You and/or your parent may be required to provide our office with additional documentation that verifies the data you provided on your FAFSA.  Specific verification requests and instructions will be available to students on their MaineStreet To-Do List, found on the Student Center. 

You may be required to submit the following information.  Please submit all additional information based on the requirements listed on your MaineStreet To-Do List.  If the following items are not on your to-do list then you are NOT required to submit them:

Dependent Verification Form:
     – Download and print form from link provided on your To-Do List
     - Student and parent should complete ALL sections
     – DO NOT LEAVE ANY BLANKS
     – If the Student and/or Parent did NOT file 2011 taxes, copies of W-2′s from each employer MUST be submitted with form
     – Read ALL sections carefully and submit any additional documentation that is required when noted

Independent Verification Form:
    – Download and print form from link provided on your To-Do List
     - Student and spouse (if applicable) should complete ALL sections
     – DO NOT LEAVE ANY BLANKS
     – If the Student and/or Spouse did NOT file 2011 taxes, copies of W-2′s from each employer MUST be submitted with form
     – Read ALL sections carefully and submit any additional documentation that is required when noted

Student and Parent Data Retrieval:
     – Student and/or Parent should log onto www.fafsa.gov
     – Select “Make Corrections” to 2012-2013 FAFSA
     – Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer 2011 tax information directly from the IRS website into your FAFSA
     – DO NOT CHANGE INFORMATION ONCE YOU HAVE RETRIEVED IT

PLEASE NOTE: Copies of federal tax returns will NO LONGER BE REQUESTED.  The Financial Aid Office will no longer be accepting copies of the federal tax return filed.

For more information regarding 2012-2013 Verification visit http://umaine.edu/stuaid/applying-for-aid/to-do-list/.

The Summer Session starts with May Term and includes all sessions through August.  The amount and type of financial aid available to you will depend on what financial aid you have already received during the previous fall and spring semesters, as well as what your enrollment plans are for the summer.

Visit www.umaine.edu/stuaid/summer for more information on the different financial aid programs that are available during the summer semester.

Use the following as a checklist to prepare yourself for the Summer Session 2012:

- Apply for Federal Financial Aid: Make sure that you have filed your 2011-2012 FAFSA.  Eligibility for the Summer Session 2012 is based on information provided on the 2011-2012 FAFSA.

- Plan Ahead: A financial aid advisor can help you put together a plan at any time during the year.  In fact, you may need to adjust your financial aid plans for the fall and spring semesters to ensure that you have some remaining eligibility for the summer.

- Decide How Many Classes You Will Take: Most financial aid programs have certain requirements regarding the minimum number of credits you must take in order to be eligible.  Visit www.umaine.edu/stuaid/summer or stop by the Financial Aid Office for more information regarding summer enrollment requirements.

- Register for Classes: Delays in registering for summer classes could cause delays in the processing of your financial aid.

- Meet with a Financial Aid Advisor: The best time to meet with an advisor for a specific estimate of your summer financial aid eligibility is in MARCH, after you have registered for Summer Session.

- Apply for Federal Work-Study:  You must complete a Summer Federal Work-Study Application in early spring in order to be eligible for Summer Federal Work-Study.  The application can be found on the Office of Student Employment’s website at http://www.umaine.edu/studemp/.  Summer Federal Work-Study applications are due April 6, 2012.

- Let the Bursar’s Office Know What Financial Aid You Expect to Receive: Complete your Anticipated Resources on MaineStreet to notify the Bursar’s Office of all anticipated aid.

- Notify the Financial Aid Office of ANY Changes: ANY changes to Summer Session enrollment could affect your financial aid eligibility.  Contact our office if you are planning on changing your enrollment in ANY way.

The 2012-2013 FAFSA is now available at www.fafsa.gov.  For priority consideration, the Federal processing Center must receive your FAFSA by March 1, 2012.

The FAFSA requires 2011 tax information.  If you or your parents have not yet filed your 2011 taxes you should use tax estimates to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. Once you have filed your 2011 taxes you will then be able to update your FAFSA.  For the 2012-2013 FAFSA you will be able to update your application using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.  This will allow you to request and retrieve filed tax data directly from the IRS.  Once this data is retrieved from the IRS, it can be transferred right into the FAFSA application.

Additionally, be sure to monitor your MaineStreet To-Do List for additional information requests.  Complete and return any required forms and provide the information requested by the listed due date to maintain your on-time awarding status.

