You have the right to:

  • Be advised of what financial aid programs are available and how to apply for them.
  • Be advised of requirements in the case of withdrawal, refunds and repayment of financial aid.
  • Have all application information treated with the highest professional confidentiality.
  • Be advised of the procedures and deadlines for submitting application(s) for financial aid.
  • Be advised of the selection criteria for financial aid recipients.
  • Be advised of how and when financial aid funds are disbursed.
  • Request a review of your aid package if you believe a mistake has been made or if your enrollment status or family and/or financial circumstances have changed.
  • Be advised of how the school determines whether you are making satisfactory progress for financial aid, and what happens if you are not.
  • Be advised of campus security and crime statistics.

You have the responsibility to:

  • Establish plans to meet your educational and living expenses.
  • Apply for financial aid early if you need financial assistance.
  • Only take classes required to complete degree requirements in your specified program of study.
  • Submit all forms required to complete the application process in a timely and accurate manner.
  • Read, understand and retain copies of all information and/or forms that are sent to you, or that you must sign.
  • Keep UIS informed of any changes of address, name or marital status while you are a student and until all loans have been repaid in full.
  • Notify the Office of Financial Assistance of all sources of funds you receive that are not already showing on your Award Letter.
  • Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.
  • Satisfactorily perform any work assignments accepted through student employment programs.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

UIS Financial Aid follows the FERPA Act and therefore, will only provide confidential financial aid information directly to students. However, students who would like for financial aid staff to release protected information to a parent, guardian or other party, may complete and return the below form to financial aid via email, mail or in person.

Authorization to Release Financial Aid Information Form

At the start of the 2024-25 FAFSA cycle, students and their FAFSA contributors must consent to having their Federal Tax Information (FTI) included on their application.  This consent must be granted in order for the student to be eligible for federal and state aid programs. 

A FERPA form can still be completed which gives permission to disclosure higher-level financial aid information to a third party as authorized.  However, students and contributors should be aware that FERPA does not authorize the sharing of FTI data.  FTI data transferred from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may only be shared with the student upon request with the Office of Financial Assistance.  These data elements are considered highly protected by IRS Code and are only able to be used by higher education institutions for the purpose of administering financial aid programs, including determining eligibility and amounts of Title IV aid.    

What information is included within FTI? 

  • Tax Year (ex. Award year 2025-26 is based on 2023 tax year information from the IRS)
  • Tax Filing Status
  • Adjust Gross Income (AGI)
  • Number of Exemptions and Number of Dependents
  • Income Earned from Work
  • Taxes Paid
  • Educational Credits
  • Untaxed IRA distributions
  • IRA deductible and payments
  • Tax exempt interest
  • Untaxed pension amounts
  • Schedule C net profit/loss
  • Indicators for Schedules A, B, D, E, F, H
  • IRS response code