Once you have submitted your FAFSA, have turned in any additional verification documents requested, have accepted awards on your EFAN, are enrolled for the requisite number of hours, and have finished any award-specific requirements (see the next paragraph), you’re ready to actually receive your financial aid funds.

Here are some of the award-specific requirements that you will need to complete at least once during your time at UT Austin (some of these may need to be done each semester):

• You will need to submit an EFAN at least once per academic year to receive your awards
• For Stafford and Perkins loans you will need to complete loan entrance counseling (only once)
• For Perkins loans you will need to complete a promissory note on our web site and submit it
• For Stafford loans you will need to complete a promissory note and submit it to your lender
• For Work-Study you will need to complete a counseling session on our web-site
• For certain UT scholarships you will have to complete a thank-you letter or submit other sorts of documentation before funds can be released to you

In addition to the above requirements, you will also need to be making Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to receive your financial aid funds each semester.

Once you have been awarded by our office, our CASH (Check Aid Status Here) web site will tell you of any current UT requirements that you need to complete before your funds can be disbursed.

Most financial aid awards are processed as follows: Provided that all requirements have been met, we can begin disbursing funds to you a few days before classes start. At that time, we will use your financial aid funds to pay off anything you currently owe to the University for expenses such as tuition and fees or housing. If any funds remain after your university debts are paid, we release the funds to you. If you are set up to receive the funds by direct deposit into your bank account, we will initiate an ACH transaction to send the funds there. Otherwise, we will mail a check to you.

If your ACH transaction is sent to an account that has been closed, or is no longer valid, you should contact the Student Accounting Office at 471-3723 for assistance. This is also the number to contact if you believe your financial aid check has been lost in the mail.

In rare cases, financial aid funds are handled differently than above. If you choose a student loan lender who does not participate in UT Austin’s electronic processes, a paper check will be mailed to the University. These checks will be made available for you to pick up at the cashier’s office - we will notify you when they are ready. For parents who choose to have Parent PLUS loan funds sent via paper check to the University, these checks will be endorsed by UT Austin and then mailed to the parent at the student’s permanent address.