FINANCIAL AID

The University of Nebraska at Kearney provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships, grants, loans and work study. Our office assists students with financial aid from federal and state resources, the University and private organizations. Frequently students receiving assistance to pay for college for UNK are funded through a variety of sources. It is the responsibility of the Office of Financial Aid to coordinate the application and awarding process of multiple types of aid for our students.

Federal and State of Nebraska assistance (grants, loans and work-study) is awarded on the basis of need. Need is determined per federal statute. The "expected family contribution" is determined and then subtracted from the cost of attendance for an academic year. Congress has created a formula called "Federal Methodology" that is used to calculate the expected family contribution based on the information submitted by the family on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Students can complete the FAFSA on the internet by going to www.fafsa.ed.gov. In order to complete the FAFSA entirely on-line, applicants and their parents will want to request a "PIN" number from the U.S. Department of Education. This can be done at www.pin.ed.gov. Your "PIN" number is your electronic signature with the Department of Education and eliminates the need to sign any part of the FAFSA. The results from your FAFSA will be sent to UNK automatically when you enter our Title IV School Code (002551) on your FAFSA. Students may also opt to complete a paper version of the FAFSA and return it directly to the UNK Office of Financial Aid. Paper versions of the FAFSA are available from our office, high school guidance offices and public libraries. The FAFSA should be completed as soon as possible after January 1 for the following academic year.

In addition to the FAFSA, students may be required to submit a UNK Financial Aid Information Form and copies of federal tax returns. The UNK Financial Aid Information Form is available from our office or at www.unk.edu, click on Current or Prospective Students, then on Financial Aid, and then on "How to Apply." Once these documents are received in the Office of Financial Aid, the student's application is checked for correctness. Occasionally additional documentation is requested to confirm student's eligibility. Once verification is completed, the student will be notified via the financial aid award letter of the types and amounts of financial aid for which he/she is eligible.

Some sources of financial aid are limited and therefore applicants are urged to complete their application file (the FAFSA, UNK Financial Aid Form and taxes) as soon as possible to obtain the best financial aid packages.

For information on applying for merit based scholarships see Scholarships.

Questions regarding federal or state aid may be directed to:

We can also be reached via e-mail at finaid1@unk.edu or via phone at (308)865-8520.