Financial Aid Assistant

A Financial Aid Assistant fulfills clerical and customer service support functions in a financial aid department by processing student loan information, verifying data, and providing general information about the financial aid process to students and parents.

Nature of Work: This position typically reports to a Financial Aid Team Manager in a financial aid department or to another appropriate administrator. This position provides general support for a financial aid area requiring attention to detail and customer service contact with parents and students. The Financial Aid Assistant must apply knowledge of the financial process such as award and delivery of funds. Incumbents must handle upset, confused or emotional customers, determining when a referral to a private consultation with a specialist or manager is appropriate.

•    Maintains financial aid data integrity through the through input and correction of data.
•    Fields calls from parents, students, other individuals with questions relating to the awarding process.
•    Reviews confidential information from applicant files to adjust awards to evaluate initial loan eligibility.
•    Makes adjustments to students student loans based on students eligibility by verifying, recalculating, and then re-sending student loan data.
•    Assists in the training and supervising of student assistants.
•    Administers the financial aid database system including data entry of transactions through electronic transfer and manual input.
•    Consults with the team manager regarding unusual cases or system problems to ensure successful resolution of the automated processes.
•    Maintains confidentiality and abide by the limitations of the privacy act as well as University, State and Federal policy and regulations.
•    Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

•    This position requires a high school diploma or equivalent, with two years of experience in office or administrative positions. Appropriate college coursework or vocational/technical training may substitute at an equivalent rate for the required experience.

Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
• Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.