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Spring Aid FAQs

Will all of my previous aid transfer to UH?
Financial aid does not directly transfer between colleges. Instead, UH will recalculate your eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant Program and Federal Direct Loans based on the information on your FAFSA, your confirmed UH enrollment, and the previously disbursed amounts at your prior institution. If you are transferring for the spring semester, the amount of federal student aid for which you are eligible will be reduced by the amount of federal student aid you received and “earned” at the previous institution. Certain types of Federal aid eligibilities, such as the Federal Pell Grants Program and Federal Direct Loans, are portable, while campus-based aid such as institutional grants and work-study are not. In addition, any money awarded by your prior institution from its own funds will not transfer.

Do I get additional financial aid for housing?
There aren’t additional sources of Financial Aid funding for students who select on-campus or off-campus housing. In order to defer housing fees using financial aid you must have enough accepted aid to cover all registration fees and tuition amounts, as well as t he full amount of the housing charges.

My awards are not enough to cover my fees and school supplies. How do I apply for additional funds?
There are several ways to obtain additional funds for your education.

  • If you are a dependent student, your parent may apply for a Federal Parent PLUS Loan to help with educational expenses. If they are denied, you can request an additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
  • For both dependent and independent students, you may also apply for alternative loans.
  • When requesting additional funds or applying for alternative loans, we can only approve an amount that will not exceed your cost of attendance (COA) for the University of Houston.
  • Please note that during the start of the semester, the processing times for Federal PLUS Loans and alternative loans may take a few weeks. We advise students to select a deferment or payment plan if loan application is still in process.
What if I am not approved for a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan?
If your parent applies for the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan and receives a denial letter, you will be offered additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds based on your grade level eligibility.

What factors influence my ability to borrow and the amount I can borrow?

  • All students are awarded on an assumed full-time enrollment status, your aid will be adjusted according to your actual enrollment after the official reporting day of the term and may affect the amount of your refund.
  • Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 6 hours to be eligible for loans.
  • When you transfer credits from one school to another, it is possible that not all of your credits will be accepted. This may affect your class level (sophomore or junior status), and you may only be able to borrow the lesser amount of the sophomore level.
  • If your prior institution has not cancelled any active spring aid for you, you will not be eligible for awards at UH; any aid already awarded at UH will be cancelled.