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At the University of Houston, we realize the important role financial aid plays in funding your education. To have access to this valuable resource in a timely fashion, it is important for you to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible to ensure you receive your offers in time to pay tuition and fees. You must complete and submit the FAFSA, along with any requested documentation, by the priority deadline each year to receive the maximum consideration for limited financial aid resources. The University of Houston’s Federal School Code is 003652.

For 2024-25, the FAFSA had a delayed release and was not made available until December 2023. Due to this delayed release, the priority deadline was April 15, 2024, for the 2024-25 aid year. The priority deadline for 2023-24 was Jan. 15, 2023.

Since we know the financial aid process can be confusing, staff in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid are here to help. Financial Aid Advisors are available via email, by phone (713-743-1010, option 5) and by drop-in virtual advising (via the Navigate app) to help you with questions about your financial aid process. If you do not have a CougarNet account, you can visit us in-person at the Welcome Center.

If you do not find the answers to all of your questions on this page, please visit the Scholarships and Financial Aid FAQs page or browse our helpful FATV videos.  

How to Avoid Delays

• APPLY EARLY - The FAFSA was released in December 2023 for the 2024-25 aid year and resumes opening on Oct. 1 in 2024.
• UTILIZE IRS DATA RETRIEVAL (DRT) – The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) electronically imports your federal tax return information into your FAFSA application. Using the IRS DRT will ensure we have the most complete and accurate tax information. Make sure to have you and/or your parent’s tax return for the “prior-prior” year with you when you are filling out the FAFSA. For example, on the 2023-24 FAFSA, you (and your parents, as appropriate) must report your 2021 income information, rather than your 2022 income information. 
• PROVIDE CONSISTENT INFORMATION - A computer process scans your FAFSA and income information to ensure all information in all fields matches. Please take great consideration in providing consistent information to avoid being flagged for verification.
• PROMPTLY SUBMIT ANY REQUESTED DOCUMENTS - UH’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid will inform you via email if any additional documentation is required to complete your file. For the 2024-25 aid year, you must have submitted the required documentation by the priority deadline or miss out on priority funding. The priority deadline for 2024-25 was April 15, 2014, while the priority deadline for 2023-24 was Jan. 15, 2023.

Before You Apply

To be eligible for Federal Financial Aid you need to:

• Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or have completed homeschooling.
• Be a citizen, or an eligible non-citizen of the United States.
• Be enrolled in a degree-seeking program.*
• Have a valid Social Security Number (SSN).
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.
• Not owe a refund on a federal student grant or be in default on a federal student loan.

*Certificate programs at UH are not eligible for federal or state financial aid unless you are simultaneously seeking a degree; students must be enrolled in degree-seeking programs to qualify for financial aid.

Once you have determined that you are eligible, you are ready to begin the six steps to financial aid.

Steps for Federal Applicants

STEP 1 - Apply for Your FSA ID

The FSA ID consists of a user-created username and password. It allows users to electronically access personal information on Federal Student Aid web sites and electronically sign a FAFSA. Parents of dependent students must obtain a FSA ID as well, so that they too can sign the FAFSA online. Visit studentaid.gov/fsa-id to create your FSA ID.

STEP 2 - Complete Your FAFSA

To apply for financial aid, you MUST complete a FAFSA by visiting studentaid.gov. You should complete the application as early as possible. For 2024-25, you must have completed and submitted the FAFSA, along with any requested documentation, by the priority deadline of April 15, 2024, to receive the maximum consideration for limited financial aid resources. The priority deadline for 2023-24 was Jan. 15, 2023. The University of Houston’s Federal School Code is 003652.

STEP 3 - Review Your Student Aid Report (SAR)

You will be notified by the Department of Education via email within three to five days that your Student Aid Report (SAR) is ready for review and has been forwarded to the school of your choice. If your SAR has errors, correct them online using your FSA ID.

STEP 4 - Complete Your File if Additional Documentation is Required

While processing your FAFSA, additional application requirements may be requested to complete your file in a process called verification. You will be notified via email if your file is incomplete, but it is also recommended that you monitor your status online  via our new ProVerifier+ verification tool located in AccessUH or your   myUH self-service account To Do List.

STEP 5 - Check Your Status

To be eligible for federal funding, you MUST be a fully admitted degree-seeking student. Check your status online at myUH self-service account.

STEP 6 - Accept Your Aid Offers

We will notify you via email when you have been offered financial aid. Accept or decline your financial aid offer(s) at myUH self-service account.

UH strives to make the financial aid process as straightforward as possible, but some students have unique situations that they need help with. Browse this list of links to learn more about the financial aid application process.

• Special Circumstances
• Determining Your Financial Need
• Disbursement of Aid
• Maintaining Financial Aid Eligibility