NOW is the time to start thinking about Scholarships and Federal aid for next year!  The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office has several scholarship opportunities for students who are currently enrolled at UMKC.  To apply, you fill out one scholarship application online.  The Currently Enrolled Scholarship Application, along with 2 letters of recommendation, is due March 1.  That’s just around the corner! So don’t procrastinate, complete the application now!  Remember that other opportunities for scholarships may be found within your department or Academic Unit–so be sure to check with your advisor as soon as possible to ensure you apply before any deadlines.

It’s also time to start preparing for the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA).  UMKC’s priority deadline to complete the 2014-2015 FAFSA is March 1.  You can still complete it after this date, but keep in mind grants are awarded first to those who have completed the FAFSA by the priority deadline and funds may not be available later on.  Federal workstudy opportunities are also awarded based on your FAFSA, but remember UMKC receives a limited number of allocations–so the earlier you submit your FAFSA, the better!

Estimated federal income tax information may be used to complete the FAFSA if a family’s actual tax forms have not yet been completed. For those who have filed their federal income taxes, you might be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which allows IRS data to be directly populated into selected FAFSA questions, making the process much easier.  Keep in mind that estimated forms may need to be verified, which means you will have to provide the actual tax paperwork to complete the verification process before aid can be awarded.

For questions, feel free to call the UMKC Financial Aid and Scholarships Office at 235-1154 or email finaid@umkc.edu.