{"id":6191,"date":"2026-02-18T10:13:55","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T15:13:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/?p=6191"},"modified":"2026-02-20T10:36:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T15:36:47","slug":"financial-aid-checklists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/financial-aid-checklists\/","title":{"rendered":"Financial Aid Checklists"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This resource describes how students can view and manage Financial Aid Checklist items in MyBU Student. A Checklist  combines assigned and completed To Do items, allowing students to track various requirements. For the purposes of Financial Aid, To Do items will be assigned to a student pertinent to their aid application and\/or eligibility.<\/p>\n<p style=\"border-top: 10px solid #669999; text-align: right; margin-block-end: 0px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/mybu-student-glossary\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" title=\"Glossary\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2025\/06\/Glossary-icon.png\" alt=\"Glossary Icon - Click here for MyBU Student Glossary.\" width=\"55px\" height=\"55px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"margin-block-start: 0px;\">Introduction<\/h4>\n<p>Undergraduate students will be assigned To Do items related to their financial aid application and\/or renewal. Certain graduate students may also view and track various financial aid To Do items based on the procedures in their respective departments.<\/p>\n<p>Some common Financial Aid checklist items include the FAFSA, CSS PROFILE, income verification documentation, supplemental forms, and direct loan requirements such as entrance counseling and master promissory notes. In some cases, forms can be uploaded directly to the Checklist. <\/p>\n<p>As requirements are completed and documentation is processed, the status of the item will be updated accordingly on the Checklist.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-top:0px; margin-bottom:20px;\">\u24d8 <strong>NOTE<\/strong>: Requirements that have already been completed will continue to appear on the To Do list, though the status of the item will change. Items proactively submitted by the student (e.g., appeals) may also appear on the list.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:0px;\"><strong>Aid Application &#038; Eligibility Requirements:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> Information for undergraduate students can be found here: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/finaid\/undergraduate-students\/\">How To Apply for Aid (Undergraduate Students)<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Information for graduate students is available through each school\/college\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/grad\/admission-funding\/financing-your-education\/graduate-financial-aid-offices\/\">graduate financial aid office<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Students enrolled in programs on the Medical Campus should discuss financial aid requirements, including any To Do items, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/osfs\/\">BUMC Student Financial Services<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/icon?family=Material+Icons\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<p class=\"alert\" style=\"margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;\"><span class=\"material-icons\">&#xe002;<\/span><strong> Screenshots shown in this guide are examples for training purposes only and do not necessarily reflect any one student\u2019s Checklist.<\/strong> Screen options and menus will vary by user; please note that displays may differ for you based on your access and status.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Navigation<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><br \/>\nStudents will see a preview of their To-Dos upon logging in to MyBU Student Portal. Click \u2018View\u2019 to navigate directly to the list.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-1-636x257.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of student portal with arrow pointing to To-Dos section\" width=\"636\" height=\"257\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6215\" style=\"border: 2px solid black;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-1-636x257.png 636w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-1-1024x414.png 1024w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-1-768x310.png 768w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-1-1536x620.png 1536w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-1.png 1733w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Alternatively, the MyBU Student Dashboard will also show a preview of three checklist items. Click on an item to view details, or click the expand button to navigate to the To-Dos page. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-2-636x292.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of MyBU Student dashboard, highlighting To Do&#039;s section\" width=\"636\" height=\"292\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6216\" style=\"border: 2px solid black;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-2-636x292.png 636w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-2-1024x471.png 1024w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-2-768x353.png 768w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-2-1536x706.png 1536w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-2.png 1886w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/icon?family=Material+Icons\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<p class=\"alert\" style=\"padding-bottom:0px; margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"material-icons\">&#xe002;<\/span> <strong>NOTE:<\/strong> Items shown in the Dashboard preview do NOT necessarily reflect the most up-to-date Checklist. The preview only shows the first three items on a student\u2019s Checklist, regardless of status. Completed requirements, for example, may display in this preview.