Private donor scholarship checks may be dropped in the UF Bursar’s Drop Box in Criser Hall by the student (be sure to endorse if a joint check) or mailed to:
University of Florida Office for Student Financial Aid and Scholarships Attn: Disbursements P. O. Box 114025 Gainesville, FL 32611-4025
For FedEx or overnight delivery address, omit the PO Box number and add our physical address of 1478 Union Road, S317.
Follow these instructions:
If the check is made out to the University of Florida: drop in the UF Bursar’s Drop Box in Criser Hall or mail to SFA at the address above.
If the check is made co-payable to you and the University of Florida: endorse the check and drop in the UF Bursar’s Drop Box in Criser Hall or mail to SFA at the address above.
If the check is made payable to you only but mailed directly to UF without endorsement: the Disbursement area in UF Student Financial Aid and Scholarships will contact you to make arrangements to endorse the check.
NOTES:
A scholarship check made payable to the University of Florida (UF) is placed on deposit with the University Bursar’s (UB) accounting office. Any fees owed to UF will be deducted and excess funds made available to the student via direct deposit or a check mailed to their local address, within 5 to 10 days after drop/add or receipt of the check.
https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsaStudentAid.gov provides extensive information about federal financial aid and loans, including tips for filing the FAFSA, definitions of financial aid terms, and managing your student loan repayment options.
Note: The University of Florida is not responsible for the content on the external websites listed above, nor does UF endorse, warrant or guarantee the products, services or information described or offered at these external websites.
Remember to complete your 2021-22 FAFSA at https://studentaid.gov/fafsastudentaid.gov! To receive the best financial aid offer, complete the FAFSA as early as possible.
The FAFSA Extravaganza will continue through the month of October.
FAFSA Extravaganza Kick Off Host: Office of Academic Support and Student Financial Affairs
Dekendrick Murray and Dr. Tina Lamb October 1
3:00pm – 4:00pm
Get your FAFSA questions answered, receive financial aid help, and learn some 2021-22 FAFSA tips at the 2020 FAFSA Extravaganza Kick-off.
Graduate School Funding Opportunities Host: Office of Graduate Diversity Initiatives – UF Graduate School
Friday, October 9
12:00pm – 12:50pm
Meeting ID: 994 2511 8664
Passcode: 074326
Getting the Job: Overview of Cover Letter, Resume, and LinkedIn Host: Career Connections Center
Thursday, October 22
11:45am – 12:35pm
Meeting ID: 998 8520 8499
Passcode: 021411
FAFSA Extravaganza Closing Session
Thursday, October 29th
Host: Office of Academic Support & Student Financial Affairs
3:00pm – 4:30pm
Meeting ID: 977 5569 4559
Passcode: 1w138f
Bougie on a Budget Thursday, October 29th
Host: Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars Program
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Meeting ID: 977 5569 4559
Passcode: 1w138f
FAFSA Extravaganza Canvas Course
Complete this short link to join the https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9HnS8jrKn7kmQE5FAFSA Extravaganza Canvas Course! Within this course, you will gain access to helpful tips for completing FAFSA, receive one-on-one advising from financial aid advisers, and learn more about paying for your education at UF.
Created by the Office of Academic Support and Student Financial Affairs, the FAFSA Extravaganza serves as a campus-wide event to assist students with FAFSA completion, expand student knowledge through a financial literacy education, connect students with campus resources, and offer students on-site financial aid advising from Student Financial Affairs’ staff.
FAFSA Extravaganza also includes numerous campus partners such as MFOS/First Gen Success, Career Connections Center, Office of Graduate Diversity Initiatives, Innovation Academy, Disability Resource Center, and more. This year’s FAFSA Extravaganza will be a month-long celebration. Attend the 2020 FAFSA Extravaganza to find out some basic information as you seek to complete your FAFSA and increase your financial literacy!
We would like to also thank the following UF Partners for their support of the 2020 FAFSA Extravaganza
Office of Academic Support
Dean of Students Office
TRIO Student Support Services Program
TRIO McNair Scholars Program
The Bookstore Deferred Payment Program is not additional funding for books. Instead, students can purchase books and supplies at the UF Bookstore before financial aid disburses, but will use financial aid funds that have already been awarded to pay for these charges. Charges from your purchases at the bookstore will be placed on your student account and will be paid when your financial aid disburses. Students will be responsible for any unpaid UF Bookstore charges on their accounts after financial aid has disbursed.
The UF Division of Enrollment Management (Registrar, Admissions, and Student Financial Affairs) and the University Bursar will be providing students with online help via Zoom starting Monday, August 17.
