Utah State Board of Regents
Your Financial Aid Checklist
Let's go over the process one more time. It's really quite easy:
- Before applying for financial aid, determine how much money you will need for college.
Costs to consider are outlined in Interpreting Financial Aid Offers.
You can also contact your financial aid administrator for help.
- You and one of your parents need to apply for a U.S. Department of Education PIN to begin the FAFSA.
- Fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1.
- Two to three weeks after filing your FAFSA, you and your designated schools will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR).
Based on your SAR, schools will create financial award packages.
Choose the package and college that's right for you.
- If a student loan is part of your financial aid award, please contact the financial aid office at the college you will be attending.
- If you find that after all the aid you received from your financial aid sources (grants, scholarships, and federal loans) you are still short on money needed for school, consider a PLUS Loan to fill the gap.
