A Lazy Man’s Guide to the UIC Financial Aid Program

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All the Info About the UIC Financial Aid Program You Will Need

Even though the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) doesn’t belong to the list of the most expensive ones in the state, its tuitions are still too high for most students. They usually can’t afford to pay their education expenses unless they apply for a certain type of financial aid.

Find out how to request UIC financial aid and how can help if your application gets rejected or brings a sum that is too small for your needs!

What Makes You Eligible for Financial Aid at UIC?

The following table shows student categories who are or aren’t eligible for applying for financial aid at UIC:

Eligible for Financial AidIneligible for Financial Aid
  • U.S. citizens
  • Eligible non-citizens, including:
    • Refugees
    • Asylum Granted
    • Permanent U.S. residents (green card holders)
    • T-Visa Holders
    • Parolee
    • Human Trafficking Victims
    • Cuban-Haitian Entrant
  • All other non-citizens (international students)
  • Incarcerated students
  • Students facing conviction related to the possession and use of drugs

Besides being an eligible student, you must comply with a few other requirements, such as:

  1. Filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to keep your financial aid
  2. Having a high school or a GED High School Equivalency degree
  3. Being registered with Selective Service—for male students
  4. Enrolling in an approved degree or certificate program at least five credit hours for graduates and six credit hours for undergraduates
  5. Completing all degree requirements
  6. Paying your existing student loans on time and being debt-free

What Financial Aid Types Can You Get at UIC?

If you meet the prescribed criteria, you can proceed with applying for one of the offered financial aid programs. UIC offers numerous support categories, including:

  1. Grants
  2. Scholarships
  3. Student loans
  4. Student employment opportunities

Grants

Grants are specific awards that don’t have to be repaid unless you drop out of the university. They come from various sources, and the most prominent categories include:

  • Federal grants
    • Federal Pell Grant
    • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
    • Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant
  • State grants
    • Monetary Award Program (MAP)
  • Institutional grants
    • Tuition Award
    • UIC Completion Grant
    • UIC Opportunity Grant
    • Student-To-Student Grant (STS)
    • UIC Housing Assistance Grant

Scholarships

Scholarships are given to students as an award for satisfying academic performance, special talents, or other abilities related to their field of study. Like grants, they are non-repayable. At UIC, you can apply for:

  • Chancellor Fellows
  • Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois
  • Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver Program
  • Minority Teacher of Illinois

Loans

A loan is an amount of money you can borrow to cover your college costs. You must repay the entire sum with interest after graduating. Available student loans at UIC include:

  • Graduate and Undergraduate Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Graduate PLUS Loans
  • Parent PLUS Loans
  • Campus-Based Loans
    • Federal Nursing Student Loan (NSL)
    • Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL)
  • Alternative Loans
  • Stafford Loans

Student Employment Programs

The UIC student employment program is another option for simplifying college financing for students. This method allows them to earn for all university necessities by having a part-time job on-campus. Here are the programs that belong to this group:

  • Federal Work-Study (FWS)
  • America Reads

Additional Financial Aid Types

Other available financial support programs at UIC include:

  • Study Abroad financial aid packages
  • Veterans Financial Aid
    • Illinois Veteran Grants
    • Illinois National Guard Grants
    • MIA/POW Scholarships
    • Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver
  • Prepaid tuition program

What Does the Application Procedure for UIC Financial Support Look Like?

Submitting a FAFSA form qualifies you for most financial aid programs available through UIC. It’s a mandatory and the most important part of the application process. Below is the table listing all the steps you should complete before, during, and after the procedure:

StepsDetails
Check application deadlinesEach FAFSA must be submitted within a specified time frame. Find the latest information for the current/next year on the official Federal Student Aid (FSA) website
Find the necessary information in various documentsPrepare your ID, driver’s license, or your green card if you are a permanent resident, as you will need specific details from these documents. Make sure you also have your Social Security Card, tax paperwork, and financial statements with you
Answer the FAFSA questions and send the formComplete the entire form with the correct information and submit it:
Check your Student Aid Report (SAR)SAR is a paper or electronic document listing all the particulars stated in your FAFSA. Re-check it and make sure there’s no incorrect info or any other errors
Appeal an insufficient financial aid offerUIC will send you a letter stating the exact financial aid amount they can provide for you. If you are unhappy with it, you can file an appeal. Explain why they should reconsider the decision they made and give you more money

No Time To Write an Appeal Letter? Let DoNotPay Compose It!

Are you too busy to write a personalized appeal letter to UIC? We hear you—rarely does anyone have time for that, and it can be quite a challenging task. This is why you should rely on DoNotPay and file an appeal with the institution without contacting their financial aid office directly!

To do it, follow the steps below:

  1. Click on Appeal for More Financial Aid
  2. Tell us to which college you want to go to and which other universities offered you better financial support
  3. Disclose a few required details about your family and finances

We will generate a customized appeal letter within minutes and send it in your name!

Check out other guides from our knowledge base explaining how to apply for financial aid at numerous universities or grad schools. Some of them are listed below:

University of California San Diego Financial AidRutgers University Financial AidStanford University Financial Aid
New York University Financial AidUniversity of California, Los Angeles Financial AidUniversity of California, Davis Financial Aid
Cornell University Financial AidPrinceton University Financial AidUniversity of California, Santa Cruz Financial Aid
MIT Financial AidUniversity of California, Berkeley Financial AidColumbia University Financial Aid
Harvard University Financial AidPurdue University Financial AidYale University Financial Aid

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