Using Financial Aid for Non-WSU Courses

If your WSU location does not offer a course that is necessary for your degree, you may be eligible to request a consortium agreement. This will allow you to use part of your WSU-awarded federal student aid to pay tuition at another school while you continue working toward your WSU degree.

Key Terms

• Consortium Agreement: A written agreement that allows students enrolled simultaneously at two schools receive academic credit towards their degree or a certificate AND is offered student financial aid, usually at the Home school based on total hours of enrollment at both schools.
• Home School: The school where the student is enrolled and will earn a degree.
• Host School: The school where the student will compete part of their program requirements through a consortium agreement.

We recommend discussing this with your academic advisor at least one term in advance.

Reasons to request a Consortium Agreement

• WSU does not offer the required class at all (ex. foreign language, lower level science or math classes, etc.)
• WSU does not offer the class in term student needs take it in order to keep on track for their degree program (ex. class series needed is only offered one time a year at WSU but the student needs to start a series mid-year in order to stay on track for graduation)
• Scheduling conflict – the class is offered at WSU but the student cannot attend the class when offered due to a scheduling conflict (ex. only one class offering at the same time as another required class, conflict with work/family – daycare issues)

To qualify for a consortium request

• Student must be degree-seeking.
• The student cannot take the course(s) at WSU because WSU does not offer the course at all or does not offer it in the term or at a time the student needs to take it to stay on track for their degree.
• Submitted a FASFA for 24-25
  • Student must be receiving State or Federal Grants, or Federal Loans at WSU.
  • Occasionally we can make an exception through a Professional Judgement process to allow a student to receive a scholarship if donor requires full time enrollment.
• Student must be enrolled in 6 semester credits at WSU.
  • You must be taking a minimum of 6 WSU credits for the entire term to be eligible to receive and keep your financial aid awarded due to your Consortium Agreement. If you drop any courses, your financial aid could be returned, creating a balance on your student account.
• Student must enroll in 100 level coursework or higher.
• WSU Academic Advisor must certify that the coursework at the Host School is applicable to a student’s WSU degree or financial aid eligible certificate.
• Host School’s financial aid office must certify student’s registration, tuition, & mandatory fees, and confirm financial aid is not disbursed at host school.

The Consortium Agreement Form must be completed and returned by the student’s academic advisor to our office. All parts of the request for a Consortium Agreement must be completed and submitted to WSU to later than the third Friday of the term the Home Institution’s term.

The student must agree in writing to the following:

1. • 1. To provide WSU with an official grade transcript. (If this documentation is not provided within 2 weeks of the end of the Host Institution’s term, any further consortium funding will be held, and satisfactory academic progress may be affected.)
     2. To provide the WSU financial aid personnel with a copy of an official add, drop, or withdrawal slip for any adds, drops, or withdrawals from course(s) previously certified for the consortium agreement. Failure to do so will withhold future funding of consortium courses.
     3. Courses being repeated for credit will be funded only if a letter grade of “F” was received during the 1^st period of enrollment. If a letter grade of “D” or better was received during the first period of enrollment, funding for this course will be withheld.
     4. Courses listed below the 100 level will not be funded unless those remedial courses are not available at the Home Institution and the student must complete them before taking required courses at the Home Institution. (i.e. MATH91, MATH92, OR MATH99. Remedial courses will be funded or considered for one academic year.)
     5. Consortium students are subject to the SAP policy and Refund/Repayment policy information as published in the Student Handbook.
     6. At least 6 credits of the total enrollment per semester must be WSU courses. Semester-based courses through the WSU Online Program will be included in the 6-credit requirement.
     7. Those courses not applicable to the student’s degree or certificate at WSU will not be funded. Consult your academic advisor for equivalencies and applicable academic year.
     8. Funding may cover tuition and course-related fees. Tuition fees will reflect actual tuition costs of both WSU and the consortium school. The student, if awarded funds for consortium classes, must pay the Host Institution’s tuition and fees from the WSU funds released to the student.
     9. Certify that he or she is applying to receive financial aid only from WSU.

The student’s academic advisor must agree in writing to the following:

1. • 1. To verify each consortium course to be necessary and applicable to the student’s degree or certificate at WSU, and are not offered through WSU.
     2. To prepare and attach a Consortium Agreement Form specifying the courses needed for the degree program and certify that the courses are consortium eligible.

The Host School Financial Aid Representative must confirm in writing the following:

1. The Host school is Title IV Financial Aid Eligible
2. That the student is not receiving financial aid at the Host School for the term of the Consortium Agreement.
3. The amount of the student’s Tuition and mandatory fees at the Host School

The student must provide the following to their consortium agreement form:

1. Proof of Enrollment: a screenshot showing your enrollment at your HOST School. Please make sure the screenshot shows your name and the name of the class(es) and the HOST School’s name.
2. Itemized Account Summary or Billing Statement: A screenshot of the itemized costs you have at your HOST School for this term including your name and the name of the HOST School.

Completing your consortium courses

At the end of the consortium term, final course grades must be sent to the WSU Office of Student Financial Services. Remember to request transcripts from the host school. Future consortium agreements will not be granted until/ unless grades are received.

Unofficial Transcript emailed to WSU Student Financial Services at sfs.programadmin@wsu.edu

Official Transcript Sent to WSU Admissions