<\/p>\n<p class=\"alert\">Be sure to click into to the To Dos page to view the full Checklist, along with the status and description of each item.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-3.png\" alt=\"MyBU Student left-side navigation menu, highlighting location of To Dos\" width=\"180\" height=\"341\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-6217\" style=\"border: 2px solid black;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Students can also navigate to the To-Dos page via the left-side navigation menu, under My Information.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px;\">\u24d8 <strong>NAVIGATION NOTES:<\/strong> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Even though they are often related to Financial Aid, Checklist items are not found in the Financials pages of MyBU Student.<\/li>\n<li><strong>To-Dos versus Tasks:<\/strong> In addition to To-Dos, students will also see a <strong>Tasks<\/strong> section on their MyBU Student dashboard. A Task, also referred to as an Activity Guide, is more part of a structured, step-by-step process. Clicking into an assigned Task will guide the student through the steps of such a process, for example, applying for graduation. Currently, Financial Aid checklist items are NOT found under Tasks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Viewing the Checklist<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><br \/>\nThe <strong>To-Dos<\/strong> page will show the full Checklist. Some Checklist items are requested by Financial Aid staff while others are triggered automatically by the system. The order in which items are listed can vary, and may not always align with the order in which items were assigned.<\/p>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/icon?family=Material+Icons\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<p class=\"alert\" style=\"padding-bottom:10px; margin-bottom:0px;\"><span class=\"material-icons\">&#xe002;<\/span><strong> NOTE:<\/strong> The newest requirements may not necessarily appear at the top of the Checklist, so it\u2019s important to review the full list. Items for multiple Financial Aid Years may appear across the list as well \u2013 be sure to check the listed Aid Year for required items.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-top:20px; margin-top:0px\">Click on a checklist item on the left-hand side to view its details in the right-hand pane.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-4-636x352.png\" alt=\"Example of To Dos page with a FAFSA item open\" width=\"636\" height=\"352\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6218\" style=\"border: 2px solid black;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-4-636x352.png 636w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-4-1024x567.png 1024w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-4-768x426.png 768w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-4.png 1191w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-bottom:0px; margin-bottom:0px;\">Each checklist item has a unique description \u2013 be sure to carefully review the Description and Status of each item. The Description will often include instructions or background information to explain why it\u2019s included in the Checklist.<\/p>\n<h5>ITEM STATUSES<\/h5>\n<p>The status of an item will change as pertinent documentation is processed and reviewed by Financial Aid staff.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-bottom:0px; margin-bottom:0px;\">The meaning of each status as it relates to that specific checklist item will be defined in the item\u2019s Description. But in general, the following statuses will most commonly apply:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Initiated &#8211; item has been assigned.<\/li>\n<li>Received &#8211; document has been submitted by student, but not reviewed<\/li>\n<li>Complete &#8211; item has been processed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Upon review of submitted documentation, additional related requirements may also be added by Financial Aid staff. Some items may appear on the Checklist already in \u2018Received\u2019 or \u2018Completed\u2019 status.<\/p>\n<p>In the below example, the student\u2019s FAFSA has been submitted, but the \u2018FAFSA Reject\u2019 item in \u2018Initiated\u2019 status means that additional steps must be taken by the student in order for BU to process the FAFSA.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-5-636x295.png\" alt=\"Example of a To Dos page with a FAFSA Reject item\" width=\"636\" height=\"295\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6219\" style=\"border: 2px solid black;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-5-636x295.png 636w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-5-1024x475.png 1024w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-5-768x356.png 768w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-5.png 1137w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h5>PROCESSING TIME &#038; FOLLOW-UP<\/h5>\n<p>Depending on the time of year, it may take up to two weeks for submitted items to reflect as Received or Completed on the Checklist. More specific timing expectations may be described for some items in the item Description.