2023-24 Outside Agency Scholarship Form
Apply Early
File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov as early as possible, once the application is open for submission, each year. If you wait until later to file, funds may not be available on a timely basis to assist with your expenses. Filing late could also affect the timeliness of any refunds.
Use Your Legal Name
Complete all forms using your legal name. Do not use nicknames. Notify the Student Aid Office of any name change.
Use Your Correct Social Security Number
Enter your correct Social Security number on all forms. Be sure to review your Social Security number for accuracy; transposed or incorrect numbers will result in a delay in processing. Also, make certain parent(s)/spouse provide the correct Social Security number and name that appears on their card.
IRS Data Retrieval Tool
Take advantage of this feature when filing the FAFSA. This will allow you to retrieve your tax information from the IRS to ensure accuracy. This feature is typically available two weeks after the tax return is filed.
Do Not Estimate
Use completed Federal Income Tax returns to complete the FAFSA. If you estimate this data, you will need to correct it, which will delay the processing of your application.
Do Not Leave Blanks
Never leave a question blank on any application. Blank questions will delay your application.
Read And Respond
Carefully read and follow instructions provided. Respond quickly to all requests from the Student Aid Office. Even if your application is received by the priority date, you will not receive an aid package if your file is incomplete. Check UM email and Banner Self Service weekly.
Take Responsibility
Although you may need your parent(s) or other individuals to assist you with the application and financial aid process, keep in mind that you have ownership of your financial aid records; therefore, you need to know what forms and information have been provided.
Keep Copies
Retain photocopies of all forms and correspondence submitted with dates.
Document Phone Calls
If you call to discuss your application, keep notes of the day you called, with whom you talked, and what was discussed.
Re-apply
Awards are not automatically renewed from year to year. Annually, file the FAFSA by the priority date of March 1.
Summer Aid
Summer assistance will be based on any remaining eligibility after the aid is awarded for fall and spring semesters. If you have received your annual maximum amounts for federal aid during the fall and spring semesters, summer eligibility will not be available. After students have registered for summer classes, eligibility will automatically be reviewed and students will be notified, typically during the spring semester.
Review
The Student Aid Office reserves the right to review, revise, or cancel the aid package at any time due to changes in financial or academic status, discovery of incorrect or falsified information or errors in determining eligibility.
Status Changes
Recipients are required to report to the Student Aid Office any changes in status. This includes any financial assistance or scholarships not included on your aid package from the University.
Outside Agency Scholarships
Students receiving an Outside Agency Scholarship should have checks mailed to the following address:
University of Montevallo
Student Aid Office
Palmer Hall, Station 6050
Montevallo, AL 35115
Please make sure that the full student name and UM ID number are included with the scholarship check.
If the check is made out only to the University of Montevallo, the student will not need to endorse the check.
If the check is made out to the University of Montevallo and the student, the student must endorse the check before mailing to the Student Aid Office for processing.
The Student Aid Office will receive and process the outside agency scholarship payment and will deliver to the Office of Student Accounts for payment to be applied toward the student bill. It is the University of Montevallo’s policy that we split the total amount received from an outside agency scholarship equally between the fall and spring semesters if the check does not include a cover letter or note in the memo for which term payment should be applied.
Students may complete the Outside Agency Scholarship Form to specify how they would like funds to be disbursed towards their student account. This is only in the case that a cover letter is not included with the received payment.
The Outside Agency Scholarship Form can be found here:
2023-24 Outside Agency Scholarship Form
If the check is made out only to the student, the student must endorse the check and either cash or deposit into their personal checking account. The student would then need to make a direct payment to the University of Montevallo’s Office of Student Accounts in order for these funds to be applied towards their student bill. The student would also need to notify the Student Aid Office of the outside agency scholarship funding in order for the Student Aid Office to record these funds as part of the estimated financial aid package. This is required by Federal Title IV Law, which states that all forms of estimated financial aid (EFA) must be noted in the student’s financial aid package and considered as a part of the student’s eligibility calculation.
Course Load
Most awards are based on the understanding that the student will be enrolled full-time (12 hours for undergraduates; 9 hours for graduates). Scholarships typically require full-time enrollment. To receive federal loans, students must be enrolled at least half-time. Half-time for undergraduates is six (6) credit hours; half-time for graduate students is five (5) credit hours. To maximize grant eligibility, enroll full-time.
