Financial Aid Process
This information pertains to the financial aid application process for the University of Tennessee College of Law. The process for applying for financial aid varies for each law school. Be sure to check with each law school you are considering for its procedures.
Which Office Do I Need?
The UTK Financial Aid Office manages the financial
aid process for all students at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Counselors analyze and process the necessary information for the
financial aid award package, including loan paperwork. You may reach
the office by mail at 115 Student Services Building, Knoxville,
TN 37996-1801
-0210, by phone at (865) 974-3131, and by fax at (865) 974-2175.
The College of Law Office of Admissions and Financial Aid helps
College of Law students and applicants work through any part of
the application process, including communication with the UTK Financial
Aid Office. It also processes the scholarship awards as selected
by the Scholarship Committee. A phone call or visit to this office
will usually prevent a student from having to go across campus with
financial aid questions or problems. You may reach the office by
mail at 1505 W. Cumberland Avenue, Suite 161, Knoxville, TN 37996-1801
,
by phone at (865) 974-4131 and by fax at (865) 974-1572.
Definition of Terms
Budget/Cost of Attendance -- The financial
aid budget is the amount of money the University estimates a student
will need to attend law school for an academic year. This figure
includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation,
and miscellaneous expenses. This budget varies based on tuition,
fees and cost of living -- the budget will not be the same for each
law school you are considering.
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) -- The Free
Application for Federal Student Aid is a federal form which is required
of all students who wish to be considered for need-based aid (scholarships
and/or loans).
The FAFSA form is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You should complete your FAFSA no earlier than January 1 and no later than March 1. If you completed a FAFSA for the prior year you will probably be able to file a renewal FAFSA. You may either update the renewal application or complete a new FAFSA.
Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) -- This amount is calculated
from the income and asset information you provide on your FAFSA.
It is considered the amount that you as a student (and/or your spouse)
can personally supply toward your education for the academic year.
Need -- When the UTK Financial Aid Office receives your FAFSA
results, it will take your budget and subtract your family contribution.
The remaining amount is considered your “need.”
Award Package/Award Letter -- This is the notification you
will receive from the UTK Financial Aid Office which indicates the
amount of financial aid you have been awarded. This package should include
all loans and/or scholarships and must be signed and returned
to the UTK Financial Aid Office before your loans will be processed.
VOLXpress Statement --This is a statement from the UTK Bursar’s
Office that will serve as a billing of your account for the each
semester. Included in this statement will be your class schedule,
a summary of your pending financial aid, and any balance you may
owe the University. Also, included with the statement will be a
Confirmation of Enrollment Form, which you must sign and return
to the Bursar’s Office.
Excess Financial Aid -- The money remaining from all your financial aid after your tuition is deducted. This excess money will be disbursed the Monday following the first day of classes.
REMINDER: Start the application process as soon as possible after January 1. The earlier you complete these steps, the easier your financial aid processing will be and the sooner you will receive notification of your financial aid status.
Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Pay special attention to the questions on the FAFSA and make
sure each question is answered as accurately as possible. This will
help eliminate any delay in processing the FAFSA.
The 2008-09 FAFSA form
is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You should complete your FAFSA no earlier than January 1 and no later than March
1. If you completed a FAFSA for 2007-08 you will probably be able
to file a renewal FAFSA. You may either update the renewal application
or complete a new FAFSA.
The FAFSA may be completed based on estimated tax information for
the prior year, but if the information does not agree with the actual
tax return, corrected information will need to be submitted. If
the actual tax return figures agree with the estimated figures,
a copy of the actual tax return will need to be submitted to the
University Financial Aid Office. Since you are applying for admission
to the College of Law, you will be considered as a graduate/professional
student and should not provide parental information on the FAFSA.
The Title IV code for
The University of Tennessee is “003530.”
You should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) after you submit the FAFSA, which is an analysis of the
information you submitted on the FAFSA. If there is incorrect information
on the SAR, you should make corrections as soon as possible. If you need to make corrections, please
contact the UTK Financial Aid Office to see if your correction can
be made electronically.
For priority consideration for Perkins Loans and/or need-based
scholarships, the FAFSA should be submitted as soon as possible after January 1.
AWARD LETTER
You will receive an award letter from the UTK Financial Aid
Office as soon as your financial aid file is complete and the award
processing is finished.
If you have been awarded loans, the paperwork for the loans will
not be processed until you have accepted your awards electronically or your signed award letter has been received
by the UTK Financial Aid Office. You should be able to accept your awards, select your lender and complete your Master Promissory Note online at https://cpo.utk.edu/CPOWeb/.
NOTE: If you have any questions concerning your financial
aid, please contact Janet Hatcher at the College of Law Admissions
and Financial Aid by phone at (865)974-4131, by fax at (865) 974-1572,
or by e-mail at hatcher@utk.edu.
Contact This Department
Name of Office
1000 Street Address
Knoxville, TN 37996
Phone: (865) 974-0000
Fax: (865) 974-0000
Email: email@utk.edu