Financial Aid
Availability
Students taking courses through DDP are recognized as having the same needs as on-campus students and are therefore eligible for the same financial assistance. See Limitations and Conditions below.
Note: International students are NOT eligible for financial aid through WSU, and international students residing in the United States who have a visa status of F1, F2, J1, J2, or B2 may be limited in the number of credits in which they can enroll through DDP. Contact the WSU Office of International Programs for more information, or 509-335-2541.
Financial Aid Quick Links
- To expedite processing, be sure to use WSU's Federal School Code of 003800. More Info
- WSU Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarship Services
- General Financial Aid Information
- Estimated cost of attending Washington State University Distance Degree Programs, 2008-2009
Application Process
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a FREE application, by definition; there is no fee to apply. Any site that charges a fee to submit the FAFSA, such as fafsa.com, should not be confused with the official FAFSA site.
Paper FAFSAs can be obtained from libraries, high schools, or by contacting the WSU Office of Student Financial Aid, but be aware that a paper FAFSA is processed much slower than the online version.
WSU’s Federal School Code is 003800
If you complete the online FAFSA, you should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) in 24-48 hours. If you complete the paper FAFSA, you will receive your SAR in approximately four to six weeks at your home address. You can officially correct or change data on the SAR and return it as directed (do NOT send the SAR to WSU; the Federal Processor will forward the information to WSU electronically).
WSU will then notify you either of your financial aid eligibility or of additional items needed to complete your financial aid file. If we request additional items, please respond to the request as soon as possible to facilitate the process.
Checking Your Financial Aid Status
Once you have applied for admission to WSU and received a student identification number you can check the status of your financial aid online:
- Login to myWSU with your WSU Network ID
- Select "Finances" and then "Student Aid"
Consortium Agreements
If you are required to take courses at another institution for your degree at Washington State University, a consortium agreement may increase your financial aid eligibility to assist with the additional tuition costs. A consortium agreement allows students to receive financial aid for courses at WSU as well as those at another institution while working toward their degrees from Washington State University. More information
Limitations and Conditions
All WSU students, including DDP students, must be in compliance with satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in order to receive financial aid. To maintain satisfactory academic progress you must complete the number of credits you are enrolled in as of the day your aid releases or the first day of classes, whichever comes first, and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. Those who do not satisfactorily complete their courses will be considered deficient under the SAP policy and future financial aid eligibility may be affected. See details about satisfactory academic progress on the WSU Office of Student Financial Aid Web site.
In order to receive your full-time financial aid package, you must be enrolled on a full-time basis (12 credit hours per term for undergraduates, 10 credit hours for graduates). Part time students may also receive aid, but your award amount will be adjusted based on the number of credits for which you enroll.
In addition, you may not receive financial aid from more than one institution at one time. Institutions you previously attended will have provided information on any financial aid through the National Student Loan Database System, which will be accessed by WSU.
Covering Expenses Before Aid is Released: Even when your financial aid is approved, it may not reach you before you have to purchase your textbooks. Please find alternate ways for paying for your course materials so that you can receive them before the semester begins.
The WSU tuition and fees due dates apply to all students. (See DDP academic calendar.) In order to avoid late fees, you may need to cover tuition costs until your aid is released. Late fees will not be waived, even if aid is not released until after the tuition and fees due dates.
Effects of adding or dropping courses:
Problems may arise with Stafford Loan paperwork if courses are added or dropped from your original enrollment prior to or after the beginning of the semester. Adding or dropping courses changes your cost of attendance, therefore changing the pending Stafford Loan application process. Please work closely with your academic advisor each semester to minimize the need to add or drop courses that could delay delivery of your aid.
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Be sure to reference WSU's Federal School Code: 003800 on your FAFSA.