The term first-generation refers to students who are the first in their families to attend college. November 8 was selected as the date for the annual National First-Generation College Celebration to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Nationally, around 20% of all incoming first year students at four-year universities are the first in their families to attend college.
Student Financial Aid and Scholarships is proud to support first generation students. We recognize and support our first-gen students and graduates today and every day!
“At the age of seven, I left behind friends, family, and the only home I had known, Cuba. I immigrated to Florida and as the only Spanish speaker in a second-grade classroom, I found myself surrounded by individuals who shared a sea of differences. From a young age, I witnessed my grandmother run a tailoring business, and my grandfather work in a sugarcane plantation. Later, I watched my father nourish his dreams in the nation he called, “the land of opportunity.” My family has motivated, and instilled confidence and determination to pursue my dreams. While I had their support, they were limited in navigating the unknown admissions, enrollment, and financial aid process. Attending college and pursuing a Graduate Program was something unimaginable. As a proud First-Generation Student and soon to be Double Gator, I am grateful for others who paved the way for future generations.
Being a First-Generation student means more than doing something you have never seen anyone do in your family. You inspire resilience and confidence in your abilities while being humble in your accomplishments. The best advice I can give to any First-Generation student is “never stop dreaming.” Connect with other First-Generation students, find a mentor, and ask for help. You are not alone; we are here to support you every step of the way.”
— Susana Morales SFA Financial Aid Coordinator III, College of Medicine
“Follow your heart, and pay attention to your passions. Embrace who you are, what you love and turn it into your future. Make your dreams and desires a reality!”
“The extent to which generational knowledge and support are impactful factors to success is very understated. They have a cachet all their own and can be silent signifiers that make college life a bit easier to navigate. Over my years at UF, I’ve met so many first-generation to college students who have shown me numerous instances of determination and drive for success without the benefit of that form of generational wealth. Their ability to adapt so quickly to college life and policy is so commendable. I truly respect how resourceful they have been at striving for answers, learning how to be their own advocates, finding whole new communities on campus to be a part, and even asking for assistance when it is needed and discovering where that assistance is even located.”
— P. Micheal Wood SFA Financial Aid Coordinator II
“I was a first generation college student. I did dual enrollment through high school to get as much college done for free as I could. If I didn’t get into a local college or if I didn’t get financial aid, I was not going to be able to go to college. Everything from choosing a major to applying to schools and applying for financial aid was a new challenge. Luckily, I knew exactly what I wanted to do and I knew what school I wanted to go to – although what I wanted to do changed while I was in college! My highest personal achievement so far in life is completing my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida. College doesn’t guarantee a stress-free life, but I do have more opportunities with my college degree. I struggled while in school and after graduating, but learning how to navigate college life has given me the confidence to jump into any new experience and learn as I go. My favorite part of working with Student Financial Affairs is being able to talk with students and their families about their financial aid and being able to help them understand their financial aid options so they have an easier time than I did.”
—Victoria Motley Student Financial Aid and Scholarships Financial Aid, Coordinator I in Scholarships
Victoria’s Tips for First-Gen students:
Look up websites for information!!!! Websites are usually available anytime so you don’t have to worry about being able to make a phone call or go to office hours to ask questions.
If you do have to go to an office, go when they first open! Wait times are usually a LOT shorter earlier in the day.
“I immigrated to Florida from the Philippines as a baby. My mother never finished high school and my father has taken a few college courses but never completed a degree. Navigating to and through college was work. While my family helped where they could, they weren’t able to let me know what to anticipate with school. They weren’t able to call in on my behalf when I experienced issues with enrollment, charges, or financial aid. These are the unknown tasks First-Gens have to figure out, more so than their counterparts.
It can be taxing work, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Seek out help when you need it. Do you need assistance with your financial aid? Come see us!
I am a proud first generation student and I am proud to work in an office that is eager to help first generation students navigate through their college experience.”
—Jennifer Towers Student Financial Aid and Scholarships Assistant Director
“Not having an example to follow made me strive to be an example for first generation students that came after me.”
—Kimberly Staton UF OneStop
“I have met many First Generation students during my time at UF and truly admire the strength and determination that they show everyday. I’m happy to support my friends that are first generation students and am proud to attend a school where being a first generation student is celebrated!”
—Rhonda Hulzebos UF SFA Student Assistant
A tenured professor at one of Florida’s top institutions, Sr. VP of a management consulting firm, and a valued board member of several civic, social and educational organizations. He is the son of parents who were never formally educated; a housekeeper and orange grove worker. They could not read nor write, but supported and encouraged their sons to get their educations. One son went on to play cello in the famed New York Symphony and the other earned a PhD in Public Administration and though he is known as “Doc” in most circles; in mine I just call him Daddy; a first generation college student; who couldn’t afford housing so he “Wildcated” living in the dorms with friends and a cute girl, whom I call Mom, was a work study student in the business office, was able to somehow secure a “free” meal plan for him so he could eat. He is now the father and grandfather of second and third generation college graduates! Gen 4 is being groomed as we speak.
