Student Financial Services
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Financial Aid FAQs
What is Census and how does it impact my financial aid?
Census is a “snapshot” of your enrollment on the 10th day of the term. Based on your enrollment and what type of aid, your financial aid may be adjusted due to your census enrollment. For more information on census, please see our census page.
I have been impacted by Covid-19. Can I qualify for emergency funding for Fall now?
Based on specific need criteria, we distributed HEERF funds for Fall term. Now that the first group of students have been funded for Fall, we have opened up the Emergency Fund Request form for other students for Fall term. For more information, please see the WSU Student Care Network site. Students will only be funded ONCE per term with federal emergency aid. If your income or family situation has changed since completing the FAFSA or WASFA, please see our Special Circumstances page for possible options.
Is there a FASFA deadline?
New students, WSU’s priority date for FAFSA submission is February 15th. The priority date for returning students is November 30th. Students can file after this date, but their aid may be reduced. Eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loans are not affected by this priority deadline. For other important deadlines, visit our info page.
When will I receive my financial aid?
Financial aid is disbursed to student accounts up to 10 days before instruction begins, generally the week prior to classes starting. If you have financial aid greater than your charges, you will receive a refund or excess funds payment. We recommend student sign up for direct deposit to make this process faster. You can find information on signing up for direct deposit on our Helpful Videos page.
How do I qualify for Work-Study?
Work-Study (either federal or state) is a need based program. Students have to have applied on time with the FAFSA or WASFA and have to have documents submitted on time if they are selected for verification, and still have enough financial need after other programs are offered. Work-Study is offered to eligible students after they are hired for a work-study job, assuming they qualify. For more information on work-study, please see our work-study page.
Do I have to fill out a FASFA form every year?
You must complete the FASFA for every year you would like to receive federal and/or state financial aid.
How do I accept my loan(s)?
Under your MyWSU, go to the current aid year under Financial Aid and click “Accept/Decline”. From there, you may edit the amount you wish to borrow for the year that will be split by semester (Fall/Spring). Remember, before you receive this aid, you will need to complete your Master Promissory Note and/or Entrance Counseling. For a more thorough guide on how to accept your loans, please visit our loans page.
What if my financial situation changes after submitting the FAFSA?
Changes in finances due to a reduction in income, a change in marital status, the death of a parent/spouse, or other special circumstances may greatly impact a family’s ability to pay for college. To alleviate such changes, families may file a Special Circumstance Appeal to see if they qualify for an adjustment to their financial aid award. These are judged on a case-by-case basis to adjust the data used in calculating the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) to reflect these special circumstances.
If I change the number of credit hours I am enrolled in, will my financial aid be affected?
Yes, your financial aid can be affected by your enrollment status (full-time, half-time, etc.). If you change your enrolled hours, be sure to contact our office to discuss the possible impacts on your financial aid awards.
What is SAP?
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards ensure that you are successfully completing your coursework and can continue to receive financial aid. All students receiving financial aid are required to meet SAP standards. For more information regarding SAP, view our handbook.
What is an EFC?
Your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) represents how much you/your family can afford to pay for your academic year’s education. It is calculated from the information that is submitted on your FAFSA. This number is used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid.
I was told to complete my Master Promissory Note and/or Entrance Counseling. How do I do this?
Go to myWSU and click on the Tasks tile. Follow the online instructions to complete these items, if they are still showing as needed to be completed. Students who are receiving federal student loans for the first time at WSU must complete both the Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling before the loan funds can be applied to their account.
Contact your campus’s SFS Office
Contact the central SFS Office & submit documents
You’re always welcome to contact our office. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about scholarships, financial aid, and funding your education at WSU.
Phone: (509) 335-9711
Fax: (509) 335-1385
Use one of our preformatted email forms:
- Sign in with WSU network ID
(current students, staff, faculty) - Without a WSU network ID
(parents, prospective students)
You can also choose from these options:
- Financial aid questions: financialaid@wsu.edu
- Scholarship questions: scholarships@wsu.edu
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) questions: sapappeal@wsu.edu
- Special Circumstances questions: specialcircumstances@wsu.edu
- WASFA questions: sfs.wasfa@wsu.edu
To connect with your WSU location, see the sections below.
Send financial aid documents to WSU
If you have a WSU network ID and password, you can send documents electronically.
Mail or deliver in person
Mailing address:
Office of Student Financial Services
Lighty Student Services Bldg., Rm. 380
1815 Wilson Rd.
PO Box 641068
Pullman, WA 99164-1068
You can deliver documents in person; just use the drop box outside the office anytime (left-side of the main doors).