Financial Aid Advisor I

University of Louisville • Louisville, KY

3d

About The Position

The Financial Aid Advisor I at the University of Louisville provides student service and day-to-day scholarship processing support within the Fiscal, Operational, and Scholarship Management (FOSM) team. The role primarily supports intake, tracking, posting, and reconciliation for outside scholarships awarded by organizations outside the university, helping ensure scholarship information and payments are recorded accurately, processed promptly, and coordinated with students’ other financial aid.

Under the direction of the Coordinator and with program guidance from the Assistant Director, the Advisor follows established procedures to review documentation, enter and adjust awards, respond to inquiries, prepare routine reports, and resolve standard processing discrepancies. The position also supports scholarship, state aid, fiscal, and communications activities, while referring exceptions, complex eligibility questions, and policy decisions to the appropriate supervisor. Training and ongoing guidance support development of financial aid knowledge and processing skills.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Accuracy in reviewing documentation and maintaining complete, reliable records.
• Ability to provide courteous student assistance and explain routine requirements clearly.
• Organization, including tracking pending work, meeting deadlines, and following established priorities.
• Problem-solving skills, including identifying discrepancies, using approved resources, and recognizing when to seek guidance.
• Ability to develop program and system knowledge through training and apply feedback.
• Teamwork and communication with colleagues and campus partners.
• Ability to handle student and financial information appropriately and follow approved access and disclosure procedures.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of related work experience.
• Experience in customer service, administrative support, payment processing, or records management.
• Familiarity with financial aid or scholarship programs, including outside scholarships.
• Experience with PeopleSoft or another student information system.
• Experience using Excel or similar tools to track information, compare records, and support reconciliation.

Responsibilities

• Receive and review outside scholarship notices, award letters, checks, and related documents; match awards to student records; record award and payment information and provider instructions; request missing information; and maintain records of pending and completed awards.
• Coordinate receipt and routing of outside scholarship payments with the Bursar and other responsible offices; enter awards and distribute funds across terms according to provider instructions and procedures; track payments and follow up on outstanding items; and assist with returned payments or refunds as directed.
• Review outside scholarship information alongside existing aid using established checklists and system reports; process routine award updates within assigned authority; identify potential duplicate awards or conflicting information; and refer potential overawards, eligibility exceptions, or unclear restrictions for supervisory review.
• Respond to routine inquiries from students, families, and outside scholarship providers about submission requirements, payment status, and processing timelines; explain established procedures; follow up promptly; document contacts; and refer requests requiring additional authorization.
• Assist with institutional, departmental, and state aid processing by reviewing documentation, entering or adjusting awards, completing routine eligibility checks, resolving standard discrepancies with team members and campus partners, and routing complex issues to the Coordinator or Assistant Director.
• Compare scholarship records, payment information, and system reports to identify missing payments, duplicate entries, incorrect amounts, and other discrepancies; prepare routine reports and supporting documentation; complete assigned reconciliation tasks; and assist with corrections under supervisory guidance.
• Monitor assigned email accounts and service queues; receive, route, and process forms and requests; issue approved communications; maintain case notes and records; organize work by established priorities and deadlines; and alert the supervisor to unresolved or aging items.
• Use PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, Excel, approved queries, and other office systems to process transactions and monitor assigned work; assist with routine fiscal records, account documentation, and reporting, including Workday Finance tasks as assigned and trained; and follow established data-entry and record-retention controls.
• Provide basic guidance on application and eligibility requirements for federal, state, private, and institutional aid using approved resources; participate in training and cross-training; identify recurring processing issues and suggest practical improvements; provide administrative and peak-period support; and perform other related duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level