Student Financial Services Secure Dropbox Instructions

The financial aid application process may require additional forms and documents besides the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If additional documents are needed to review your file, they will be listed in your PAWS Student Center “To Do List.” Please review the details of each “To Do” item and complete the documents as instructed. Please note that a request for tax documentation can often be satisfied in multiple ways. The easiest, most efficient way is to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.

uwm secure dropbox

If multiple items are requested, please submit all of them at the same time. Submitting partial or incomplete documents slows the application review process.

To ensure that all documents are accepted and don’t have to be returned, please review the helpful tips below prior to submitting documents.

Helpful Tips

  • Make sure you submit the documents requested for the appropriate aid year (i.e. 2022-23 or 2023-24).
    • The 2022-23 aid year includes fall 2022, winterim 2023, spring 2023, and summer 2023 terms.
    • The 2023-24 aid year includes fall 2023, winterim 2024, spring 2024, and summer 2024 terms.
  • Upload a separate document for each “To Do” item.
  • Label each item so it matches the “To Do” item.
    • For example, if there are three financial aid “To Do List” items, such as:
      1.  2024 Dependent IVF
      2.  2021 Stud Fed Tax Transcript
      3. 2021 Parent Fed Tax Transcript
    • Upload three separate documents labeling them with the name of the “To Do” item.
      • If you were able to go back into your FAFSA and use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, you may only need to upload non-tax items.
  • If you are submitting documents not listed as a “To Do” item in PAWS (i.e. Special Circumstance Form, Budget Adjustment Request, etc.), please label them using the name of the form you are uploading. If submitting other documents with the Special Circumstance Form, like federal tax documents, please make sure to only provide the appropriate pages and schedules as detailed below.
  • Make sure all forms are completed in their entirety and signed.
  • If you are submitting a Federal 1040 Tax Return instead of a tax transcript, make sure it is signed and only include pages 1 and 2 of the 1040 and schedules 1, 2, and 3 if they were completed. Do not submit any additional pages. Please see the example below, and sign where it says “Your Signature”.
  • Below are examples of the original and amended tax forms for 2021. Please try to limit submission to only these specific pages and schedules, as this will expedite the review process.
  • If you are submitting tax forms, please double-check that the income from work reported on the FAFSA and tax forms match. If a joint tax return was filed and the numbers do not match, you will be required to submit all W-2 forms for the year referenced.
  • It is strongly recommended that you scan documents in a PDF format rather than uploading pictures. If you do not have access to a scanner, you can use any smartphone to create copies of the requested documents. Please see the instructions below for both Apple and Android devices.