Financial Aid Checklist

Are you ready to start your undergraduate education at Western? Are you a returning student seeking financial aid assistance for the first time? Use the checklist below to help you navigate through the many steps and important dates to ensure your financial aid notification letter is delivered to you on time!

	Obtain your PIN (personal identification number) at www.pin.ed.gov.
	File the 2013-2014 FAFSA at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov on or after January 1, 2013. Submit your FAFSA by February 15, 2013, to meet Western's priority filing deadline. Before submitting the FAFSA be sure you included the WWU federal school code on the FAFSA: 003802. View our FAFSA Tips page on our website other helpful information.
	View your SAR (Student Aid Report) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov and respond to any messages that may appear regarding your application.
	View your current aid application status at Western's Web4U online access by logging in at Web4U.
	Start your scholarship search at http://www.finaid.wwu.edu/scholarships.
	If you have not borrowed through the Federal Direct Student Loan Program before, complete an electronic master promissory note at https://www.studentloans.gov. You can take this step now even if you have not yet received a financial aid award notice indicating your are eligible for a federal student loan. Parents using the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) must also complete a master promissory note.
	Students who are considering taking out their first federal direct student loan must complete an Entrance Loan Counseling session. A quick and easy interactive loan counseling tool is available from the federal student aid website at https://www.studentloans.gov. You can take this step now even if you have not yet received a financial aid award notice indicating that you are eligible for a federal student loan. Parents borrowing through the PLUS program are not required to receive entrance loan counseling. Be sure to include Western Washington University when prompted to include a school this is to receive notification that you completed the counseling session.
	Check your billing statement at Western to ensure that your financial aid is properly credited, or to make a payment on your student account. More details are available on the web at www.wwu.edu/sfs/StudentAccounts/sa_billing.shtml.
	If you have questions about your aid application or eligibility, contact the Financial Aid Department.
	The fastest way to receive your financial aid proceeds is to sign up for Direct Deposit at http://www.wwu.edu/sfs/HigherOne.shtml.
	Make sure you receive important messages from Western by notifying us of address changes promptly at https://admin.wwu.edu/pls/wwis/twbkwbis.P_WWWLogin.
	Watch for important email messages and written correspondence from the Financial Aid Department. Respond quickly to requests for additional information or action.