Financial Education and Wellness

The purpose of the Office of Financial Education and Wellness (FEW) is to provide students with the education and guidance needed to empower them to make informed financial decisions. FEW will be seamlessly integrated into the existing campus culture and will become one of the most recommended and highly regarded resources available to students. 

Overview ▾
The University of Maryland is committed to the overall wellness of its students.

Because of this commitment, the University has established the Office of Financial Education and Wellness (FEW), which is an extension of the Office of Student Financial Assistance and Education (SFAE), to help students establish and maintain financial wellness. Whether the financial needs are simple or complex in nature, we are here for the students. Our goal is to provide students with the education and tools necessary to make smart financial decisions during their time in school and beyond. This valuable resource is provided to students free of charge and will serve students via three platforms: on-campus educational programming, individual consultations, and online financial literacy education.

Educational Programs ▾
Although this is a relatively new initiative, the Office of Financial Education and Wellness has hosted several programs ranging in topics from networking and personal branding to investing in the stock market and assessing benefit packages.

Programs are open to all students. To see our calendar of events, click here.

Individual Consultations ▾
The services of the FEW office may be accessed once a student has been referred by their financial aid counselor.

Services provided to individual students by the FEW office include but are not limited to: creating a budget, identifying ways to reduce expenses, creating alternative spending plans, as well as assisting with debt management, loan repayment,and organizing finances. For assistance with the following items, students should schedule an appointment to meet with their financial aid counselor. Each counselor serves as the subject matter expert in these areas:

  • Student loan borrowing (i.e., loan types, limits, and awarding)
  • Loan increases, returns
  • Cost of attendance increases
  • FAFSA
  • Financial aid packages
  • Scholarships
  • Alternative (private) loans
  • Work-study 

Counselors will work with students to address their concerns, and if further assistance is necessary, particularly in the areas of budgeting and repayment, counselors may refer students to the FEW office to schedule a confidential appointment.  

Online Financial Education ▾
Financial education is available to UMB students online via USA Funds ® Life Skills®, a financial literacy tool.

This tool provides interactive educational content on a variety of topics ranging from credit cards and student loan repayment to identity theft and managing graduate school and relationships. Get started here: Life Skills.

Useful Links and School-Specific Resources ▾

Medical School students have the opportunity to use the AAMC Medloans® Organizer and Calculator to keep their loans organized and develop repayment strategies.

The School of Social Work's Financial Social Work Initiative is a part of the school that prepares social workers to advance the economic stability and financial wellness of individuals, families, and communities, with particular attention to vulnerable populations.