All You Need To Know About UMass Amherst Financial Aid

Being the largest public research university and having more than 28,000 enrolled students in 200 different programs, it’s no wonder that the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (also known as UMass or UMass Amherst) is a popular choice for prospective first-year students.

If you’re one of them, use this guide to learn who qualifies for the UMass Amherst financial aid program, how to apply for it, and how to appeal the University’s decision if you’re not satisfied!

What Types of Aid Does UMass Amherst Offer?

UMass Amherst offers the following financial aid options to its students:

1. Grants and scholarships
2. Student employment
3. Loans

UMass Amherst Financial Aid—Grants and Scholarships

Check this table for information about grants and scholarships UMass Amherst students can qualify for:

Here’s a list of scholarships Massachusetts residents can apply for:

• Paul Tsongas Scholarship
• Agnes M. Lindsay Scholarship
• Moving to College Scholarship
• High Demand Scholarship Program
• John and Abigail Adams Scholarship
• One Family Inc. Scholarship Program
• Early Childhood Educators Scholarship
• Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship

Student Employment at UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst students can participate in the Federal Work-Study program under the following terms:

• Students usually work between 10 and 15 hours but should not exceed 20 hours per week
• Work-Study earnings are taxable but don’t count as income on your next year’s FAFSA
• Students can work two jobs as long as they don’t exceed the allowed 8 hours per day and 20 hours per week
• Payments disburse bi-weekly

UMass Amherst Financial Aid—Loans

You can get the following loans at UMass Amherst:

• William D. Ford Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
• William D. Ford Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
• William D. Ford Federal Direct PLUS Loan
  • Grad PLUS loans
  • Parent PLUS loans

Students can resort to alternative loaning options, but the University requires them to submit a Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification Form to the lender. Without the form, UMass Amherst won’t acknowledge your loan.

How To Apply for Financial Aid at UMass Amherst

To apply for the UMass Amherst financial aid program, complete your FAFSA by the following deadlines:

• Priority deadline—March 1
• State of Massachusetts deadline—May 1

Don’t forget to include the University’s federal school code, which is 002221.

If you require assistance with your application, contact the UMass Amherst Financial Aid Office by calling 413-545-0801 or writing an email to finaid@finaid.umass.edu.

How Much Financial Aid Does UMass Amherst Award per Student?

In the academic year 2020/2021, UMass Amherst awarded:

• 82% of all incoming students with an average financial aid offer valued at $17,628
• 991 students with federal aid averaging $7,847 per student
• 73% of all students with grant aid averaging $9,768 per student
• 4,107 students with scholarships with an average value of $7,847

What To Do if UMass Amherst Rejects Your Financial Aid Application

Did UMass Amherst reject your application or hardly offer any aid? The tuition and attendance costs, which can go up to $53,500 for out-of-state students, are difficult to handle without financial aid.

The University’s decision doesn’t have to be final—you can appeal it with a letter that explains:

• Why UMass Amherst is your primary choice
• What unfortunate circumstances impacted your family’s budget
• Why you can’t enroll without aid

The process of writing an appeal letter may seem tedious, but DoNotPay can help you create and send one to UMass Amherst in no time!

Use DoNotPay To Make UMass Amherst Reconsider Your Financial Aid Application!

Follow these steps to create a convincing letter and get more aid from UMass Amherst in a matter of moments:

1. Sign up for DoNotPay
2. Type Appeal for More Financial Aid
3. Answer a few questions about your circumstances

All you need to do afterward is send the letter to UMass Amherst, and you can do that with our help or by yourself.

Browse through our learning center to level up your financial aid knowledge with guides about:

• Number of years you can get financial aid for
• Number of credits you need to be eligible for financial aid
• The financial aid 150% Rule
• Good excuses for a financial aid appeal

Alternatives to UMass Amherst

Before you apply to any college or for any financial aid program, you should research all available options, and we can help you with that! Here are some well-known schools whose financial aid programs we explained:

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