Understanding Your Offer Letter
Understanding Your Offer Letter
How Financial Aid is Determined
The information you reported on your FAFSA is used to calculate your Student Aid Index (SAI). Your contribution is determined using federally-defined formulas which take into consideration factors such as income level, assets, and household size.
The SAI is used to determine your federal student aid eligibility and financial aid offer.
The SAI measures your family’s financial strength and is used to determine your eligibility for Federal student aid during one academic year. Your SAI will be displayed on your Student Aid Report (SAR) after your FAFSA is processed.
Your SAI is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college, nor is it the amount of Federal student aid you will receive. It is the number we will use to calculate the amount of Federal student aid you are eligible to receive.*
*Source: www.fafsa.gov
The tuition and fee rate at which you will be billed.
- Resident
- Non-resident
- New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE)
- UMaine Online
The tuition and fee rate at which you will be billed based on your campus of admission
- University of Maine Orono
- University of Maine at Machias
Reporting Housing
Report changes to your housing plan to our office as soon as possible so any required adjustments can be processed. Housing choices include on-campus, off-campus, or living at home with family.
- Login at mainestreet.maine.edu
- Select Accept/Decline Awards under Finances
- Select the 2025 Aid Year
- Report a housing change under Confirm Enrollment & Outside Aid
For technical assistance logging into MaineStreet, contact the IT Help Desk at 207.581.2506.
Determines the amount of federal student loans you are offered based on the number of credits earned.
Dependency status is determined based on information provided on the FAFSA.
If you are considered a dependent student while filing the FAFSA, you are required to provide parent financial information in order to complete the FAFSA. If you are considered an Independent Student while filing the FAFSA, you are not required to provide parent financial information in order to complete the FAFSA.
Please Note: Student dependency status is different than being claimed as a dependent on a tax return.
Click here to use the FAFSA Dependency Status Worksheet to determine what your status is.
The types and amounts of aid in your offer are based on an enrollment of 15 credits per semester.
If you plan on enrolling in less than 15 credits each semester, it is important to report this information to the Office of Student Financial Services, as adjustments to your financial aid may be required.
Merit Scholarships
Your merit scholarship may be subject to change if you are enrolled in less than 15 credits per semester. Please note, eligibility for some scholarships is dependent on students being a minimum of 12 credits per semester.
Grants
Some federal and state grants are subject to adjustment if you are enrolled in less than 15 credits per semester.
For specific information on how your offer will change according to your enrollment, please contact our office.
Cost of Attendance (COA)
A college education is one of the best investments you can make for yourself. UMaine is invested in helping you understand your educational expenses. Knowing these expenses will help you create a plan for your financial aid, work earnings, and other income that will go towards these costs.
Students cannot receive more financial aid than the total COA.
Student Aid Index (SAI)
The Student Aid Index (SAI) measures a family’s ability to contribute to a student’s educational costs. The information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to calculate the SAI.
The SAI does not represent the amount that a student will owe.
Financial Aid Eligibility
Need-based financial aid includes, but is not limited to: Federal, State, and Institutional Grants, some University Scholarships, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Subsidized Loans.
COA – SAI = Financial Aid Eligibility
COA – SAI = Financial Aid Eligibility
More Information
Why would an aid package change?
There are many reasons a student’s financial aid offer may be revised. If the Office of Student Financial Services is required to make adjustments to the financial aid, the student will receive an electronic communication. The following are some reasons our office may be required to adjust your aid: