Tuition & Financial Aid
Five steps to paying for college with federal financial aid.The steps to apply for financial aid.
Financial aid can make the already affordable tuition at WGU even easier on your pocketbook. In fact, if you use financial aid responsibly, you should be able to finish your degree without worrying about large education debts.
The financial aid application process is detailed in the steps below.
1. Complete the FAFSA online.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to determine your student aid eligibility based on your personal and family situation.
If you are a first-time user, you will be required to create an FSA ID. It allows users to access personal information on federal student aid web sites as well as to sign a FAFSA.
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is unavailable at this time. You can still complete your FAFSA by manually inputting your tax information.
Once the FAFSA application has been received by WGU (3-5 business days), you can complete the following financial aid application steps through the WGU Student Portal in the Financial Services section.
2. Complete entrance counseling.
If you plan to use federal student loans, access studentloans.gov to complete entrance counseling. This step is required to ensure you understand your borrower rights and responsibilities.
3. Complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN).
If you plan to use federal student loans, you will need to electronically complete and sign the MPN—a legal document that creates a contract between you and the lender to repay the loans. You will find the MPN at studentloans.gov.
4. Complete any other financial aid documentation as required.
You may be required to complete or supply additional documentation before your financial aid can be awarded. Any required documents will be listed in the Financial Services section of your WGU Student Portal.
5. Complete the financial aid process.
After completing the FAFSA, you will receive your personal My Financial Aid Plan on the Financial Aid page in your student portal. After reviewing your Financial Aid Plan, you will be prompted to accept or change the recommended loan amounts. An award letter displaying your requested, or otherwise eligible, loan and grant amounts will be sent to your WGU email address. At that time, the financial aid process is complete and no further action is necessary.
Financial aid deadline.
For new students, the deadline for completing the financial aid process is the 22nd of the month prior to your intended program start date. This deadline also includes submission and approval of any additional required documents by the Financial Aid Office. Failure to complete the process or submit the required documents will result in a delay of funding and may affect your start date.
Common questions about financial aid.
What can I use financial aid for?
As a WGU student, you can use financial aid to pay for tuition, fees, books, other school-related supplies, technology needed for online study, and personal living expenses. The "technology needed" can include a new computer, internet service fees, and software.
Your financial aid cannot be used to pay your application fee.
Who can answer my financial aid questions?
Speak to an Enrollment Counselor who can answer most of your basic financial aid questions. The WGU Financial Aid Office can answer more specific questions about your personal situation once you have completed the WGU Financial Aid Application. The Financial Aid Office can be reached:
1-877-435-7948
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