study program. There are approximately four hundred (400) student employment positions available on the UNA campus in various offices and departments. It is the responsibility of the student to find an available position, make application, and take the necessary actions to get hired by the respective UNA office or department. The student employment program is managed from the UNA Office of Human Resources. More details on the University’s student employment program may be found at http://www.una.edu/financial-aid.

Communication

The Office of Student Financial Aid communicates with individual students via the student’s UNA Portal account, which is the official means of communication for the University. Within the UNA Portal, students should check both their email and Self-Service regularly prior to the semester and during the semester. It is the student’s responsibility to check UNA Portal for communication from the Office of Student Financial Aid and complete all outstanding financial aid requirements in a timely manner. General announcements may be communicated through other channels, such as the Office of Student Financial Aid web page and the UNA Portal homepage.