Federal Aid Eligibility

General requirements to be eligible for financial aid.

To be eligible for any of the Federal Student Aid programs, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen,
• Be admitted to a UMA degree or eligible certificate program,
• Enroll for at least six credit hours each semester (some students may be eligible for Federal Pell Grants while enrolled for less than six credits),
• Show financial need (for most programs),
• Make satisfactory academic progress,
• Provide Consent to access Federal Tax Information (FTI),
• Not be in default on repayment of a student loan or owe a refund on a federal grant.

For detailed information regarding eligibility, refer to The Student Guide.

NOTE: Students that have previously earned a prior baccalaureate degree or its equivalent are eligible for Federal Stafford Loans only for their UMA degree.