UM-Helena School Code 007570
FINANCIAL AID FAQs
How do I apply for financial aid?
By filling out a FAFSA.
How do I make sure UM-Helena gets my financial aid information?
On your FAFSA, include the UM-Helena school code, 007570.
I completed my FAFSA online. Why haven’t I heard from UM-Helena?
The FAFSA is only step one of the financial aid process. When you receive notification it has been completed, contact UM-Helena to get the other information required to complete your financial aid file.
The school I attended last year granted me a dependency override, am I okay since they have already approved this?
No, an override or override paperwork will not carry over or one year to the next. The financial aid office must reaffirm the status each year.
What are financial aid “priority dates”?
These are dates by which you need to have your file completed in order to get financial aid before the fee-payment deadline. The FAFSA filing date for Montana is March 1.
I missed the priority date; can I still apply for financial aid?
Yes, you can still apply and be considered for aid. However, you will need to make payment to the business office to keep your classes from being dropped. If you are eligible for aid, it will be processed once your file has been completed.
What if I missed the priority date and do not have the money to pay my tuition in full?
You may sign up for the UM-Helena payment plan. Of course, you will be expected to make the payments by certain dates until the tuition is covered.
What is “Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)”?
SAP measures completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require us to monitor your progress. If you fall behind in coursework, or fail to achieve standards for GPA 2.0, and completion of classes, you
may lose eligibility for federal and state aid. What is required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress?
- Maintain the required grade point average (GPA) for the number of hours you attempted.
- Pass a 70 percentage of those hours
- Complete a degree or certificate program in no more than 90 credit hours, unless your degree requires more than 62 hours
- Do not completely withdraw from classes, unless there are mitigating (unusual) circumstances. These must be documented and approved by the financial aid office. The SAP regulations list the GPA and required pass percentage. See the Satisfactory Academic Progress (PDF).
What is verification?
The Department of Education requires us to verify the accuracy of FAFSA data. WE may ask you to submit documents, such as a federal income tax return, to our office before you get aid. If you don’t, it may mean cancellation of financial aid. Aid will be delayed until documents have been received and processed.
I said I was interested in student loans on my FAFSA application. Why wasn’t a student loan processed for me?
Applying for loans at UM-Helena requires additional processes. You must:
- Accept on award from UM-Helena and state amount
- Complete online entrance counseling
- Sign Master Promissory Note (MPN)
- Submit that documentation to the financial aid office
How will dropping a class affect my financial aid?
- Some examples of what dropping a class may do: If you withdraw from all your classes before 60% of the semester has passed, you could owe money back to the school and the Department of Education depending on when the drop took place
- Dropping a class can also affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress, which requires you to complete a certain percent of your classes to stay in good standing.
- If you are a loan student and dropping a class puts you below half-time enrollment, it might affect your loan disbursement.
Contact the financial aid office prior to withdrawing to see what effect it will have on you.
