The 2024-2025 FAFSA is available.
Have Questions? We are here to help! Below are some of the most common questions that we get here in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. This page will be updated regularly as we receive further updates from the Department of Education.
When will UMBC receive my FAFSA?
The Department of Education announced that it will begin transmitting student FAFSA data to institutions in the first half of March. UMBC will receive and process FAFSA applications in March. Students should continue to monitor their UMBC accounts for notifications from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
I am having trouble with submitting my FAFSA application, what should I do?
We know of some of the challenges students have experienced when trying to submit the new FAFSA form. Check out the FAFSA Issue Alerts page to see if what you are experiencing is a more widespread issue. If your problem is on this page, check back regularly for a status update on the resolution. If the issue says that it has been fixed already and you are still having problems, contact the Federal Student Aid team for further support.
Which parent should I list as a contributor on the FAFSA if my parents are not married?
On the 2024-2025 FAFSA form, the parent listed is the individual who provided more than half of the student’s financial support during the last 12 months. If both parents provided equal financial support, they should both be listed on the form. Check out the “Reporting Parent Information” page for details about your parent’s contributor status.
Does my parent need an FSA ID?
Yes! All FAFSA Contributors must have an FSA ID to complete their portion of the FAFSA form. The FSA ID account should be created a week before you plan to submit the FAFSA. The FSA must confirm all biographical information before an FSA ID can be created, and this typically takes about three days. If you receive an error message when creating your FSA ID, please make sure that the information you entered for the FSA ID matches your social security card and other identification documents.
How does the parent invitation process work?
The student will begin the FAFSA application by answering the student portion of the form. Once all relevant questions have been answered and data entered, the student will then invite their parent(s) to complete their part of the form. The invitation should be sent to the email address that your parent(s) used to create their FSA ID account. If you enter the address incorrectly the invitation will not be sent. The Parents will then be prompted to complete and sign their part of the form. Once the parent is finished, student will be notified via email that they need to sign and submit the FAFSA form.
I can’t find UMBC’s school code.
The school code for UMBC is 002105. If you are having issues entering the code, type UMBC.
What can I do while I wait for my financial aid offer?
- Try our Net Price Calculator for a tailored estimate for 2024-2025. (This tool is for first year student use).
- Research Institutional Scholarship opportunities on Scholarship Retriever
- Check out our upcoming Admitted Student Events. We can’t wait to see you on campus.
- Continually monitor your myumbc portal and UMBC email for updates from our Office.
- Ask Questions: We are here to help you!