We were sent an email entitled “Your 2020-2021 UCF Financial Aid Offer”. This is what it listed. Our efc is 20,677.
Award Direct Parent PLUS Loan
Fall Offered $15,975.00
Spring Offered $15,975.00
Subtotal $31,950.00
Award Direct Subsidized Loan
Fall Offered $1,750.00
Spring Offered $1,750.00
Subtotal $3,500.00
Award Direct Unsubsidized Loan
Fall Offered $1,000.00
Spring Offered $1,000.00
Subtotal $2,000.00
@WorriedKnight ,
Yep - us too. All loans. UCF isn’t happening OOS with all loans for us. Too expensive compared to other options (including other Florida options).
@OceanIsle - I wish there was more transparency about their funding parameters, like other schools offer. I would have never let my daughter get her hopes up :neutral:
@WorriedKnight , same! And we weren’t asking for a ton of help, but $0 in assistance puts UCF at the bottom of the nine schools in generosity ranking.
As a result, it leaves a bad feeling of being ripped off, so that’s all she wrote I guess. We have to narrow the list somehow and some schools end up taking themselves off.
I would have preferred more transparency. Their publicized literature implied that they give some assistance. Waste of time. ?
Sorry for your obvious disappointment, but the kids are going to be fine wherever they go.
In all honesty, we got nothing from UCF and $20,000 over 4 years from another Florida university. But our girlie wants UCF and their specific academic program is exactly what she’s looking for.
So although we were disappointed in the financial aid, the decision was a no-brainer for us.
Good luck, and rest assured that they’ll be fine.
@JimDadinmia , for us the discrepancy was $17k per year from one Florida university and $19,500 per year from another Florida university in scholarships/grant aid, so UCF isn’t viable for our OOS family.
With that said, my son does not have a top choice right now and is leaning towards staying instate, so this no-aid wasn’t as crushing as it is for some other families. I was more speaking in general when I say that it’s a shame UCF doesn’t do more for kids. They certainly aren’t alone though.
In all honesty we may pay the same amount (as UCF) at our instate flagship if we determine that it’s the best fit. Without the flight costs, it would be slightly more reasonable for us.
Congratulations to your daughter on finding her desired spot and all the best to you both! 
@OceanIsle @WorriedKnight @JimDadinmia Did everyone run the NPC for UCF- did it say it would give you aid? Just wondering if the NPC was accurate.
@jeneric , yes, and the NPC said we would be given aid.
I think there is a bug in the npc. Here is what it spits out for us. I always assumed that was an error but that we would get something. I guess if you count the parent plus loan it is accurate?
Estimated total grant aid
(Includes both merit and need based grant and scholarship aid from Federal, State, or Local Governments, or the Institution)
($36,500.00)
Estimated Net Price After Grants and Scholarships
$1,853.00
@WorriedKnight , I saw that too but no matter how I played with it, it gave aid, often with more realistic figures. I had banked on $2,000 - $3,500 in aid.
@WorriedKnight I think you are right about the bug. Their NPC seems to be lacking. I just went and ran numbers at other schools and had to put in much more accurate information. That’s really frustrating! I find it weird they’d mention merit- um how could it calculate that?
We got lucky that UCF gave our kid a ton of credits that counted towards her degree. She is already a Senior credit wise, so we won’t pay even close to what they estimate. It made paying OOS a lot easier and closer to in state costs.
I agree their NPC is seriously broken. It showed about $7,000 for our daughter and she got nothing but loans offered.
It doesn’t matter to us, but I can see how it would be a big disappointment to many.
There is one thing to consider, especially if your intended major is Business, Technology or Hospitality. Orlando is an area that is BOOMING with major businesses of all types, and is also the hospitality capital of the world.
So INTERNSHIPS are very plentiful, and those not only give great resume-boosting work experience, they can also offset some college costs. That is not the case in places like Tallahassee or Gainesville, or other smaller metropolitan areas.
I am sad to say that my son has chosen uf over UCF. He is giving up the provost scholarship to do so. I hope it can go to another deserving student.
And his spot at UCF will go to some deserving student on waitlist.
Your son made a good choice, though. There is no bad choice between UF and UCF.
Has anyone had success appealing merit scholarships at Ucf by showing other school scholarship offer?
@Island60 Yes my D was previously offered Pegasus Bronze of $6.000, I sent an appeal form, then they upgrade it to Pegasus Silver of $10,000. They did not match the USF Director’s award of $16,000 but my D 1st choice is UCF because of her major in Computer Eng. She only applied last Jan.31 and got accepted letter on Feb.28. The scholarship offer was sent only last April 7. We accepted the offer last week!