Types of Aid
The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships (SFA) is the financial aid office at UF. SFA administers federal, state and university aid programs and a limited number of privately funded scholarships. SFA draws on these programs when making up students’ financial aid “packages.” These include:
Grants
Grants are considered gift aid (no repayment required) and are awarded to students showing the greatest financial need.
Scholarships
Scholarships are considered gift aid, as they do not have to be repaid and do not require recipients to perform services.
Student Employment
Employment is considered self-help aid, as the student is offered aid in exchange for a service. The Student Employment Office in S-107 Criser assists enrolled students as they seek part-time employment through various job programs.
Loans
Loans are considered self-help aid as loans are a form of aid that must be repaid. UF primarily offers student loans through the Federal Direct Loan Program, but there are a number of other loan programs available at UF.
Non-SFA Administered Aid
In addition to financial aid programs administered by SFA, there are numerous aid programs administered by entities outside of SFA.
State of Florida Aid Programs
The Florida Department of Education offers various student financial assistance programs which are administered by the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) in Tallahassee.
These programs include: Bright Futures, Florida Prepaid College Plan, Florida Ethics in Business Scholarships, Florida Fund for Minority Teachers, and more.
Academic Scholarships
Academic scholarships are available through departments and offices other than SFA and through individual colleges and schools within the university.
Endowed Scholarships
The University of Florida Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that receives, invests and administers private support for the University of Florida. The Foundation coordinates endowed scholarships at the University of Florida, and maintains a database of endowed scholarships available to students. Their website allows students to Search by Academic Unit.