Financial Aid

Janet Turner, director

The Office of Financial Aid serves students by recognizing that every student has unique financial needs. We help students invest in their futures to attain their educational goals by providing funding options through the financial aid awarding process.

The financial aid process begins in the admissions office, where various types of merit-based scholarships are determined. Then, the Office of Financial Aid reviews the information that each student provides on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility for other aid options. This application is available at https://fafsa.gov.

After reviewing the FAFSA information for each student, financial aid counselors create individual financial aid packages based on applicant data. These financial aid packages can include grants, scholarships, loans, and work study.

Grants can be federal, state, or institutional and are awarded on the basis of need and fund availability to undergraduate students. Financial need is determined by the following formula: cost of attendance minus expected family contribution equals financial need.

Scholarships are a form of aid that help students pay for their education. Scholarships come from numerous sponsors; each with unique eligibility requirements. Some scholarships are reserved for students with special qualifications, such as academic, athletic, or artistic talent. Links to various outside scholarships can be found on our website at www.up.edu/finaid/scholarships.

Educational loans are a form of financial aid that must be repaid with interest. Undergraduate loans are available from federal, institutional, and private sources. Graduate student loans are also available from federal and private sources.

Work study is employment that provides students with an opportunity to work in a job that requires a small number of hours of work per week, making it easier to maintain a job while going to school.The University of Portland also provides institutional student employment opportunities.  All student employment job postings can be found at www.up.edu/studentemployment.

Detailed information covering eligibility, financial aid programs, and application procedures can be found in the Financial Aid Handbook located online at www.up.edu/finaid/resources/handbooks.

Additionally, every student should read and understand the financial aid satisfactory academic progress policy before accepting their financial aid award. This policy is included in the Financial Aid Handbook online at www.up.edu/finaid/resources/handbooks.

Please visit our website at www.up.edu/finaid for more information.