PLEASE READ ALL OF THE CONTENT FOLLOWING THIS WELCOME LETTER

*THE DEADLINE FOR PRIORITY PACKAGING & SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY IS January 1 of every year!

We are happy you have considered the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as your next academic endeavor. Please take the time to read all of the information provided. It is a valuable resource for the financial aid processes and will offer the tools you need for financing your medical education.

It is the intention of the USF Health Office of Financial Aid to help you find a suitable method of funding your medical school education. The purpose of this letter is to help you to begin thinking on the right track regarding financial aid and address important issues for your consideration regarding financial aid.

Financial aid for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine is handled by the USF Health Office of Financial aid. All aid applications, inquiries, and correspondence must be sent directly to the USF Health Office of Financial Aid:

USF Health Office of Financial Aid

12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC Box 42

Tampa, FL 33612

"Financial aid" does not mean grants or scholarships exclusively. Loans (frequently high interest loans), employment, and making an effort to reduce spending all fall under the heading of financial aid. Financial aid officers in medical schools across the country have become more "financial and debt management counselors” than "financial aid counselors". The USF Morsani College of Medicine has limited grant and scholarship funds which are not sufficient to offset the fact that you may need to take out loans to pay for your l education. There are several loan programs available for DPT students. Our office will help you with the application for those loans, advise you on the "best" loan programs available, and counsel you on how to keep your borrowing to a minimum.

Fortunately, we still have a low tuition compared to other  schools in this country. Even with that said our students HAVE HAD TO: 1) make adjustments in their life styles to allow for serious cuts in their spending; 2) work during the summers and save money to help pay for their education; 3) receive financial assistance from parents, grandparents, etc.; and 4) have their spouse obtain employment to help with expenses. We call this "self-help" and we do not think it is asking too much for each student to provide some "self-help" in order to obtain their medical education.

Paying for your education is an issue that requires immediate and serious attention from you and your entire family. The financial aid funds available for DPT students are almost exclusively federal funds and are therefore subject to rather strict federal guidelines with regard to student qualification. This office must adhere to and enforce the federal guidelines. The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine has adopted most of the same federal policies for awarding their limited institutional funds. The policies are based on the assumption that your medical education is a priority for you and your family; therefore, paying for your education will likewise be a priority. We are very sensitive to the fact that professional students would like to be "independent" of their families; however, you cannot be "independent" if you are simply transferring your financial dependence from your family to the Federal Government, or to this school. We also understand that students do not wish to burden their families, even when they are willing and able to help financially. Remember the loans you borrow now must be repaid. By making every effort to obtain family support, living on a frugal budget, and keeping your borrowing to a minimum you will be rewarded by having low monthly payments once your repayment begins. Keep in mind for every one dollar borrowed now may result in three dollars being repaid.

You will be receiving correspondence from the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Student Affairs Office under separate cover, which will provide you with information about the curriculum, student health issues, tuition, and other items of interest.

We welcome you to the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine family and look forward to working with you in the coming years.

Sincerely,

USF Health Office of Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Application Process: Instructions for DPT Students

The FAFSA must be completed in order to determine your eligibility for USF Health Morsani College of Medicine loans and scholarships. Your application for financial aid will not be processed until all required documents have been received by the USF Health Office of Financial Aid.

If you are applying for:

• Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan (UFDL)
• Federal Graduate/Professional PLUS Loan (Grad PLUS)

Please complete the following steps.

Students applying for any of the aid programs described herein must complete the forms described on the following pages in order for you to be evaluated for any loan or scholarship program, including all federal and institutional programs.

If you are applying for any of the following aid programs, you must complete all forms as follows:

• Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan (USFL)
• Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan (Grad PLUS)
• Private Alternative Loan Programs (ALP)

Free Application for Federal Students Aid (FAFSA)

1. First Time FAFSA Applicant: Completing an "electronic" FAFSA that is available on the U.S. Department of Education web page located at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov (processing time: 10-12 days).
2. Previous FAFSA Applicant: If you have previously completed a FAFSA, you may pre-fill your application electronically by choosing the option as a returning user on the FAFSA's website and using your FSA ID.

What is the FSA ID?

The FSA ID, implemented on May 10, 2015 as a replacement to the Federal Student Aid PIN, is now being successfully used by millions of students, parents, and borrowers to access personal financial aid information online and to electronically sign and submit certain documents.

