The affordability of college has always brought anxiety to incoming students, but this year’s federal financial aid cycle has been especially frustrating for many incoming students. 

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was completely overhauled this year, but complications delayed its typical Oct. 1 opening until late December. Fortunately, as students and families nationwide grew frustrated with the rollout of the new federal aid application, UNLV was ready.  

To get incoming students their financial aid packages without delay, the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships preemptively created its own version of the new FAFSA, called the UNLV Institutional Aid Application. 

By filling out the UNLV form, students didn’t have to wait for FAFSA access in order to submit their information to UNLV for aid consideration. The university was able to provide incoming students with their aid information they needed to make a decision sooner. 

"The UNLV Institutional Aid Application used the same questions as the FAFSA and collects the same data points," said Barb Roberts, associate vice president for enrollment management. "Due to this initiative, we have been able to collect information for roughly the same number of incoming first-year students as we would typically have collected from the FAFSA in previous years." 

UNLV is using the information collected to award institutional scholarships and need-based grants. But it is also using the information to provide incoming students an estimate of the federal aid amounts they are likely to receive. This approach gave incoming students a better and earlier understanding of the total financial support they will receive to attend UNLV.

And the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships didn’t stop there. It also introduced the Rebel Edge program. This initiative bridges the gap between federal, state, and institutional aid and tuition and fees. Eligible students enjoy free tuition and fees, along with a $1,000 annual book stipend. The program highlights UNLV’s commitment to making higher education accessible and affordable. 

“Being able to provide a fuller picture of financial aid is important to all students,” Roberts said. “But for our first-generation and underrepresented minority populations, it’s really critical to helping them understand they can decide to attend college. It helps demystify what can be a complicated financial aid process.”

Over the last five years, UNLV has increased the amount of institutional aid provided to students by more than 15%. Simultaneously, as student loan debt continues to be a hot topic nationwide, loan debt for UNLV students has decreased over the previous five years. 

“While many uncertainties remain regarding the impact of the new FAFSA on student eligibility,” Roberts said, “UNLV continues to be committed to providing financial aid to students and limiting student loan debt.”

For more details, read UNLV’s Guide for the Revised 2024-25 FAFSA.