Winter Session Financial Aid

Winter Session Financial Aid

Students are eligible to receive federal student aid for Winter Session courses which apply towards their degree program. Winter Session is not its own term and is part of the fall term for financial aid awards. Units taken during the Winter Session are combined with completed units from the fall term to determine financial aid eligibility. Specific information is listed below by student career.

Undergraduate Students

All undergraduate students who have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have an official Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will automatically have their annual cost of attendance (COA) increased for their Winter Session tuition and fees charges. The additional cost will be added to the fall budget at the start of the Winter Session for those enrolled. If you would like to be reviewed for additional loans* based on your increased COA, you should contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) after beginning attendance in a Winter Session course. 

*Note:  Federal Direct Loans require at least ½-time enrollment, which is 6 units for undergraduate students. Students cannot exceed annual loans limits on student loans.

Federal Pell Grant recipients only

Federal Pell Grant will be recalculated for the fall term on students who start in a Winter Session course. Please visit our Pell Recalculation Policy page for this year’s Winter Pell Recalculation Date (PRD). The recalculation will include total fall enrollment at the end of the date posted. 

Total enrollment is based only on active Winter Session and completed units for the fall term. This recalculation could result in either an increase or decrease to the fall Pell payment based on current enrollment on the PRD. Refer to the chart below for Pell Grant eligibility based on total current units:

COMBINED WINTER SESSION & FALL UNITS FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
12+ Full-Time
9-11 3/4-Time
6-8 1/2-Time
1-5 Less Than 1/2-Time


Graduate Students

All graduate students who have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have an official Expected Family Contribution (EFC) may have their annual cost of attendance (COA) adjusted per request to include Winter Session tuition and fees charges for their primary program. If you would like to be reviewed for a COA adjustment and additional loans** based on your increased COA, you should contact OSFA after the start of the Winter Session. 

**Note:  Federal Direct Loans require at least ½-time enrollment, which is 5 units for graduate students. Students cannot exceed annual loans limits on student loans.

Find the cost per unit for your program with the Bursar's Tuition Calculator

Please note these calculated costs only cover the details listed on their website and do not include course-specific fees, supplies, or living expenses. The tuition calculator is updated each semester with actual costs to help you plan ahead. 

No. Tuition scholarships can only be used for Fall and Spring semester charges. Winter Session charges can not be covered by your tuition scholarship. 

Review the complete terms and conditions of your scholarship for full details. Select your cohort based on your first academic year attended.

No, these grant programs can only be used for Fall and Spring semester charges.

Students can search for additional scholarships by creating a profile on Scholarship Universe (SU), our online scholarship-matching tool for admitted University of Arizona students. 

SU connects Wildcats to millions of dollars in both school and private donor scholarship opportunities. Scholarships that are available come from a variety of academic and professional interests. These scholarships are based on a range of items in your profile responses including degree plan, academic performance, financial need, grade level, enrollment status, and more! For more information, review our SU FAQ section and videos.

For financial aid purposes, the winter session is not a standalone semester and is considered part of the fall semester. Units taken during the winter session are combined with completed units from the fall semester to determine financial aid eligibility, including eligibility for federal student and/or parent PLUS loans. 

Students who have not received the fall portion of their loan and who are enrolled at least part-time (6 units as an undergraduate student, 5 units as a graduate student) across both fall and winter can be eligible for the fall portion of their loan. Contact our office for more information.

Students who receive financial aid (grants, loans, scholarships, etc) are reviewed after each semester to ensure they are maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. Winter session is not a standalone semester and is considered part of the fall semester. Students enrolled in winter session will have their SAP status review postponed until January 14th to allow for winter grades to be considered.