Important Reminder:

Only the FSA ID owner should create and use an FSA ID. Just as was the case with the Federal Student Aid PIN, the FSA ID is the legal signature that can be used to electronically sign important federal student aid documents, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) and Direct Loan promissory notes. The FSA ID also allows online access to private and confidential information, including data from a student's FAFSA and loan information from the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®). For these reasons, maintaining the security of the FSA ID is critical to the integrity of student aid information and systems.

It is important that every FSA ID Owner:

• Create their own FSA ID by selecting their own username and password;
• Provide their own challenge questions and responses; and
• Have access to the e-mail account associated with the FSA ID account. The e-mail address associated with one FSA ID account cannot be used by another FSA ID account.

Do you need help with your FSA ID – resetting ID or Password:

• Updated information and tips available at StudentAid.gov/fsaid
• Contact FSA Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).
• Web chat is also available from the FAFSA.gov "Help" page under "Contact Us."

Note to all applicants

Whichever method you use, please complete the FAFSA according to the instructions provided. An incorrect or incomplete application will delay the financial aid process. When completing "Step Six" of the FAFSA, please provide the Institution Code for University of South Florida Systems, which is 001537.

Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to transfer your federal tax data directly to your FAFSA.

Be sure our federal school code 001537 is on your FAFSA when you apply each year. Use your FSA ID to sign your FAFSA electronically.

PRIORITY APPLICATION DATE:
Meeting the priority date allows you the best opportunity to be considered for the most aid types possible.

Watch a video on "The 7 easy steps to the FAFSA" by clicking here.

FAFSA Scams
The FAFSA is free - there is no charge to apply for financial aid. Beware of sites advertising services to help you apply for financial aid for a fee. If you use one of these services, you will be providing personal information to a non-government agency.

Federal Student Financial Aid Penalties for Drug Law Violations
A student with a drug conviction may be ineligible for federal student aid (grants, loans, work-study). If you are convicted of a state or federal offense of selling or possessing illegal drugs that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid you should still complete and submit the FAFSA. Eligibility may be regained after documentation of successful completion of a rehabilitation program.

1. Student Aid Report (SAR): You will receive a SAR (U.S. Mail or E-mail, depending on the method you used to submit your FAFSA) in approximately 1 to 3 days after you have completed the FAFSA. The SAR is the final output document generated by your submission of the FAFSA indicating your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Review the SAR to insure all data is correct. If corrections are necessary, please follow the instructions that are provided with the SAR.
2. Financial Aid Award Notice: Once your FAFSA has been received, and the USF Health Office of Financial Aid has determined financial aid eligibility, you will be notified through OASIS that your Financial Aid Award Notice is ready for your review and action. You will be able to accept some or all of the awards in this notice. The requirements further outlined below will also be forwarded to you as the necessary steps needed in order to receive your student aid. Award notification will only be sent to your USF health email account. These notifications are an essential part of the financial aid process. Failure to read these important emails will delay or cancel your financial aid award.
3. Master Promissory Notes: Please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at www.studentloans.gov, create an account and successfully complete all necessary master promissory notes/applications. Students must complete one master promissory note when applying for the Unsubsidized Loans and one master promissory note when applying for the Graduate/Professional PLUS loans. No loan will be processed without a completed master promissory note on file with the U.S. Department of Education.
4. Online Entrance Counseling: In addition to completing the Master Promissory Note, you must complete the Federal Direct Entrance Counseling for both Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS loans. This can be found at www.studentloans.gov, and must be completed successfully to receive these loans in addition to the MPN(s).
5. Graduate/Professional PLUS Loan: This is a credit-based loan. Once you have successfully completed an online application and master promissory note for the Graduate PLUS loan at www.studentloans.gov, the financial aid office will be notified.
6. Alternative/Private Loans (ALP): Students who wish to apply for this credit based loan must first speak with a Financial Aid Officer before any application materials are processed.

Verification

The federal financial aid programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services and the University of South Florida are subject to a process called verification. A percentage of the FAFSA's processed at USF will be selected for verification. If your application is selected, there will be a note under "My Requirements" and instructions for completing this process. The verification process must be completed within 30 days of notification. Loan and/or scholarship funds will not be disbursed until verification is completed.

Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes

Effective July 1, 2009, non-residents students who come to Florida and enroll in a Florida post-secondary educational institution will not meet the Florida residency requirement for instate tuition, regardless of the length of time enrolled. You must obtain Florida residency 12 months prior to your first day of class. More information is provided below.

Link to SPTRS Website