Apply for Aid

The only financial aid application needed at the University of Cincinnati is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This single application is used for grants, work-study and loans at the federal, state and institutional level.

• The online FAFSA provides an easy, quick and secure method that checks your application for errors and omissions. By listing UC (Title IV Code: 003125) as one of your school choices, we will receive your information electronically for award processing.
  
  
• We also strongly encourage students to use the IRS data retrieval tool within the FAFSA to automatically pull your tax information (and your parents', when required) onto the FAFSA.

Students (and, when required, parents) can sign their FAFSA electronically using their FSA ID (Federal Student Aid ID). Each student aid applicant should register for an FSA ID as should parents of dependent students. The FSA ID will also be used by borrowers in the student and parent loan processes.

Students classified as dependent students for financial aid purposes will need to complete the FAFSA with their information as well as information about the parent(s). At least one parent will therefore need to be involved when completing the online FAFSA so as to provide required information and an electronic signature.

For electronic signatures, at least one parent should register for an FSA ID though both parents can.

NOTE: The FSA ID is used for consent and approval to use IRS tax data. If parents filed separately on 2023 taxes (25-26) or 2024 taxes (26-27), both parents will need to get an FSA ID.

Parents can use their same personal FSA ID when completing online paperwork for multiple students.

The U.S. Department of Education works with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to allow applicants to securely transfer federal tax information directly into the FAFSA using the IRS Direct Data Exchange (DDX).

The IRS Direct Data Exchange is the primary and preferred method for providing tax information on the FAFSA. When contributors (student and/or parent, as applicable) provide consent and approval, the FAFSA will automatically import federal tax information from the IRS to ensure accuracy and reduce the need for additional documentation.

• All FAFSA contributors (student, spouse, or parent(s), as applicable) must provide consent and approval to complete the FAFSA.

• Each contributor must have their own FSA ID in order to provide consent and complete their portion of the FAFSA.

• When consent is provided, most tax information will be transferred automatically and cannot be manually entered or changed by the applicant.

• Using the IRS Direct Data Exchange reduces the likelihood of being selected for verification and minimizes the need to submit tax documents to the financial aid office.

• For privacy and security, federal tax information transferred from the IRS will not display to applicants on the FAFSA Submission Summary. Instead, it will be masked or shown as "Transferred from the IRS." Schools listed on the FAFSA will receive the necessary information to determine financial aid eligibility.

In limited situations where tax information cannot be obtained through the IRS Direct Data Exchange, the student may be required to manually input the data into the FAFSA.

The FAFSA uses prior-prior year (PPY) federal tax information. This allows most applicants to use already-filed tax returns when completing the application. The FAFSA is available each October 1st for the following academic year. 

The federal processor analyzes your FAFSA information to determine your Student Aid Index (SAI), which is used to determine eligibility for some aid programs. 

The results of your FAFSA are reported to you via email. The FAFSA Submission Summary provides a record of what has been submitted, your estimated* financial aid eligibility, your Student Aid Index (SAI), school information, and next steps. Note that some tax information will not display for security/privacy reasons. Review the report and make corrections to any information that is incorrect via https://studentaid.gov.

*The financial aid elibility outlined on your FAFSA Submission Summary is only a basic estimate and not a financial aid offer. 

While you should not wait until you are admitted to apply for aid, incoming freshman, transfer and graduate students must be offered admission to the university before a financial aid award offer can be extended, and admission applications are the basis for UC scholarship review.

• Undergraduate Admission
• Graduate Admission
• College of Law Admission

The UC College of Medicine admits students to undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as to the professional M.D. program. Only M.D. students in the UC College of Medicine are awarded aid via the College of Medicine Office of Financial Services rather than the UC Student Financial Aid Office. 

Once you receive your FAFSA Submission Summary and if you have been offered admission, you can review your status online using the Check My Aid link.

Check My Aid for the upcoming academic year is generally available and initial Award Offers are made beginning mid-February for students who have filed a FAFSA.

You may be asked to supply additional information.

• UC will detail if additional or supplementary information is needed within your Catalyst "To Do" tasks and send you email notifications as well.
• Aid eligibility is always subject to change, particularly if you have to verify your FAFSA data.
• Please act on requests for information as quickly as possible.

Use your financial aid award to plan your finances for the upcoming aid year.