Financial Aid Application Instructions

Financial Aid Scholarship awards are determined by family need and are intended to assist students who would not otherwise be able to participate in the University-Level Online (ULO) program. Partial scholarships are by far the most common type of scholarship awarded to those admitted to the program. (*)

(*) Scholarships are determined by ULO based on internal policies which are not the same as those used by the university in calculating student financial aid packages. An applicant's scholarship information is retained by ULO and won't be shared with Stanford University or any outside party.

To be eligible for a financial aid scholarship, students must complete the University-Level Online application and indicate that they wish to apply for financial aid.

A limited number of SSS application fee waivers are available. If you require an SSS fee waiver, do not pay when prompted in the SSS Financial Aid portal; a waiver may instead be applied to your application by the ULO Financial Aid team. Contact Us to make a request for an SSS financial aid fee waiver (this is not an application fee waiver). You will subsequently be notified and prompted to submit supporting documents to your application if the waiver is approved.

Students will be required to submit supporting documentation such as their family’s tax returns from the previous year. (U.S. Federal (1040) tax returns and W-2s are appropriate documentation for domestic students. International students should provide proof of year-end family earnings, in the form of a tax return required by your country of residence that has been translated to English.) We reserve the right to request further documentation regarding family income, as needed. All financial information is confidential.

The University-Level Online Program will make financial aid determinations after the posted term financial aid application deadline, continuing until all funds have been depleted. Only applications received before the term financial aid deadline will be considered for financial aid. It is suggested that students who require a scholarship complete their applications early.

If admitted to the program, students should carefully review their admissions offers. The awards are time sensitive and must be accepted within the timeframe stated in the formal offer.

Aid decisions are evaluated each term—aid granted in one term does not guarantee it will be granted for later terms. Aid will be awarded for no more than one course per term.

Important notes:

• Applications requesting financial aid must be received by the financial aid application deadline. (see https://ulo.stanford.edu/dates-and-tuition-ulo). Applications received after the deadline will be evaluated for admission, but without aid.
• Aid is awarded on a term-by-term basis. There is no guarantee of continuing aid after an initial term where aid has been provided.
• Aid will be awarded for one course only.

1. Fill out and submit the 2025-2026 School and Student Services (SSS) Parents’ Financial Statement Online (PFS). The ULO school code is 200173.

2. Submit copies of required documents: your 2023 1040 and W-2.

3. A limited number of SSS application fee waivers are available. If you require an SSS fee waiver, do not pay when prompted in the SSS Financial Aid portal; a waiver may instead be applied to your application by the ULO Financial Aid team. Contact Us to make a request for an SSS financial aid fee waiver (this is not an application fee waiver). You will subsequently be notified and prompted to submit supporting documents to your application if the waiver is approved.

4. International families applying for financial aid must complete and submit the SSS International Student Financial Aid Profile form, and upload any government tax forms they have for the current year and prior year to their SSS application. Further details about submitting the International Student Financial Aid Profile form can be found on the SSS website.

5. Please note the following when completing your submission:

• After completing your SSS application, you will need to wait approximately one business day before you are notified you can upload required or supporting documents.
• The ULO Financial Aid Committee requires that you submit all required documents directly on the SSS application website. Please note that any financial aid submission that is not uploaded directly on the SSS website cannot be accepted.
• You are required to block out or redact Social Security numbers anywhere they appear in your tax returns or other financial documents before uploading them to the SSS application website.
• All documents must be submitted in a PDF or JPG format. Note that files cannot be larger than 500K. For help formatting documents for uploading, reference the tips provided on the SSS website.

Application Help

If you need help getting started, the SSS Step-by-Step Guide is a general introduction to completing the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS). We also encourage you to visit the SSS Resources website. This site has many helpful guides and webinars to aid families in their financial aid application process such as:

• How to Apply for Financial Aid (Quick Start Guide)
• Parents’ Financial Statement Workbook
• Tax Primers for Parents

Questions Regarding SSS Submissions

All questions regarding the SSS application should be directed to the SSS help desk.

• If you are calling from within the United States, dial 800-344-8328.
• If you are calling from outside of the United States or Canada, dial +1 952-967-9922.

Problems Uploading Documents

If you are unable to upload documents directly on the SSS website, you can submit them to SSS by mail after you have completed and submitted your PFS. Just log into the SSS Family Portal and click on the “My Documents” tab in the upper right corner. Click the “Print Cover Sheet” link on that page to print your SSS customized cover sheet. Make sure to mail your documents at least 10 days before the financial aid application deadline.

The Financial Aid Review Committee

The Financial Aid Review Committee appreciates receiving as much relevant information as possible. If you would like to explain any unusual circumstances, please submit additional information in the section titled “Unusual Conditions.”  Clarification during the financial aid application phase will prevent unnecessary delays in award decisions.