For more scholarships, be sure to check out the Scholarships web page.

The Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services’ Office of Student Financial Assistance is pleased to announce the introduction of A2O, a new online scholarship application system. The A2O system simplifies the process for students seeking scholarship information and applying for scholarship opportunities.

To celebrate the launch of A2O, students are invited to stop by the Office of Student Financial Assistance’s information table in the Student Union – Atrium from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Special give-a-ways are available.

Students should complete the A2O scholarship application by May 15 to receive consideration for scholarships awarded by the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

For more information, visit or contact Jamey Walker at Jamey.Walker@ucf.edu.

Alicia Keaton, director of the Office of Student Financial Assistance, states, “Ů��AV is dedicated to helping students be successful in all aspects of their lives. Therefore, we want to ensure students have the resources needed to make informed financial decisions.”

The Office of Student Financial Assistance recently launched the ¢ent$ible Knight$ program website: . The website includes online tutorials for students to learn more about financial topics such as healthy spending habits and student loan management.

To learn more about being a ¢ent$ible Knight, visit: .

Topics include:

Many of these videos can answer the students’ questions for the Spring 2016 Start-up.

Every year students across the nation go online to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Typically, many students procrastinate. Some don’t even bother filling it out. But putting off or skipping the application can cost families money and delays.

“I have never understood why some families choose not to complete the FAFSA,” said Alicia Keaton, UCF’s new director of student financial assistance.  “Parents will tell me that they won’t qualify for aid.  My response to them is, ‘How do you know?’  If you do not qualify for need-based funding, you could qualify for low-interest federal student loans.

“If after receiving the award letter, you decide you do not want to borrow federal student loans, you can always decline them.  That’s a decision best left with the student and family. The worst mistake is not to fill out the form.”

The FAFSA is used by most colleges and universities to determine whether students are eligible for federal, state and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, educational loans and work-study programs. Students are required to fill out the application each year if they want to continue receiving financial aid, even if they qualified the prior year.

The U.S. Department of Education uses the form to conduct a “needs analysis” based on financial information, including a parent’s income. And that’s why a lot of parents assume they won’t qualify.

But Keaton encourages all students to fill out the form and to do it early. Here’s why:

According to the official FAFSA website, “Nearly every student is eligible for some form of financial aid, including low-interest Federal Stafford and/or parent PLUS loans, regardless of income or circumstances” as long as the student meets some basic requirements.

Those requirements, which are outlined in full on the FAFSA website, include but not limited to:

Because the application can be intimidating the first time, UCF has borrowed – with permission – a video to show students how to fill out the FAFSA step-by-step.

Students and families should plan to spend at least three hours to fill out the form once they have all of the necessary documents in hand.

“The timely submission of the FAFSA is key to ensuring that students take advantage of all opportunities for financial assistance,” said Florida Board of Governors Chair Ava L. Parker of Jacksonville.

Mary McKinney, executive director of Student Financial Assistance at the ��AV, agrees.

“We launch a major campaign each and every year to ensure we reach as many students as possible,” McKinney said.

Students at UCF receive frequent communications about the FAFSA and deadlines. In addition, the university works with Central Florida high schools to ensure college-bound students understand the application process and its importance.

��AV partners with high schools and other local organizations to host workshops to provide information to students and families. UCF representatives work directly with families completing the necessary forms and applications.

“These partnerships are wonderful because we work as a team to reach thousands of students each year,” McKinney said.

Any student wanting to receive financial aid during the current summer term should fill out the 2010-2011 FAFSA before the deadline on Thursday, June 30, Board of Governors officials said. Financial aid offices also recommend filling out the 2011-2012 FAFSA as soon as possible for the new academic year in order to be considered for the maximum amount of aid for which they may qualify. Students must have “error-free” FAFSAs prior to receiving Bright Futures awards.

“The form, once completed and processed, will provide valuable information to university and college financial aid offices about student eligibility for many types of aid,” said Lynda Page, associate director in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs for the Board of Governors. “It is to the student’s benefit to submit FAFSA as soon as possible, since aid is generally on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis, especially with federal dollars available for disbursement.”