Financial Aid Process

Award Notification and Acceptance
Newly admitted students to the School of Music will receive an email that includes the estimated Cost of Attendance and estimated award package for the upcoming academic year. New and continuing students will receive an email when Official Financial Aid awards are posted online in the student system MYFIU with the option to view, accept, reduce, or decline any aid offered.  Financial Aid awards must be accepted in MYFIU two weeks prior to the first day of Orientation or classes to allow for on time disbursement.

How to Accept Awards Online in MYFIU

In order to view and accept your awards, you will need to access your Panther ID number (student ID number at FIU).

To access your Panther ID number, please follow these steps:

1. Go to my.fiu.edu (PantherSoft/Student Portal)
2. Click on “Look Up Your Panther ID”
3. Fill in the required information
4. Write down your Panther ID number as you will need this every time you access services on campus/sign into the student system
5. Go back to my.fiu.edu
6. Sign in with your Panther ID number and password (First time users: Your password is your birthdate in this format: DDMonYYYY). Your password is CASE SENSITIVE.  You must CAPITALIZE the first letter of the MONTH

To view/accept/decline click on “2017” financial aid awards, please follow these steps:

1. Go to my.fiu.edu (PantherSoft/Student Portal)
2. Sign in with your Panther ID number and password
3. Under the “Finances” section, click on “Accept/Decline Awards”
4. Click on “2017”

Your awards should be listed there for you to view/accept/decline. If you do not wish to accept the entire amount of an award, you may select to reduce it during the acceptance process online by typing in the lesser amount you wish to receive in the amount box before submitting your transaction. Please be advised that the amount you reduce the award to will be split evenly among two semesters (Fall/Spring).

After you accept your awards, you will be prompted to complete the Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Direct Loan Entrance Counseling through the Department of Education’s website: https://studentloans.gov.

If you do not see an award posted, please follow these steps:

1. Go to my.fiu.edu
2. Sign in with your Panther ID number and password
3. Check the “TO DO” section on the right side of the Student Center
4. Resolve any pending verification items that are listed (i.e., Income Certification Worksheet, Proof of Citizenship, Proof of Food Stamp Benefits, etc.).  Verification documents require 7-10 business days for processing. Please allow this time for your documentation to be reviewed and processed and for your awards to be posted.

If you do not have any items pending on your “To Do” list and have not been awarded, please contact the School of Music immediately.

Student Accounts
The School of Music student account is maintained by the FIU Controller’s Office. All charges for the current academic year/term will be posted on the student’s account, which can be viewed in MYFIU. The student is responsible for the balance of charges. All balances must be paid or deferred by an accepted financial aid award by the first day of orientation or classes. The student must pay any balance remaining after financial aid has been applied.

Disbursement and Refunds
All financial aid funds are disbursed and applied to any existing charges on the student account.  Any leftover money for the semester is then sent to the student as a refund to cover cost of living expenses.  Financial Aid refunds are sent by direct deposit to the bank account designated by the student In MYFIU.  For exact disbursement dates, review the Important Dates link.  Please note that the refund must last for the whole payment term. Be sure to budget wisely.