1. Apply for admission to WCU.
2. Review the eligibility requirements to be sure you’re eligible to apply for financial aid.
3. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available starting December 1 but may not be submitted until after January 1. Request the FAFSA from your high school counselor or WCU’s Financial Aid Office, or submit your information online at the FAFSA web site. It is strongly recommended that students use the online version of the FAFSA. Students who plan to complete the online FAFSA should first register for a PIN number which will act as an electronic signature. Both the student and parent can register for a PIN. The PIN number will be used throughout your college career to complete business with the WCU Financial Aid Office and the federal government. WCU’s FAFSA code is 002981.
4. Within four weeks, you should receive your Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR lists the information you reported on your FAFSA as well as your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). If you don’t receive your SAR, visit the FAFSA web site or call 1-800-4-FED-AID. Depending on how you submitted your FAFSA, you may receive the SAR via mail or email. If you’re a dependent student, your parents or guardians should also receive confirmation that your FAFSA has been processed.
5. Review your SAR carefully. You’ll be able to make corrections through the Department of Education's FAFSA on the Web site or on the paper SAR (if you received one). You can also change your address, change the schools that you want to receive your FAFSA information, or change your answer to Question 31 (concerning a drug conviction) by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800-433-3243. You can’t make any other changes over the phone. Be prepared to provide your Data Release Number (DRN), located in the lower left-hand corner of the SAR. Whether you applied electronically or by paper, the federal processor will send your data electronically to the schools you list on the FAFSA.
6. You may receive a Missing Information Letter (MIL) requesting additional documentation or information. Please be aware that continuing students will only receive the first MIL by mail. All subsequent correspondence will be by email, requesting that students use their MyCat accounts to check their missing documents online. Freshman and transfer students will receive correspondence by mail until class begins and they have access to MyCat. A Personal Data Sheet (PDA) will be sent to the student to complete and return to the Financial Aid Office along with any other forms required. Examples of such forms may be a Verification Form, 2007 Federal Tax forms (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ) from parent(s) and student, etc. All students must complete a PDA and it is often the only additional form needed before an award can be made. The PDA is available on our Forms page. Note: the PDA forms must be returned by mail because they require a written signature. Therefore, they cannot be sent electronically.
7. Your file is reviewed and award determined. During the review process, other documentation and/or corrections may be required. For entering students, when all information is received and necessary corrections have been made, the award will be completed. For continuing students, the awards will not be made until after spring grades have been reviewed.
8. You’ll receive a Financial Aid Notification (FAN) indicating all types and amounts of aid you’re eligible to receive for the fall and spring semesters. Review the FAN and return it to the Financial Aid Office only if you want to reject or reduce one or more of the aid types awarded. If loans are accepted by the student and/or parent, information about completing the required promissory note will be mailed to the borrower. ALL FIRST TIME BORROWERS MUST COMPLETE AN ENTRANCE INTERVIEW BEFORE FUNDS CAN BE DISBURSED. Directions for completing this requirement will be mailed to the student prior to enrollment.
9. All awards you accept, except for Work-Study, will be applied to your account. After you register for classes, you will receive a Fee Bill showing all school charges and any financial aid available to cover the charges. The fee bill, and any money due after financial aid awards have been considered, must be returned to the Controller's Office by the payment deadline indicated on the bill to avoid having classes cancelled. If the student receives Work-Study, they will choose a job on campus through the Work-Study Coordinator. They will receive a monthly check for all hours worked.