Applying for Financial Aid
Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA Questions)
What is federal aid?
- The U.S. Department of Education offers grants and loans to eligible United States citizens who are enrolled in higher education institutions.
How do I apply for federal financial aid?
What is the BYU-Idaho FAFSA code?
- The BYU-Idaho FAFSA code is 001625.
How do I tell if BYU-Idaho received my FAFSA information?
- See Viewing Financial Aid Offers, to see any financial aid you have been offered. (If BYU-I has received it, it will show as a satisfied document in your portal.)
- See if your FAFSA application was processed or submitted on the Federal Student Aid website, see Checking my FAFSA Info.
How do I know if anything else is needed to determine my federal financial aid offers?
- See Viewing Missing Documents for Federal Aid.
- If you have no missing documents and your financial aid offers are not showing within 2-3 business days of the University receiving your FAFSA, please contact the Financial Aid office.
How do I see what federal financial aid I qualify for?
I have already submitted my FAFSA but I have not seen my financial aid offers. What should I do?
- First, check your financial aid portal to see if you are required to submit any additional verification documents, see Viewing Missing Documents for Federal Aid. (Any documents requested must be completed and processed before aid is offered.)
- Check your application the FAFSA website to verify that the academic year for the FAFSA you completed is the correct one.
- Make sure that BYU-Idaho has your correct Social Security Number and birth date on file. If they are incorrect, see Demographic Changes for how to update to the correct information. (Please note, it takes 24-48 business hours after making a change for updates to show on your student account and up to a week to show in the Financial Aid portal.)
How do I see the status of my FAFSA?
- You can check the status of your FAFSA by logging into the FAFSA website.
BYU-Idaho Scholarships
What is a BYU-Idaho Scholarship and how do I apply?
- The BYU-Idaho Scholarship is intended to assist students at BYU-Idaho who show financial need and/or academic merit. Find more info and apply at BYU-Idaho Scholarships
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Where do I go to get scholarship tax information?
- The scholarship tax information is found on the 1098-T form that you can access online see Tax Information. You can also use this article for 1098-T Box descriptions and understanding your 1098-T form. For more information about form 1098-T please see the IRS Publication 970.
Other Scholarships
Are there other scholarships I can apply for?
Receiving Student Loans
I've been offered federal student loans, how do I accept them?
- To accept loans, see Accepting/ Declining Federal Loans.
- If it is your first time accepting a federal student loan, you will need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling. Instructions can be found in the Missing Documents section of your Financial Aid Student Portal.
- Once your loan offer is accepted (and you have completed your MPN and Entrance Counseling if needed), the loan funds should appear in your student account within 2-3 business days once the semester has started.
- Deadline for accepting loans: You can accept offered loans for the current semester up until the last week of the semester. See Loan Policies for more information about accepting loans.
What is a Master Promissory Note, and why do I need it?
- The Master Promissory Note (MPN) is a legal document in which you promise to repay your loan(s) and any accrued interest and fees to the U.S. Department of Education. It also explains the terms and conditions of your loan(s). For more info, go to Loan Policies and scroll down to the Master Promissory Note section.
When do I have to pay back my student loans?
- You are required to begin making payments on your student loans once the grace period ends. The grace period ends either 6 months after graduation or once you drop below 6 program applicable credits for 6 consecutive months. For more information on repayment options, see loan repayment plans.
- Note: Some lenders have different student loan repayment options based on income or individual situations. This option can be especially helpful for missionaries who received student loans before their missionary service. For more information, reach out to your lender before you leave for your mission.
Accessing My Financial Aid
I need to pay for some things, when will I get my financial aid?
- Financial aid is typically disbursed within the first week of the semester if you have met the deadlines and submitted any required verification documents. (If you attended the previous term, your grades need to be posted first so the Financial Aid Office can check your eligibility before your aid is released.)
- Books: If you are needing to purchase books for your classes, you may charge the balance to your student account which gives you 30 days to pay off the charges. For in person pickup, use your I-number and for online orders, select "Campus Charge" at checkout.
- Housing: If you are worried about housing payments, speak with your housing manager to let them know you are waiting on financial aid.
- Late fees: If you do NOT meet the FAFSA Priority Deadlines (see Dates and Deadlines) for submitting your FAFSA, you may be subject to late fees (5% of the unpaid balance) which are added to your student charges one week after tuition is due unless you pay your balance by other means.
Why is it requiring me to acknowledge my financial debt whenever I try to make a payment to my tuition?
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Acknowledging your financial debt is an agreement that you are responsible for any charges on your account. It could be that you have some outstanding balance or just an acknowledgment for future charges and any of the Past Due Debt Holds before you will be cleared to register (add/drop courses), receive a transcript (official or unofficial), or receive a diploma you will need to pay your balance in full. There are other types of holds that might prevent you from using other services. For a complete list of Student Holds please read Holds.
For more details about making a payment online, see Making a Payment (for Campus students) or Making a Payment (for BYU-Pathway Online Students) help guide articles.
If this doesn't help please chat with our team and request to speak with an Accounting Services agent using the chat feature at byui.edu. Select the blue chat bubble on the bottom right-hand corner and choose "Web Chat".
How do I get my financial aid to apply to my student charges and can I choose what it pays for?
Will I get a late fee if my financial aid does not cover my tuition before the deadline?
- Accounting Services sends out an email during the first week of each semester to let students know when late fees will be assessed and how to avoid them. You will not receive a late fee until 7 days after the first day of the semester. If you cannot make a payment in full after being late, you will need to set up a formal payment plan.
Can my late fees be waived, if finacial aid does not disburse on time?
- You may be eligible to waive a late fee if you met the priority deadline, all your accepted aid covers the total cost of your tuition, you accepted loans by the first day of the semester, and you completed the MPN and Entrance Counseling by the first day of the semester. The waiver is ONLY for students who are waiting for their Financial Aid and scholarships, met all the priority deadlines, and still received a late fee.
Other FAQ
How do I get to my financial aid portal?
What do I need to do to get my Veterans Affairs (VA) money?
What happens to my financial aid if I drop a class?
- Dropping one or more classes could affect your financial aid. Because each student's situation is different, it is recommended you reach out to the Financial Aid Office prior to dropping any credits.
- Federal financial aid is dependent on the number of program applicable (PA) credits you are enrolled in. Generally, you need at least 12 credits to receive the full amount of any award. University scholarships and federal loans require at least 6 credits. Pell Grants may be prorated down to a 0.5 credit depending on your eligibility level.
- For more information on how a student's Financial Aid is affected when dropping courses, see Adding/Dropping Classes.
Why am I on Financial Aid SAP Suspension or Warning?
- According to the US Department of Education, all students wishing to receive federal financial aid must meet certain requirements. These standards, called "Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)" ensure that students are making academic progress toward earning a degree. For more info on SAP (including warnings and suspension), see Satisfactory Academic Progress
How do I find the Program Applicability tool?
Will I get financial aid for all the courses I am taking this semester?
- Pell Grant offer will depend on the number of program applicable credits you take each semester. There is a tool on the BYU-I website which helps you identify which courses are program applicable. For more information on how to access this, please see the Using the Program Applicability Tool help guide article.
After reading this page, I still have questions. Who can I contact?
How do I get my I-card (student card)?
- For information on reserving and picking up an I-card, please go to Student-Express and click the third button, "Request an I-Card".
For a list of recent questions students are asking about their Finances, see Finances Questions.