Financial Aid Bulletin
Welcome!
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Financial Aid Department at Western Washington University. We strive to reduce financial barriers to learning by providing students with financial assistance to pay for their educational expenses. In addition, Financial Aid helps students connect to the Western community and transfer skills to life beyond the campus through a broad range of employment and volunteer opportunities.
Financial Aid offers services to students through three public centers: our Financial Aid Services Center, Scholarship Center, and Student Employment Center. Please visit these centers online or in person to become better acquainted with how we may help you through scholarship, grant, tuition waiver, employment, loan, and volunteer programs.
To continue receiving aid, you must make satisfactory academic progress (SAP). Please make sure that you understand these requirements by reading the SAP policy included in this publication. Note: Although the minimum number of credits required to receive full-time aid is only 12, we urge you to earn at least 15. Most students must earn an average of 15 or more credits per quarter, depending on their degree requirements, to graduate within 4 years and minimize their educational costs and associated indebtedness.
We realize that student and family financial situations are subject to change. If you are faced with a financial hardship that could not be reflected on your FAFSA, you are invited to make an appointment with a Financial Aid Counselor to seek a recalculation of your aid eligibility.
Best wishes for your educational future!
Clara Capron
Director of Financial Aid
| Financial Aid Services Center | Scholarship Center | Student Employment Center |
|---|---|---|
| 516 High Street, Old Main 265 | 516 High Street, Old Main 275 | 516 High Street, Old Main 285 |
| Bellingham, WA 98225-9006 | Bellingham, WA 98225-9006 | Bellingham, WA 98225-9049 |
| (360) 650-3470 | (360) 650-3471 | (360) 650-3158 |
| financialaid@wwu.edu | scholarshipcenter@wwu.edu | studentemployment@wwu.edu |
Western Priority Filing Deadline:
File your FAFSA by February 15th each year to ensure consideration for priority funding!
Office Hours:
Financial Aid offers advising and financial aid counseling from 9 am - 4 pm Monday through Friday in Old Main 265.
Additional Web Resources:
| Financial Aid Check List | www.finaid.wwu.edu |
| FAFSA on the Web | www.fafsa.gov |
| Electronic Master Promissory Note | www.studentloans.gov |
| Entrance Loan Counseling | www.studentloans.gov |
| Free scholarship search tool | www.fastweb.com |
| theWashBoard | www.theWashboard.org |
| U.S. Department of Education | www.ed.gov |
| Comprehensive financial aid information | www.finaid.org |
| U.S. Department of Education PIN | www.pin.ed.gov |
| Direct Loan Servicing Center | www.studentloans.gov |
Western awards financial aid to students by two methods:
-
Students New To Western - You will receive your first Award Notice in the mail. Revisions and awards for subsequent years will be made electronically via Web4U . To accept your initial award that you received in the mail:
- Circle YES on the award letter next to the financial aid type(s) you want to accept, and NO to the one(s) you want to decline. If you do not circle yes or no, we will assume that you do not want the aid.
- Make a copy of the award and then return the signed copy to our office. Sign only after you have read the certification statement. Keep the remaining copy for your records.
- Review this information. It contains important financial aid information you need to know.
- Current students - You will receive an email from the Financial Aid Department notifying you that you have been awarded and directing you to Web4U so that you can review and accept your award online.
Enrollment Tips
Although financial aid programs require full-time undergraduate students to complete only 12 credits per quarter, an average of 15 credits per quarter is needed to graduate within 4 years. We strongly encourage you to complete at least 15 credits per quarter.
In order to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, we encourage you to utilize the services on campus designed to help you be successful such as the Office of Student Life (VU 506), Academic Advising Center (Old Main 380) and the Tutoring Center (Wilson Library 280).