• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
  • Skip to footer
University of Central Arkansas Logo

Financial Aid

Menu
  • UCA Home
  • Admissions
  • Academics
  • Campus Life
  • Athletics
  • Connect
  • About UCA
  • A to Z
  • Home
  • FAFSA®
    • FAFSA® for Current Students
    • FAFSA® for Incoming Students
    • Assisting Students with the FAFSA®
    • Filing the FAFSA®
  • Aid
    • Apply for Aid
    • Scholarships
    • Grants
    • Loans
    • UCA Commitment
    • Jobs
    • Veterans Benefits
  • College Costs
  • Enrollment & Financial Aid
    • Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • FAQs
  • Forms
    • Student Forms
    • Faculty & Staff Forms
    • Online Dynamic Forms Information
    • Secure Upload Tool
  • Meet our Staff
  • Parent Resources
    • Online Dynamic Forms – Parent Information

Excess Financial Aid

Excess aid is the difference between your university charges/bill and the amount of financial aid (federal, state, institutional, private) you have been awarded.  If the difference is negative, you would expect to receive excess aid.

Example:
Tuition/Fees and Room/Board Costs                           $5,763.79
Total Amount of Financial Aid                      minus      ($7,250.00)
Difference                                                                    ($1,486.21) Amount of Excess Aid Expected

Example:
Tuition/Fees and Room/Board Costs                           $5,763.79
Total Amount of Financial Aid                      minus     ($5,000.00)
Difference                                                                   $   763.79 Amount owed to UCA

Where can I look to see if I expect excess aid? To determine the amount of your charges and financial aid, you should access your myUCA account.

For charges: Student & Financial Aid  l Student Account  l  Account Detail for Term

For financial aid: Student & Financial Aid  l  Financial Aid  l  Award  l  Award for Aid Year

Can I use financial aid to purchase books?  Yes.  A student may utilize excess aid to purchase their course related books and supplies prior to the eighth day of classes in the fall or spring term. The amount the student may charge at the UCA Bookstore is $800 or the amount of their calculated excess aid, whichever is less.  If the student chooses to purchase their books at an off campus bookstore, the student must visit with the Student Accounts Office to receive a cash disbursement.

What is direct deposit? Direct deposit is the act of having the excess aid funds electronically placed in a bank account as opposed to receiving a paper check. UCA recommends that students make use of the direct deposit capability to speed up the process of accessing excess financial aid funds.  Students sign up for direct deposit through the Student Accounts office.

When is financial aid disbursed?  Financial Aid is disbursed according to the schedule outlined on the Student Accounts web page: https://uca.edu/studentaccounts/excess-aid/

Primary Sidebar

Office of Student Financial Aid

Contact us by email
Call us: (501) 450-3140
Visit us in person:
Harrin Hall, Suite 200

Hours 8:00 – 4:30 M-F

Please have your Student Name and ID Number ready when contacting our office.

Official Means of Communication

Our official means of communication is email. Please check your UCA Cub Account often. You may also check the status of your application and awards by logging into Self-Service through myUCA.

Quick Links

  • Ask a Question
  • Policies
  • Admissions
  • Transfer Services
  • Graduate School
  • Academic Advising
  • Housing and Residence Life
  • Student Accounts
  • Veteran Services
  • Consumer Information

Did You Know?

The Office of Student Financial Aid adheres to the UCA Code of Conduct for Education Loans.(PDF)

University of Central Arkansas · 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway, AR 72035 · (501) 450-5000
UCA is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Report Web Accessibility Issue | Concerned About a Student? | Privacy
Copyright © 2026 · All Rights Reserved