—Trellis N. Williams, MS UF OneStop
I am a first generation college graduate and a granddaughter of Ellis Island immigrants. My grandparents came to America from Italy to find a better life. My father was one of six children and was the only person in his family to receive a high school diploma. My mother’s family had eight children and all dropped out of high school to get jobs to help their family make ends meet.
My parents valued and emphasized a college education, but I grew up knowing that was not something my family could afford. When I got to college, I was more anxious about money than grades. Grants, scholarships and loans helped me get my degree.
Today I work at the university where I earned my bachelor’s more than 30 years ago. I am honored to work alongside dedicated financial aid professionals who help first-generation students every day.
—Sharon LaFragola Eyman Student Financial Aid and Scholarships Assistant Director
I only applied to one university. It was all my parents, who knew nothing of admission application fee waivers, could afford to spend. The essay portion of my application was spent talking about how I, against all odds, would find a way to complete my academic studies at the University of Florida. In hindsight, perseverance was the key to my academic success. With every new disappointing grade or financial setback I found myself asking, “How can I overcome this hurdle?” Can, of course, being operative word. It never occurred to me that I would face an obstacle that I could not overcome by myself. Time taught me, however, that perseverance is not a lonesome endeavor. My friends, family, professors, and staff all provided me with the support, resources, and knowledge I needed to persevere. The best advice I think I can give to any first-generation college student is to connect with those around you and build a network. You are, if anything, not alone.
—Kimberly J. Schmitt Student Financial Aid and Scholarships Coordinator 3
I am not a first-generation college student.
My mom was. She grew up in a military family, moving from base to base and, at a very early age, had many responsibilities around the house. At age seven, she was expected to prepare her own meals when she got home from school, along with doing her share of chores around the house. When she wanted to go to college, her father only allowed her to go on the conditions that she live at home and continue to fulfill her duties around the home. So, she woke up very early each day, tended to their livestock and then drove two hours to her classes; at the end of the day, she made that two-hour drive back home, prepared dinner for the family, and finished her chores on the farm. She was not able to take part in the college experience by being involved in organizations or study groups, and had very little time each night to complete her assignments. Somehow, managing all that, she finished her degree.
Because my mother was my primary caregiver—my parents divorced when I was 3 years old—she was always underemployed. She stayed in a job that was low-paying, but had stability and flexibility to take time off for me, so that I could have the experiences she missed out on in her own childhood. I had every opportunity she could provide—ballet, Girl Scouts, riding lessons, and later on, sports and high-school clubs. When I told her I wanted to major in Classical Studies—news many parents would not be happy to receive—she was simply proud of me and glad I could pursue something I loved. Looking back, I can now fully appreciate how much she must have struggled with managing her schedule to take me to all those activities and how she went without so that I could have the uniforms, participation fees, and lessons that my peers had.
This morning, I gave her a copy of my dissertation. She read the simple dedication in it, “To my mother”, and starting crying. She said, “I am so proud. I just always wanted you to have so much more than I did.”
I am not a first-generation college student. But today, I realized the dreams of one.
—Tina Lamb Student Financial Aid and Scholarships Associate Director
Have a first-gen story to share? Please send first-generation stories, successes, or tips to the SFA webmaster.
Financial Wellness Presentations
Cooking on a Budget
Financial Wellness Tools and Information
“I immigrated to Florida from the Philippines as a baby. My mother never finished high school and my father has taken a few college courses but never completed a degree. Navigating to and through college was work. While my family helped where they could, they weren’t able to let me know what to anticipate with school. They weren’t able to call in on my behalf when I experienced issues with enrollment, charges, or financial aid. These are the unknown tasks First-Gens have to figure out, more so than their counterparts.
A tenured professor at one of Florida’s top institutions, Sr. VP of a management consulting firm, and a valued board member of several civic, social and educational organizations. He is the son of parents who were never formally educated; a housekeeper and orange grove worker. They could not read nor write, but supported and encouraged their sons to get their educations. One son went on to play cello in the famed New York Symphony and the other earned a PhD in Public Administration and though he is known as “Doc” in most circles; in mine I just call him Daddy; a first generation college student; who couldn’t afford housing so he “Wildcated” living in the dorms with friends and a cute girl, whom I call Mom, was a work study student in the business office, was able to somehow secure a “free” meal plan for him so he could eat. He is now the father and grandfather of second and third generation college graduates! Gen 4 is being groomed as we speak.
I am not a first-generation college student.
