Terms and Conditions

Verification is a federally mandated review process. The Office of Student Financial Assistance and Employment is required to obtain and compare information submitted on tax documents, the verification form, and the FAFSA. Failure to submit requested documentation may result in cancellation of aid previously offered. Federal student financial assistance (e.g. Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, UM Grants, etc.) cannot be processed or credited to the student's account until the verification process is complete.

Any differences between information entered on the verification form, other requested documents, and the FAFSA may result in a new determination of financial need. This new determination of financial need may alter the student's financial aid awards and eligibility. Students will be notified by email when a revised award letter has been generated due to verification adjustments.

The University of Miami Office of Student Financial Assistance and Employment communicates with students and their parents by email. Students are responsible to monitor their CaneLink account and for checking their email account regularly. If a student misses an important deadline or loses eligibility because they did not resolve an outstanding issue, they cannot hold the Office of Student Financial Assistance and Employment at fault.

To receive digital communication regarding federal aid packages and private loans, financial aid students must first agree to the University of Miami Office of Financial Aid e-Consent policy. 

A student’s aid may not show as anticipated aid on their bill due to a variety of issues that must be resolved before their financial aid can be disbursed.  The student should monitor all outstanding action and document requirements on CaneLink Student Center under View Financial Aid and submit the necessary documentation as soon as possible. If they fail to complete the financial aid process by the priority deadline, financial aid eligibility may be affected or they may not be eligible for a variety of funds that they may have received in previous years.

If selected for “Verification," the student will need to provide the Office of Student Financial Assistance and Employment a variety of documents to validate the information submitted on their CSS Profile and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If the information submitted on their application is different than their verification information, it will/may change their financial aid award based on new information.

Financial need is the difference between the cost of attendance (COA) and the amount of their family’s expected family contribution (EFC) as calculated by the Institutional Methodology formula from data they provided on the CSS Profile. Eligibility for need-based aid may change if they receive funds from another source. Merit and other entitlement resources are considered when determining eligibility for need-based funds. The financial aid office will communicate the changes and students are required to review CaneLink frequently to understand how their award may have been affected. All student financial aid is limited to the total cost of attendance. In the case where aid exceeds the total cost of attendance, the financial aid award will be adjusted and institutional funds may be reduced. Merit and other entitlement resources, such as state aid, are considered when determining eligibilty for institutional need-based funds.

Tuition remission is a benefit available to employees of the University or other college or university and their dependent children. It may cover a portion or all of tuition as determined by the institution. Eligibility for a tuition benefit is determined by the institution's human resources department. If a student is eligible to receive a tuition benefit such as tuition remission, this benefit may not be combined with other merit or talent-based tuition-restricted aid from the University such as the President’s Scholarship, President’s Music Scholarship 1, President's Music Scholarship 2, President's Architecture Scholarship, President's BFA Scholarship, Athletic Tuition Scholarship, and ‘Canes Achievement Award.  A tuition benefit (such as tuition remission or waiver) is considered a financial resource and must be considered when determining eligibility for need-based aid.  An aid package may change depending on any increase in a tuition benefit.  All student finanical aid is limited to the total cost of attendance.  If you are awarded more aid than the total cost of attendance, your merit- or talent-based aid may be reduced.

UM Employees and their dependents who have questions about their eligibility for tuition remission or wish to determine if they are eligible for tuition remission should contact the University Total Rewards department at benefitsexpert@miami.edu.  

If a student receives an outside scholarship, their financial aid awards may be affected. Please submit all information from the scholarship agency to the Office of Student Financial Assistance and Employment as soon as the student is made aware of the award. Please use the Outside Scholarship Documentation Submission Form to report all outside scholarships or to request the completion of scholarship certification forms. 

The Office of Student Financial Assistance and Employment will first fill any gap between the institutional Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and federal EFC, and then reduce any need-based loans and work-study before reducing any need-based grant eligibility in their financial aid package.  Need-based aid may include UM Coral Grant, UM Enhancement Grant and various UM donor-named scholarships among other funds.  Students may request that the financial aid office reduce loan eligibility before reducing federal work study. To submit this request visit Contact Us.

In the event that your financial aid award, including outside scholarships, exceeds the total cost of attendance, University funds may be adjusted to ensure that the total aid does not exceed the cost of attendance.  You may check with the OSFAE when receiving awards from outside agencies to find out the full impact of the outside scholarship on your University financial aid award package.  Never assume that your original financial award will remain the same if such awards are added.  We reserve the right to modify any financial aid award at any time due to changes in eligibility or new information received by the OSFAE. 

There are a variety of work study (federal and institutional) positions available on and off campus. Students should find a suitable employment opportunity that fits their needs, areas of interest and academic schedule. Once they find an employer(s), they must complete a work study authorization form, I-9 form, W-4 form and a direct deposit authorization before they can begin work. If Federal Work Study is awarded as part of their financial aid package, the amount indicated is the maximum amount they may earn during the academic year. The amount awarded is not a guarantee of employment.

For all merit and need-based aid from the University of Miami, full-time enrollment is required. Full-time enrollment is defined as 12 credits or more each semester. The student must have the required full-time enrollment to qualify for institutional aid. Enrollment of less than 12 credits may result in the reduction or loss of some aid programs.

Summer aid is processed once the student is enrolled at least half-time for the summer term.  Only undergraduates enrolled at least half-time (6 credits or more) will be eligible to receive any remaining federal student loan, Pell Grant and Florida Bright Futures eligibility in accordance with federal and state regulations.  Financial aid for summer will not disburse until the first day of the term in which the student meets the minimum required enrollment for the aid program. Students who are not enrolled for summer but wish to request Federal Work Study for the summer term must submit a Summer Federal Work Study Appeal on our website.

Financial aid may be affected in cases where a student is retaking a course and are encouraged to work with their advisor to ensure that they maintain their full-time status in order to receive all of their financial aid. Students may only receive federal financial aid for 1 repetition of a previously passed course. In order for a repeated course to count toward your financial aid enrollment status, students may only repeat a previously passed course once (a total of 2 attempts).

By the end of the add/drop period, if they have not enrolled in full-time credits, their financial aid will be prorated based on the total of all the new courses that have not already been paid by their financial aid. Most federal, state and institutional aid programs require full-time enrollment. Full-time enrollment is defined as at least 12 credits and enrollment of fewer than 12 credits may result in the reduction or loss of some aid.

Financial aid funds are awarded with the expectation that the student will complete the entire period of enrollment.  A percentage of funds that are disbursed are earned with each day of class attendance. If a financial aid recipient must leave school before the end of the semester or designated period of enrollment, whether an official or unofficial withdrawal, federal regulations require the University of Miami to perform a Return to Title IV calculation to determine the percentage and amount of “unearned” financial aid funds that must be returned to the federal programs. For official withdrawals, the return to Title IV calculation will be completed within 30 days and the designated funds must be returned within 45 days from the date the university determined that the student withdrew. 

Unofficial withdrawal means that the student stopped attending classes or did not complete the withdrawal process outlined by the 'Cane Success Center. Students with all failing grades at the end of the semester are considered to be unofficially withdrawn. The last date of attendance for unofficial withdrawals will be the midpoint of the semester. The University must determine the last date of attendance within 30 days of the end of payment period and return Title IV aid within 45 days from the determined date of withdrawal. There is no return of Non-Title IV aid for unofficial withdrawals. 

The University will be responsible for returning funds to the program(s) and may require the student to repay or owe funds that have already been disbursed or credited to their student account. The amount of aid to be returned is based on formulas established by the U.S. Department of Education. The student will be notified of the outcome of the calculation via e-mail. Title IV funds include; the Federal Pell Grant, Iraq and Afganistan Service Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, and Federal Direct PLUS Loans.

If the student owes financial aid funds back to the University due to the return of the funds, payments and payment arrangements must be made with ‘Canes Central.  A student who completes more than 60% of the enrollment period will have earned all of their federal aid eligibility for that period. The order in which Title IV funds will be returned through the Return to Title IV calculation is as follows; Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, Direct Parent PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant.

Failure to repay funds due to a federal program may affect future eligibility for financial aid at the University of Miami or any other institution a student may attend after withdrawing. 

The State of Florida does not allow Bright Futures to pay for unearned credits; therefore, all Bright Futures awards disbursed for the term must be returned for the term in which a student withdraws from the University. 

Institutional fund eligibility (merit or need-based) is calculated in proportion to the tuition refund schedule published by the Office of Student Account Services. 

For information on the withdrawal process, please contact the 'Cane Success Center. 

In order to be eligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid programs, students must initially and continually meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). University of Miami standards of SAP measure a student‘s academic performance both qualitatively and quantitatively by reviewing the following three areas of performance: completion rate for coursework enrolled, cumulative grade point average earned, being on track to complete a degree within the maximum timeframe. All transferred credits and all credits attempted at the University of Miami are used in the completion rate and maximum time frame calculations. The Office of Student Financial Assistance and Employment is responsible for ensuring that they are meeting these minimum standards. The standards of SAP apply for all federal, state and college-funded financial assistance programs.

If a student fails to meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for financial aid, they will lose their eligibility at the end of the period of review. They will have the opportunity to appeal the loss of their financial aid; and if the appeal is approved, they will have one semester (or one academic year for Florida state aid) to improve their GPA and completion rate to a level that meets the standards. They also understand that if their appeal is denied, there is no further recourse to the reinstatement of their financial aid at this time. For further information on Satisfactory Academic Progress, please click here.

Students accepting a Federal Direct loan must complete an Entrance Counseling session and Master Promissory Note at studentaid.gov. In addition, they must be enrolled at least half time, be making satisfactory academic progress and meet all regulations that are required of them to receive their loan proceeds.

Each fall and spring semesters the Office of Student Financial Assistance and Employment will freeze enrollment at the end of the add/drop period. This date is the Financial Aid Census Date. All adjustments to the student’s course schedule must be made by the end of the add/drop period to avoid problems with repeat courses or disbursement issues due to insufficient enrollment. Most federal financial aid requires at least half-time enrollment including Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Loans. Most institutional financial aid requires full-time enrollment including need-based UM grants and merit scholarships. Adjustments to financial aid for enrollment changes after the Census Date will not be done except for Florida Bright Futures and in the case of a complete withdrawal from the University. There are no exceptions to this policy.

In some cases, a family may experience a change in their financial situation since filing their financial aid and they may wish to appeal for a reconsideration of their aid eligibility. Only certain circumstances can be evaluated such as loss of income, unusual medical expenses (not premiums), separation/divorce of parent’s, death of a family member, or non-discretionary expenses incurred by the family. An appeal form may be found at miami.edu/reviewmyaid. The most recent tax forms and additional documentation may also be required. Please note that no additional need-based institutional aid will be awarded until the student has accepted in Canelink all offered self-help including federally subsidized direct loans and federal work-study. 

If a student's total amount of scholarship and grants exceeds the total amount of tuition, fees, and books for the calendar year, it is the student's responsibility to claim that untaxed income on the applicable Federal Tax Return. Please consult a tax advisor regarding reporting responsibility. Scholarships are not taxable as long as they do not exceed expenses incurred for tuition, fees, and books (not including room and board). If they have questions, they should review Publication 970 of the IRS code if they have questions about this tax filing requirement.

National Merit finalists who are accepted and name the University of Miami as their first choice may receive a $1,000 or $2,000 college-sponsored National Merit Award. $2,000 will be awarded only if the student has demonstrated financial need of at least $2,000. Students receiving a National Merit Corporate-Sponsored or a National Merit Achievement award will not qualify for the college-sponsored award. 

A portion of the family's contribution is the responsibility of the student. UM expects the student to contribute a minimum of $2,500 from income (summer and leave term employment opportunities) and a portion of any savings or other resources that may be available to the student. The University of Miami follows this policy with the following exception: In an effort to encourage participation in summer internships, UM will provide need-based financial aid to replace the summer savings expectation for all students who are unable to earn and save all or a portion of their student contribution. In order to qualify for additional financial aid, students must meet posted deadlines for participation in a summer internship. NOTE: The additional financial aid may take the form of increased work-study employment, student loan, and/or grant (if applicable) as determined by the student’s eligibility for need-based funds and University of Miami’s awarding policies.

The University of Miami considers all need-based self-help aid a valuable resource to help students meet their institutional obligations and other educational expenses.  Need-based self-help aid includes Federal Work Study and Federal Subsidized Direct Loans.  If a student chooses to decline this aid, the institution does not increase nor replace the declined aid with additional grants or scholarships from Federal, State or Institutional resources.

All student financial aid is limited to the total Cost of Attendance or aid budget.  The assigned budget is based on the housing selection from the student Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  For those students not submitting a FAFSA, the aid budget will default to “with parent or relative” for domestic students or “on-campus” for international students.   You may see your assigned assiged budget based on housing selection under Messages in your CaneLink Student Center/Net Partner.

If the assigned budget is incorrect, your aid package may be incorrect causing an over-award of aid.  Please make note of your assigned cost of attendance and, if this is incorrect, please notify our office so the appropriate correction to the budget can be made.

University of Miami students attending non-UM programs or semesters away will be ineligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid.  The University of Miami does not participate in consortium agreements for study at another institution and therefore can award you no aid for such enrollment.  For more information, please see the Non-UM Programs Policies & Instructions form on at miami.edu/registrar.

The University of Miami considers all resources from federal and state funds when determining financial need before awarding institutional need-based funds. 

Florida residents: Bright Futures eligibility is calculated based on a per-credit-hour rate that is determined by the State of FL. If a student’s enrollment is less than 15 credits, institutional funds will not increase to fill any gap due to an enrollment of fewer credits. The loss of state aid eligibility due to academic progress or a credit-hour or term limitation will not be replaced with UM need-based funds.