Financial Aid Notification

Keep a Look Out: Financial Aid Info Is Coming Soon

Once UMF receives your FAFSA and completes any required verification, we’ll create your financial aid package. You’ll get a Financial Aid Notification explaining what information was used and how much aid you’re eligible for. The first notice will be sent by mail with instructions on how to accept or decline your aid in MaineStreet. Any updates or changes—like those from verification or an appeal—will be emailed to your @maine.edu address, so be sure to check it regularly.

Financial aid is awarded yearly and can change based on your updated FAFSA info. The only aid that automatically renews is your merit scholarship from Admissions, as long as you meet the renewal requirements and stay enrolled full-time. For details, refer to your original merit award letter.

Financial Aid Process at UMF – What to Expect

  • Submit the FAFSA – Start by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). UMF uses this to determine your eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid.

  • Verification (if selected) – If you’re selected for verification, you may need to submit additional documents. Your aid package can’t be finalized until this step is complete.

Financial Aid Notifications & What Comes Next

  • Financial Aid Notification (FAN) – Once your FAFSA is processed and any verification is done, you’ll receive a Financial Aid Notification with a breakdown of your aid and instructions for accepting or declining it on MaineStreet.

  • Aid Can Change – Your aid package is based on the FAFSA and can change if your information is updated or if you appeal. Check your email and MaineStreet regularly for updates.

  • Yearly Renewal – Financial aid must be renewed each year with a new FAFSA. Only merit scholarships from Admissions are automatically renewable if you meet the requirements and remain a full-time student.

Meet Alannah Hartford, Admission and Financial Aid Counselor

Alannah is a member of the UMF team here to help guide you through your financial aid information. In this video, Alannah will walk students and parents step by step through the financial aid notification they receive, explaining what each section means and how to understand the details of their award package. This walkthrough is designed to make the process simple, clear, and supportive—so you’ll know exactly what to expect and how to move forward with confidence.

How to Upload your Documents

  • INSTRUCTIONS:
  • 1. You may only submit one document at a time. You cannot upload a folder. File names cannot contain special characters. Such as the following ” / | ? : *
  • 2. All documents must include the student’s ID number on every page of each document.
  • 3. Verify document is complete by reviewing the form’s instructions carefully to ensure that all fields are complete.
  • 4. Select the file you wish to upload that has been saved on your computer.
  • 5. After submitting a file, you should see a screen that says, “Finished Uploading” This confirms that we have received your document.
  • It can take up to 3 business days for uploaded items to come off of your MaineStreet ‘To-Do List’. You can confirm that we have received your documents by contacting our office.
Upload your documents here

Verification

Dependent Students

  • Must complete the Dependent Verification Worksheet (provided by UMF).
  • For income verification, choose one of the following:
    • Grant consent on the FAFSA to allow the IRS to share your and your parent’s Federal Tax Information (FTI).

Independent Students

  • Must complete the Independent Verification Worksheet (provided by UMF).
  • For income verification (your own and spouse’s, if applicable), choose one of the following:
    • Grant consent on the FAFSA for the IRS to share Federal Tax Information (FTI).

If IRS data cannot be retrieved, submit:

  • A Federal Tax Return Transcript (from IRS.gov) OR
  • A signed Federal Tax Return with required schedules.

Deadlines for Receipt of Verification Requests

Students selected for financial aid verification at UMF are notified through both a mailed letter and an email. The email directs them to a secure site where they can view their required documentation, which is also listed on their “To Do List” in MaineStreet. While students are encouraged to submit these materials as soon as possible, the University will accept them up to the maximum timeframe allowed by federal regulations.

For Federal Pell Grant and campus-based aid applicants (such as the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and Federal Work-Study), verification must be completed by the earlier of two dates: either 120 days after the student’s last day of enrollment or the final federal deadline, typically in mid-September following the academic year. For Federal Direct Loan recipients, verification must also be completed by the same deadline, provided the loan was certified before the student’s last date of attendance. It’s important to note that Pell Grant funds can only be applied to coursework completed within the term for which aid is awarded.

Contact Us

If you have questions, please contact us. We look forward to helping you.

Merrill Center Student Services
University of Maine at Farmington
224 Main Street
Merrill Hall
Farmington, Maine 04938
tel  207-778-7100
fax  207-778-7555
TDD/TTY  207 778-7244
umfaid@maine.edu