Application Process
Obtain a PIN
- All students, and parents of dependent students, should apply for a U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Number (PIN) online. PINs can be used to sign your FAFSA electronically, making the application process simpler and faster.
Complete the FAFSA
- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may be filed beginning January 1 of each year. There is no charge for submitting the FAFSA.
- We encourage you to submit your FAFSA by Notre Dame's priority deadline of February 15 (for students who start in the summer or fall semester) or November 15 (for students who start in the spring semester) to be considered for certain limited funds.
- List Notre Dame of Maryland University on your FAFSA. Notre Dame's school code is 002065.
- Submit your FAFSA. Print out and keep a copy of your submitted information for your records.
FAFSA Follow Up
- You will receive an email from the U.S. Department of Education with a link to the Student Aid Report (SAR) that shows the results of the FAFSA. Check the SAR for accuracy and make any necessary corrections.
- You will receive an email from Notre Dame of Maryland University informing you when we have received your FAFSA results.
- If your FAFSA is selected for a process called verification, accepted applicants will be notified via email to submit required documents. Current students will be sent an email and advised to check Web Advisor for missing documents. Do not submit documentation unless it is requested.
- About three weeks after submitting taxes to the IRS electronically (8 weeks for paper filing), attempt to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import the financial information from the tax returns into your FAFSA to avoid processing delays. If you are ineligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval tool, enter the updated information from your tax returns manually. See directions on how to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
Award Notification
- After your financial aid file is complete, you will receive an award notice if you meet all of the eligibility requirements. Award notices will be emailed to new students and posted on WebAdvisor for returning students.
- Award letters for new students with complete financial aid files who plan to enroll for the fall semester will be sent beginning in early February (early December for students who plan to begin enrollment in the spring semester). Award information for returning students with complete files and who meet satisfactory academic progress standards will be posted on WebAdvisor beginning in late February. Awarding is done on a monthly basis.
- After receiving your financial aid notification, you must then read and follow the instructions in the How it Works section of our website.
- Your financial aid award notice will be based on certain enrollment and housing assumptions. If these assumptions are incorrect, it is the student's responsibility to notify our office so that the award can be revised in a timely manner. Similarly, if a student receives notification of another source of funding not reflected in the financial aid award, documentation of the expected award must be sent to the office of financial aid as soon as it is received.
**Note that email communication is sent to all accepted applicants and only current students who have completed an Electronic Consent form. Without an Electronic Consent form, current students do not have access to financial aid information on Web Advisor and do not receive emails from the Office of Financial Aid. Without an electronic consent form, current students will not receive timely notifications from the Office of Financial Aid.