FAQs

Robert Huigens, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicinal chemistry

WELCOME CURRENT AND FUTURE STUDENTS!

Financial Aid Pro-Tip!

Submit your FAFSA as soon as possible to ensure your financial aid is not delayed!

Federal Student Aid

Financial Aid Contact information

Funding

Legal Information

Scholarship

Student Services

Tuition Information

Veterans Benefits


Federal Student Aid                

Where can I fill out the FAFSA?

Students are able to fill out the FAFSA on the studentaid.gov website.

Who is my lender for my Federal Stafford Loans & when do I get a promissory note?

 Your lender is the U. S. Department of Education. There are no paper promissory notes for Stafford or Graduate Plus Loans. You will be instructed how to complete an electronic Direct Loan promissory note using your FSA ID.

What if I can’t find my FSA ID?

You can request your FSA ID at: https://studentaid.ed.gov

Back to top


Financial Aid Contact Information

Where is the College of Medicine Financial Aid Office? 

The office is located in the Harrell Medical Education Building, Room 214 and 142

When is the COM Financial Aid Office open? 

Office hours are usually 8am-5pm.  Check the Bulletin Board on the website for weekly times. You can always e-mail the financial aid team at http://www.sfa.ufl.edu/help/ with general questions.  

How do I find out what’s going on with financial aid during the year? 

The Financial Aid Office sends e-mails to all COM students with important facts – available scholarships, tuition deadlines, etc. at least twice a semester. Be sure to read them! Also, be sure to check out the bulletin board inside the Financial Aid Office. 

Back to top


Funding

What paperwork do I need for financial aid at UF College of Medicine?

There is one form all schools use in applying for financial aid; it’s the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). You want to get this done as soon as possible after October 1st. You must complete a FAFSA every year you wish to receive financial aid. If you are going to apply for all available aid, be sure to include parental information (medical students only) as well as your own. UF’s school code for the FAFSA is 001535. You don’t have to wait to be accepted at a school in fill out a FAFSA. You can list up to ten different schools. 

Will I have enough money?

The cost of attendance that is allowed for College of Medicine students allows you to live comfortably in Gainesville. After tuition/fees, books & supplies are deducted, you should have between $1,400 – $1,600 per month for living expenses while enrolled in school.

When will I know what aid was awarded?

Award notices will be sent out before April 30th for all entering medical students who have a completed COM Financial Aid file. Electronic award notices for continuing students will begin mid-July. You can also check on Student Self Service under ‘Awards & Disbursements’ after the third week in July. 

When do I get my money?

Financial aid will not be disbursed before classes start. UF goes by the start dates of the undergraduate classes, i.e. you can expect money to start being disbursed the third week in August and the second week of January. Make sure you have enough ‘start up’ funds at the beginning of each semester to last until you receive your financial aid. Graduate students are always one week later due to tuition waivers being posted, etc. 

How do I get my money?

he student business office at UF is called University Bursar. They will either send a paper check to your local address you have on file with the UF Registrar or directly deposit the funds into your checking account if you have signed up for their EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer), which you can do through Student Self Service. 

How do I buy books if money doesn’t come before classes start? 

If you are receiving financial aid, you may be eligible for a book deferment. Check with the UF Bookstore for details.

Back to top


Legal information

What about my undergraduate loans? 

In-school deferments are handled through: COM Student Affairs Office(Room 210) for medical students, the COM Graduate Education Office(Room M-130) for graduate students and the PA Office(Room 410) for physician assistant students. 

Do I need to include financial aid I have received as “taxable income”?

Students who receive financial aid may have to report part of their financial aid as taxable income on their income tax returns. Always consult with a tax adviser if you aren’t sure. 

What must you include? Funds you receive (from scholarships, benefits, fellowships, and grants from the University of Florida or any other source) that, combined, exceed the cost of your tuition, fees, books, and required equipment and supplies. University of Florida, federal or private loans are not included. 

Back to top


Scholarships

How can I apply for scholarships? 

There are two different types of scholarships – Institutional and outside scholarships. By submitting the FAFSA (with parent information – medical students only), and a College of Medicine Aid Application (medical students only) you are automatically looked at for all possible school funding. For outside scholarship listings, check the bulletin board outside the office and check out the pages listed on the COM Financial Aid Website http://com-education-finaid-a2.sites.medinfo.ufl.edu/. The website also has valuable information and tips on the following topics: scholarship applications that win, writing a winning essay, and understanding the judging process. There are also FREE scholarship databases to do your own scholarship search. 

Back to top


Student Services

What is Student Self Service? 

Student Self Service is a campus-wide system that can be used for: Checking your financial aid file, disbursements, for holds(service indicators), confirming Stafford loans, making payments, changing your address with the Registrar, and viewing grades. You need your UFID and a GatorLink account to access the information.

Where do I get my UF ID? 

The UF ID is a unique eight (8) digit number that will link all of your records at the University of Florida. To find your UF ID, please visit http://www.it.ufl.edust/ufid/ . You will need your social security number or temporary student ID and your date of birth to look up your UF ID. 

If you do not have either a social security number or temporary student ID, please call the UF Office of Admissions for assistance at (352) 392-1365. 

When I enter my social security number or temporary ID number and date of birth, it says there is no UF ID with that number and date of birth. What should I do?

Your student directory file may be missing your date of birth. In order to release your UF ID, or allow you to look it up, we will need the following information faxed to the Office of the University Registrar at 352-846-1126: 

  • The name under which you applied 
  • Your date of birth 
  • Your email address 
  • Your address 
  • A copy of your driver’s license/passport showing your signature and date of birth 
  • Your handwritten signature 

How do I create a GatorLink account?

With your UF ID, you can create your GatorLink account at http://www.gatorlink.ufl.edu/ 

Back to top


Tuition Information

When is my tuition due? 

Each semester, it’s usually the 2nd Friday after UF classes start. If you are receiving financial aid, you will have a fee deferment usually until your aid comes in or the deferment deadline. You can check Student Self Service to see if you have a fee deferment. 

Will I have a tuition / fee deferment?

Deferments are granted automatically for students who have an award on file at SFA and do not owe tuition / fees from a previous term. Fees are deferred until receipt of financial aid or until the deferred payment deadline, whichever comes first. You can use Student Self Service to check your deferment status. If you have any questions about your eligibility for fee deferment, call Eileen Parris at (352) 273-7939 or stop by the office

How do I pay my tuition? 

All unpaid tuition / fees, and campus housing charges are deducted from students’ financial aid before disbursement for all students EXCEPT those that have a veteran’s deferment. Other monies due UF such as library fines, infirmary charges, etc will be deducted as well you have established the ‘student permission’ with University Bursar.  If you need to pay your tuition by check, make it payable to University of Florida. Sent to: University Bursar, PO Box 114050, Gainesville, FL 32610-4050.  Make sure your UF ID is on the check

How do I keep track of my student loans now & later?

By checking out NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System). All federal loans will be listed, no matter what school you attended. You will need your FSA ID to access your account. See the NSLDS link on the COM Financial Aid webpage. 

Back to top


Veterans Benefits

I’m eligible for GI Bill or veterans benefits. Where can I find information about them?

The university has a VA Counseling Office in the Office of the University Registrar, 222 Criser Hall. VA Work Study students are available during normal business hours from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, to assist you with your paperwork and answer any questions you may have about your benefits. You may also call them at (352) 392-1374 ext. 7413.  Their website has many helpful links. Visit https://veterans.ufl.edu/

Back to top