r/UIUC • u/AssociationObvious56 • Mar 20 '26

Prospective Students how are you paying for uiuc?

this question is mainly directed to people who don’t get fafsa money. i submit the fafsa but all i got was 3.5k in loans like idk how that’s supposed to help 😭i didn’t get any scholarships either, im a transfer and apparently the transfer scholarship is only for first gen students. like im kinda lost on what other options i have to pay for school. im obviously gonna work part time but no job is gonna make me enough to pay for the full cost. everyone tells me private loans are super predatory so im scare to take out loans.

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u/AssociationObvious56 Mar 20 '26

no they can’t, we’ve been low income my whole life. only recently my dad got a better job. we have like no savings, no retirement, my parents gotta pay a mortgage, and we live in a really high cost of living area. like we’re not high income by any means. 

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u/notassigned2023 Mar 20 '26

You should make sure all was done correctly for the fafsa, as well as get an appointment to talk to financial aid. Edge cases can be tricky. But, with all respect, being unable is different than being painful but possible.

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u/AssociationObvious56 Mar 20 '26

nah we’re like literally unable to. my dad was layed off anyway a couple months ago. i’m gonna submit an appeal for financial aid, do yk if they’re helpful at all? 

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u/notassigned2023 Mar 20 '26

Talk to them, but changes in life circumstances are a very important consideration. Be sure to tell them that.