APPLYING FOR AID
The FSA ID allows you to electronically sign your applications. It will be used each year, so make sure to keep this in a safe place and do not share this information with anyone.
FAFSA information is used to determine eligibility for financial aid. Pennsylvania residents should complete the FAFSA by May 15 to meet the PA state grant filing deadline. Check out this tutorial on completing the FAFSA.
You will be automatically reviewed for merit based scholarships when you apply to Pitt. You may also use our scholarship database, PittFund$Me for additional opportunities. For non-University of Pittsburgh Scholarships you may review sites like College Board and Fastweb. Always be sure to avoid scholarship scams.
Read your Student Aid Report for accuracy and to see if you have been selected for a process called verification. If you are selected for verification additional forms will be required before your financial aid can be finalized.
Once you have completed your FAFSA information, the University of Pittsburgh will issue you an Award Notification. The Award Notification will advise you of the amount of financial aid you are being offered for the upcoming school year. New students to the University are issued a paper copy and an electronic copy. Continuing students are issued the Award Notification electronically only.
The Award Notification will allow you to view the aid you are being offered. You will need to take action to accept, reduce, or decline your aid. Grant and scholarship funds are automatically accepted. Loans and work-study funds will need to be accepted/reduced or declined. Please be sure to note that work-study funds are NOT subtracted directly from the Balance Due Notification.
If you are receiving non-University of Pittsburgh scholarships, fellowships, or other funding not listed on your Award Notification, please inform our office at finaid@pitt.edu or use the Information Update Form. This can result in changes to your financial aid package.
Be sure to monitor your pitt.edu email account and your Student Portal. The majority of communications from our office will be emailed to your Pitt Email account.