Financial Aid Process for current Midshipmen and Appointees

• Step One: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Step Two: Submit Federal Verification Documentation (if applicable)
• Step Three: Receive a Financial Aid Award Letter
• Step Four: Complete Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note (Direct Loan Borrowers Only) 
• Step Five: Receive Financial Aid Disbursements

Step One: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Students wishing to apply for financial aid should complete a FAFSA.  Be sure to complete the FAFSA that corresponds to the academic year for which you are applying.  A FAFSA must be filed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Dependent students, your parent/guardian will be required to obtain a FSA User ID and password to complete a FAFSA.

Important things to know when filing your FAFSA:

• Be sure to use School Code #002892.
• Forward a copy of your FAFSA confirmation email to the Office of Financial Aid at dambral@usmma.edu.
• The Office of Financial Aid will use information from your FAFSA to determine the types and amounts of aid you are entitled to receive.
• ALL qualified students, regardless of financial need, are eligible to receive Federal Student Aid.
• Filing a FAFSA and receiving an award letter does not obligate you to receive any Direct Loan awards. You must sign the award letter and complete the necessary steps to receive a Direct Loan disbursement.

Financial aid awards are determined based on Cost of Attendance, Student Aid Index (SAI), and financial need.

The Cost of Attendance (COA) includes Midshipman Fees payable directly to USMMA, up front costs that are paid to third parties (i.e. supply kits available for purchase through the USMMA Navy Exchange), and a cost allowance for eligible, educationally-related expenses a Midshipman may incur at his or her discretion. For more information see the Cost of Attendance page.

Step Two: Submit Verification Documentation (if applicable)

Your FAFSA may be subject to Verification. Verification is a process whereby the Department of Education randomly selects FAFSA applicants to submit additional documentation to verify their FAFSA data. Verification is simply an additional step in the Financial Aid process. Those applicants selected for verification will print a worksheet to complete and will be required to verify their tax information. 

Step Three: Receive a Financial Aid Award Letter

The Office of Financial Aid will review your FAFSA and will determine your eligibility for Federal Student Aid. While there is no deadline for applying for financial aid, students are encouraged to file in a timely manner.

Once you receive an award package, you may choose to accept or decline the award. You may also choose to accept a partial amount of the award offered. In addition, should you decline an offered award, you can still accept it at any point throughout the academic year.

If you accept a Direct Loan award, you will be required to complete Entrance Counseling and sign an Electronic Master Promissory Note (see step 4). 

Step Four: Complete Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note (Direct Loan Borrowers Only)

New and current students who have not previously borrowed a Direct Loan while enrolled at USMMA, must complete online Entrance Counseling and sign an electronic Master Promissory Note (MPN).  A Master Promissory Note is a binding legal contract between a loan holder and a borrower. The promissory note contains the loan terms and conditions, including how and when the loan must be repaid. By signing this note, the borrower agrees to repay the loan.

To complete online Entrance Counseling and sign an electronic Master Promissory Note, please click on the links below.

Entrance Counseling 

To complete online Entrance Counseling, click here.  Log in using your FSA User ID and password.

Electronic Master Promissory Note

To complete an electronic MPN, click here.  Log in using your FSA User ID and password. 

Step Five: Receive Financial Aid Disbursements

Financial aid is disbursed in equal installments for each term in the academic year.  Financial aid recipients must continue to meet eligibility requirements at the time of each disbursement in order to receive all of the aid he or she was awarded. Students who are on a leave of absence pending setback or other leave of absence status are not eligible to receive financial aid disbursements.

Requirements to receive financial aid disbursements include:

• Completed verification process, if applicable;
• Signed award letter returned to the Office of Financial Aid;
• Enrolled at least half-time in courses in residence or at sea;. 
• Meeting standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP);
• Valid Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note on file with the Department of Education (Direct Loan recipients only).

Things to know about financial aid disbursements:

• Disbursements for Plebe Candidates are held for 30 days after the first day of the first term.
• Disbursements for returning Midshipmen will begin processing the first week of each term.
• Disbursements can take up to 30-45 days to be posted to student accounts and up to 14 days for credit balances to be refunded to student's bank accounts on file.
• It is the responsibility of the student to maintain active bank account information in the Office of Academy Financial Management.  Failure to do so may result in significant delays in receiving financial aid refunds.
• Students who file a FAFSA after the start of the term will be awarded and disbursed on a rolling basis throughout the academic year.
• Students who cease to be enrolled at USMMA will be subject to Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculations, which may result a requirement to return unearned funds to the U.S. Department of Education (ED).  If a withdrawn student does not return the unearned funds to USMMA within 45 days for return to ED, the debt will be reported as an overpayment and will prevent students from receiving any additional Title IV aid until the debt is paid.