FAQs for Financial Aid Notifications
How do I view my financial aid notification?
To view your aid notification, you’ll have to apply for financial aid, be admitted, activate your netID and set up Duo’s 2 Factor Authentication service. You can follow the steps on the admitted student checklist.
Once those steps are complete:
- Log in to my.uic.edu
- Go to the “Student” tab.
- Select the “Financial Aid” drop-down menu.
- Finally, select “Electronic Financial Aid Notification” for the “2026-2027” aid year.
Why haven’t I received my financial aid notification yet?
You can apply for aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or in some cases the Illinois Rise Alternative Application for undocumented students. A few common reasons:
- Your aid application wasn't sent to UIC.
Make sure you listed UIC's school code: 001776. Some students accidentally list a different school, like University of Chicago or another University of Illinois campus. - Your aid application is recent.
It takes about two weeks after submission or admission for your aid notification to appear in the my.uic.edu portal. - You applied through the RISE program.
Processing may take a little longer. - You were selected for verification.
If so, your aid notification will be released after verification is complete. - Your name doesn't match across records.
The name on your FAFSA / Aid Application must match your UIC student record.- If your name is incorrect on your FAFSA: Log in to your FAFSA application and update your name to match your legal name. If your name is long or hyphenated, enter as much as the system allows.
- If your name is incorrect on your UIC application, contact Admissions to make a correction.
If none of those apply to you, contact the Financial Aid Office for help.
I want to change my housing plans. How do I do that?
- You can update your housing intent in your application status portal under "housing intent."
- If you want to apply for campus housing, submit the UIC Campus Housing application. The link is also pinned to the “Find your roommate” channel on ZeeMee.
- You can view housing rates and details at housing.uic.edu/rates.
What’s the difference between Direct Costs and Estimated Costs in my Cost of Attendance?
- Cost of Attendance is the total amount used to calculate your financial aid package. It includes two types of costs:
- Direct costs: Charges billed by UIC, like tuition and mandatory fees.
- Estimated costs: Budget estimates for things like books, transportation, and living expenses if you live off-campus. These are not charges from UIC.
- Housing costs will only appear as direct costs if you live in on campus housing.
- More details are available at financialaid.uic.edu/cost/cost-attendance-coa.
Why is my Aspire grant different from someone else’s?
The Aspire program is for eligible Illinois students whose household income is under $75,000. However, the Aspire grant amount may look different from student to student because it works alongside federal and state grants. If you receive more federal or state aid, the Aspire grant adjusts to ensure tuition and fees are covered.
Learn more at free.uic.edu/#faq, including details about eligibility and deadlines. (Priority filing date is March 15!)
I received my financial aid notification. Are there additional scholarships still to be awarded?
For most students, your financial aid notification represents the full aid package currently available from UIC. In a small number of cases, college or department-level scholarships may still be awarded later in the cycle. These awards are typically determined by individual academic programs and may have separate timelines. If you are selected for any additional scholarships, your financial aid notification will be updated automatically.
Students should plan based on the aid currently listed in their notification.