Paying for College

OFS Webinars: Paying for College

How to Create a Mizzou Financial Plan

How to Make Strategic Decisions About Student Loans

Download: Financial Planning Worksheet

Fill out the My College Financial Plan Worksheet each semester to estimate your college expenses and plan for each available funding source.

My Mizzou Financial Plan Timeline

Set a reminder in your calendar for the action items listed below to ensure that you maximize your available funding sources and make a plan before each semester begins. Visit the MU Cashiers Office website for information about billing dates and processes.

Financial Action Items

Please refer to the Student Financial Aid website for more details.

Monthly
  • Commit to spending a few hours a month searching and applying for external scholarships
October
  • The annual FAFSA application opens each year on October 1*. File your FAFSA as soon as possible after it becomes available and before the Mizzou priority deadline.
    • *NOTE: This date is delayed for the 2024-2025 FAFSA. The FAFSA will open in December 2023 for the 2024-2025 cycle.
  • Update your profile in ScholarshipUniverse to prepare for applications
November
  • Apply for Mizzou scholarships in ScholarshipUniverse
January
  • The Mizzou priority deadline for FAFSA and ScholarshipUniverse applications is January 7*.
    • *NOTE: The FAFSA deadline has been extended to Feburary 1 for the 2024-2025 cycle due to the delayed availability of the 2024-2025 FAFSA application.
April-May
  • Student Financial Aid will post your financial aid offer package to myZou. Keep an eye on your email for the notification that your financial aid is ready for review.
May-June
  • Tuition and fees for upcoming year are approved by the Board of Curators
    • Review next year’s tuition and fees on the Cashier’s website to estimate school related expenses
  • Estimate monthly living expenses for next year
  • Use the My College Financial Plan workbook to estimate if you will have a funding gap. Plan for how you’ll cover any funding gap with savings, wages earned from work, or student loans.