Policies

Do you think you might meet in-state residency requirements? There are a number of factors that may be considered in determining in-state residency for tuition purposes, and you must be able to clearly prove your residency. Alabama, like other states, restricts resident tuition to persons who have been residing in Alabama for purposes other than to obtain an education and who are able to demonstrate contacts with the State of Alabama indicating intent to remain in this state. Resident tuition status is determined by the university, with regard to Alabama law, and the policies of the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System.

In order to receive federal financial aid, a student must make satisfactory progress toward a degree. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is made up of two components: a qualitative standard and a quantitative standard. UAB evaluates SAP at the end of each semester, and a student who does not meet the minimum requirements is notified by UAB email of his or her unsatisfactory status and the steps necessary to regain federal student aid eligibility.

All returns will be distributed to the student financial assistance programs in the order below with the following exceptions. Title IV funds required to be returned by the student will not be distributed to a Federal Direct Loan Program and no returns shall be distributed to the Federal Work-Study Program.

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
• Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
• Federal Direct Grad PLUS
• Federal Direct PLUS
• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
• Federal TEACH Grant
• Other Title IV Programs

If a credit balance exists after all adjustments and distributions have been made, a student may request a refund check by completing the appropriate form in Student Accounting Services.

Title IV financial aid recipients who withdraw from all classes or who are administratively withdrawn from all classes will be required to return a portion of the financial aid they received. Calculations are done to determine the percent of financial aid earned and unearned for the given term.

Title IV financial aid recipients who receive an overpayment resulting from changes in enrollment, cost of attendance, general eligibility, and additional financial aid award(s) will be required to return funds in the amount necessary to eliminate the overpayment.

The student will be notified if a return of Title IV funds is due. Failure to return Title IV funds will result in the loss of eligibility for financial aid.

Title IV recipients who withdraw completely on or before 60 percent in time has elapsed during the period of enrollment for which the student has been charged will be required to return a portion of Title IV funds. The return amount will be calculated using the number of days the student attended in the given term and the total number of days in the given term.

Financial aid awards are disbursed in equal amounts each semester and applied directly to the student's account. If the award is more than the account balance, a disbursement will be generated and issued to the student in the form of direct deposit or check. If the award is less than the account balance, the student will be billed for the remaining amount due on the account.

Generally, students will not be charged tuition and fees for classes officially dropped prior to the published drop deadline each term. All tuition and fee payments may be refunded for the credit hours and fees associated with each class dropped before or during this period. The deadline for dropping classes without incurring charges is published each term in the UAB Academic Calendar.

Any credit balance resulting from a change in course load during the first drop/add period will be distributed in accordance with the Order of Return of Title IV Funds Policy.

All students must report scholarships to UAB Financial Aid on the Resource Information Form. Your loans may require reduction if the total of all funding sources exceeds your cost of attendance.

Financial aid is awarded on an annual basis. Students who wish to apply for federal financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. The application can be found at fafsa.gov.

Students must notify the Office of Student Financial Aid if changes occur in:

• The amount of external scholarships, employee tuition benefits, UAB assistantships/fellowships, tuition waivers, etc., that you will receive
• Enrollment status
• Anticipated graduation date

The U.S. Department of Education has determined that for the purpose of obtaining federal financial aid, students under the age of 24 are generally considered to be dependent. Exceptions apply for students who:

• Are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Are serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training
• Are providing more than half of the support for a dependent child
• Are married
• Are enrolled in graduate or professional programs
• Have been determined to be an orphan, ward of the court since the age of 13
• Have been legally determined to be an emancipated minor
• Have been determined to be an unaccompanied youth who are homeless or at risk of being homeless

If you have questions concerning your dependency status, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at 205-934-8223 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..