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Info for Parents

Information for parents

Parents have a unique set of concerns when it comes to their student’s financial aid situation. Perhaps the best thing parents can do in preparation for their children’s secondary education is to educate themselves about the financial aid resources available to them.

  • Parents may want to view the University of Florida Admissions page for parents.
  • For general information regarding financial aid at the university of Florida, parents may wish to read our FAQ section.
  • As a convenient way to estimate the cost of attending the University of Florida, parents may wish to use the Net Price Calculator.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (also known as FERPA) affords students certain rights concerning their student educational records. When a student reaches the age of 18 or begins attending a post-secondary institution regardless of age, FERPA transfers the rights to the student. This limits the student educational record information that may be released to third parties (including parents and guardians) without the student’s permission unless it is considered “directory information.” The University of Florida fully complies with FERPA. For more information about FERPA, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website.

Info for Parents

SFA considers part of its mission to accurately communicate pertinent financial aid information to interested students and parents. Towards this end, we use a variety of electronic media:

Financial Aid at the University of Florida

A Quick Guide for Parents

STEP 1: Get a Financial Aid Information Packet

For every college where your student applies, make sure you view financial aid information from the financial aid office of that institution. Most information is available on the institution’s website. Although you must be accepted for enrollment at UF before you receive financial aid, you should apply for aid before being admitted. Complete the FAFSA at studentaid.gov. You can file a 2025-26 FAFSA on or before December 1, 2024.

STEP 2: File a FAFSA

To be considered for financial aid at UF, students must apply by completing the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid—meeting all deadlines, and complying with any requests from our office for additional information.

Although you must be accepted for enrollment at UF before you are considered for financial aid, you should apply for aid before being admitted. Complete the FAFSA at studentaid.gov. You can file a 2024-25 FAFSA on or before December 1, 2024.

In order for us to consider you for a financial aid package, you must be a degree-seeking admitted student.

Applying early and following up on your application is the best way to make sure you receive the assistance for which you qualify in time to begin school. Students should respond right away to requests from SFA and other processing agencies.

SFA strongly encourages students to file their FAFSA online at studentaid.gov. Filing a FAFSA electronically allows you to save your work and make changes later. Applying online also tends to be faster and more error free because of the built-in edits used by the FAFSA site.

NOTE: To complete an online FAFSA, both parents and students will need to create an FSA ID at Federal Student Aid’s FSA ID site. Follow the instructions on the site. An FSA ID gives you access to Federal Student Aid’s online systems and can serve as your legal signature. Create an FSA ID as soon as possible.

To complete the FAFSA, parents must use their previous year’s tax return with all W-2s and schedules. Be sure you write in Institutional School Codes and School Names for all schools where you apply. The UF School Code is 001535.

After submitting the online application, processing can take two to four weeks.
If you must file a paper FAFSA, you must sign it and submit it through the mail. Processing can take up to six weeks or more.

Once your FAFSA has been processed, you will receive a SAR (Student Aid Report) summarizing the information you listed on the FAFSA and the resulting Student Aid Index or SAI. The SAI is used by each college and university to determine your financial eligibility and aid package. Make sure your SAR indicates that you have listed the correct UF School Code (001535). If not, UF will not be able to award you a financial aid package. For questions or a copy of your SAR, call 1-800-433-3243.

STEP 3: Follow Up on Your Application

Students can login at studentaid.gov with their FSA ID to check their application status under the “My Activity” section.

STEP 4: Review Your Student’s Financial Aid Award

Once a student is awarded financial aid at UF, he or she will receive a financial aid offer notification via email. The aid offer will indicate the amount of aid offered to the student, the type of aid, and how it will be paid. Student aid offers are determined by financial need (not merit) as indicated by their SAI. Aid packages consist of gift aid (grants and need-based scholarships) and self help (loans and work-study). Students can review their financial aid on UF’s student information system at ONE.UF.

NOTE: When you receive your student’s financial aid offer, if your family has experienced any unforeseen circumstances (loss of job, medical expenses, loss of social security, loss of child support, etc.) contact the OneStop and ask to speak to a financial aid adviser. The adviser will explain steps you may take to solve your situation. Your file will then be reviewed to re-determine eligibility.

If you need more information about financial aid and what we offer, we welcome you to call 352-392-2244 or use the OneStop. Our office is open Monday to Friday, from 9 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays).