Parent Information
How can parents assist students with the process of their Financial Aid?
Due to federal privacy regulations, student information cannot be shared without a student's consent. Students must complete and submit an Authorization to Release Educational Records form. Once this form has been completed, the University will allow financial aid information to be shared with parents.
How much financial aid will my child need?
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has developed a Net Price Calculator to provide prospective students with a rough approximation of the cost of attendance.
The Student Billing Office lists out tuition and fees as determined by residence status and hours taken.
How much financial aid will my child expect to receive?
Determine how much aid the student may receive. These are rough estimates, but they may help you in planning what the out-of-pocket expense could be.
How do you apply for aid?
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. A detailed walkthrough is located on our website.
What are the deadlines?
A list of important dates and deadlines is located on our website.
What can that aid consist of?
Financial aid packages can contain any combination of the basic types of aid: grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study:
Grants: These are a need-based form of financial assistance to students. Grants do not have to be repaid. Grants may come from the government, the college, or other organizations. You can review the different grants on our website.
Scholarships: These are a need-based or merit-based form of financial assistance to students. Scholarships do not have to be repaid. Scholarships may be institutional or state. Students are also encouraged to apply for agency scholarships. You can review detailed scholarship information on our website.
Loans: may come from the federal or state government, from the college itself, or from other sources. They must be paid back. One common type of loan is the Direct Loan. They can be subsidized or unsubsidized:
- Subsidized: The interest is paid by the federal government. As a result, your child doesn't have to begin making payments on this type of loan until several months after he or she is out of college.
- Unsubsidized: The student must pay for the interest of the loan, which begins to accrue immediately.
To learn about the Federal Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, Parent PLUS and Graduate PLUS Loan Programs, we are providing a Direct Loan Website link.
The U.S. Department of Education makes Direct PLUS Loans to eligible borrowers through schools participating in the Direct Loan Program. Information on the Parent Plus loan is available on our website and the Federal Student Aid site.
Students and parents can explore the site for information about the Direct Loan Program, including helpful publications and tools to help manage their Direct Loans. The Federal Direct Loan program, including steps for the application process and interest rates is located on our website. Directions are available for obtaining a FSA ID.
Work-study: Provides income for part-time jobs for students who have financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses. Work-study funds are earned on a biweekly basis according to the hours worked.
When will the student receive their aid?
UHV begins disbursing financial aid to the student accounts no earlier than 10 days prior to the first day of class. The financial aid will be applied to current year charges. Students will be notified via UHV email when their financial aid is applied to his/her student account. The disbursement dates and procedures are outlined on our website.
How will the student receive their aid?
Students will receive their financial aid refund according to their selected refund preference with BankMobile. For more information about BankMobile, visit the link http://bankmobiledisbursements.com/refundchoices/ .
What other sources of aid are available?
Encourage your child to search for scholarships. The University provides links to databases of outside agencies.
Private loans can provide additional money as well.
Other Resources
Federal Student Aid Resources for Parents
Includes useful information about paying for college with federal student aid programs, long-term planning, understanding college costs, tax benefits, and resources for completing the FAFSA.