FEDERAL DIRECT STAFFORD LOAN:

If it is your first time borrowing a Direct Stafford Loan, you must sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) for the 2011-2012 academic year in order to receive your Stafford Loan Funds.  You DO NOT have to wait until your loan has processed to complete this step.  

If you are a returning student and have borrowed Direct Stafford Loans previous to the 2011-2012 academic year, you do NOT have to complete a new MPN. 

To complete your Federal Direct Stafford Loan MPN, go to www.studentloans.gov 

FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN:

All Federal Perkins Loan borrowers must sign a new Master Promissory Note every year in order to receive Perkins Loan funds.  

To sign your Perkins MPN: Go to your Student Center on MaineStreet, click on View Financial Aid, and select the 2012 aid year.  To access the Perkins Loan MPN, click on Sign Promissory Note link under Loan Details. 

FEDERAL DIRECT PLUS LOAN:

If your parent has been approved for a Federal Direct PLUS Loan for the 2011-2012 academic year, your parent MUST sign a Master Promissory Note within 90 days of the loan’s credit approval in order for you to receive these loan funds. 

If your parent has been approved for the Federal Direct PLUS loan, but no longer wishes to borrow the loan, please have them send a signed request to our office. 

Parents should sign the PLUS Loan MPN at the following link: www.studentloans.gov

The Office of Student Financial Aid has begun loading 2011-2012 FAFSAs.  To determine  whether your FAFSA has been received by UMaine, login to your Student Self-Service page in MaineStreet.  You will find the FAFSA Status link under the Finances section of your Student Center.  Please look for the 2011-2012 FAFSA.  The date listed is not the date you filed the FAFSA, but instead is the date we loaded your FAFSA at UMaine.  If you have recently filed and the receipt of your FAFSA does not appear within 7 business days, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.

The 2011-2012 FAFSA is now available at www.fafsa.gov.  For priority consideration, the Federal Processing Center must receive your FAFSA by March 1, 2011.  Additionally, be sure to protect your priority status by responding promptly to requests for further information or documentation.  You do not have to wait until tax forms are filed with the IRS; you can provide estimated income figures if necessary.  Financial aid is available to applicants who miss the deadline, but may be limited.

Federal Direct Stafford Loans – All students wishing to borrow fall semester Federal Direct Stafford Loans, must accept these loans by Wednesday, December 15th, so they can be processed by the end of the semester.  Students who have not completed MPNs or Entrance Counseling for fall only loans must complete these by Friday, December 17th at http://studentloans.gov.

Federal Direct PLUS Loans – All fall semester PLUS Loan applications must be received by the Office of Student Financial Aid by Wednesday, December 15th to allow adequate processing time.

Alternative Loans -  In order for us to certify fall semester alternative loans, all certification requests must be received by the Office of Student Financial Aid by Friday, December 17th.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at 207-581-1324

You must sign a new Master Promissory Note (MPN) for the 2010-2011 academic year in order to receive your Stafford Loan because your lender has changed to the Department of Education.  Go to www.studentloans.gov to sign a new MPN.  You do not have to wait until your loan has processed to complete this step.  If you signed an MPN through the Department of Education within the last year, your MPN is still valid.

To view anticipated financial aid in MaineStreet, go to Student Self-Service > Student Center. In the Finances section of Student Center, click on Account Inquiry. You will see a summary of your account, including outstanding charges and deposits, pending financial aid and the total amount you owe. Anticipated financial aid shows in the Pending Financial Aid column. This includes all grants and University scholarships and will only include Stafford Loans which have been accepted in MaineStreet and outside scholarships after the scholarship check has been received.

Please report any funds in Anticipated Resources that are not already included as anticipated financial aid. If you have a remaining balance due after anticipated financial aid has been applied, you must report Anticipated Resources or pay the remaining balance by the bill’s due date in order to avoid a late payment fee. Outside scholarships or other outside assistance must also be reported to the Office of Student Financial Aid.

The Office of Student Financial Aid has begun loading 2010-2011 FAFSAs.  To determine  whether your FAFSA has been received by UMaine, login to your Student Self-Service page in MaineStreet.  You will find the FAFSA Status link under the Finances section of your Student Center.  Please look for the 2010-2011 FAFSA.  The date listed is not the date you filed the FAFSA, but instead is the date we loaded your FAFSA at UMaine.  If you have recently filed and the receipt of your FAFSA does not appear within 7 business days, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.