<\/p>\n<p>As long as items have been submitted before any established deadlines, they are considered on time, even if the Checklist has not yet been updated. Standard deadlines for each academic year are posted on the BU Financial Assistance website for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/finaid\/undergraduate-students\/returning\/deadlines\/\">continuing students<\/a>, incoming <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/finaid\/undergraduate-students\/first-year-students\/deadlines\/\">first years<\/a>, and incoming <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/finaid\/undergraduate-students\/transfer\/transfer-applicant-deadlines\/\">transfer students<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Students with concerns about submitted items not reflecting as expected on their Checklist can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/finaid\/contact-us\/\">follow up with BU Financial Assistance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"bu_collapsible_container \" aria-live=\"polite\" data-customize-animation=\"false\"><h4 class=\"bu_collapsible\" aria-expanded=\"false\"tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Uploading Documents<\/h4><div class=\"bu_collapsible_section\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/p>\n<p>For certain assigned items, documentation can be uploaded directly within the To Do module in MyBU Student. For these items, an Attachments section will appear below the item description in the Checklist.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-6.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-6-636x355.png\" alt=\"Example of To Dos page, pointing to Upload interface\" width=\"636\" height=\"355\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-6220\" style=\"border: 2px solid black;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-6-636x355.png 636w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-6-1024x572.png 1024w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-6-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/files\/2026\/02\/FA-Checklist-6.png 1426w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Click \u2018Upload from your device\u2019 to select a file.<\/li>\n<li>In the file picker, open the needed file.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>Submit<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/icon?family=Material+Icons\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<p class=\"alert\"><span class=\"material-icons\">&#xe002;<\/span><strong> NOTE:<\/strong> After clicking Submit, the attachment cannot be removed or modified.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-bottom:0px; margin-bottom:0px;\"><strong>Uploading Guidelines:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do NOT upload password protected documents as they will not be able to be processed. The upload feature in MyBU Student is secure and linked only to the user\u2019s student record.<\/li>\n<li>The file must be in .PDF, .JPG, .PNG, .BMP, .TIF, or .TIFF format and cannot be larger than 5 MB in size.<\/li>\n<li>Multiple files can be uploaded if needed.<\/li>\n<li>No need to upload page by page! For multi-page documents, please combine them into a single PDF before uploading. Free tools\/tutorials can be found online to combine\/merge PDF documents, or if scanning in a paper document, scanner apps can be used to make a multi-page PDF using a smartphone camera.<\/li>\n<li>Attached documents can be viewed once submitted. However, after they are submitted they cannot be removed or modified. If there was an error with the uploaded documentation, please contact BU Financial Assistance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px;\">\u24d8 <strong>NOTE<\/strong>: The status of the item may not update automatically to \u2018Received\u2019 once it\u2019s been uploaded. In some cases, the documentation must be electronically filed and\/or reviewed before the status will change. <strong>Please allow up to two weeks for processing of most documents. In some cases, it may take longer for Financial Assistance staff to fully process and review submitted items.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A list of forms that may be assigned and\/or submitted along with financial documentation can be found here: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/finaid\/forms\/application-forms\/\">www.bu.edu\/finaid\/forms\/application-forms\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>All documents can also be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid via the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/phpbin\/onbase\/?form=ofa_upload\">BU FA Document Portal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Graduate students should contact their specific <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/grad\/admission-funding\/financing-your-education\/graduate-financial-aid-offices\/\">graduate financial aid office<\/a> before uploading any documents into MyBU Student. Some offices have alternative procedures to collect documents.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"padding-bottom:1rem;\">This page was last updated February 2026. To download a PDF copy of this resource, print this webpage as a PDF.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:right; margin-block-end: 0px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/mybu-student-glossary\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" title=\"Glossary\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/sis-training\/files\/2025\/06\/Glossary-icon.png\" alt=\"Glossary Icon - Click here for MyBU Student Glossary.\" width=\"75px\" height=\"75px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This resource describes how students can view and manage Financial Aid Checklist items in MyBU Student. A Checklist combines assigned and completed To Do items, allowing students to track various requirements. For the purposes of Financial Aid, To Do items will be assigned to a student pertinent to their aid application and\/or eligibility. Introduction Undergraduate [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13327,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[36,49,48],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6191"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13327"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6191"}],"version-history":[{"count":43,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6191\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6328,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6191\/revisions\/6328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/sis-training\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}