Washington State University’s Academic Year consists of a 16-week Fall and a 16-week Spring semester with a 12-week Summer term (with 6 different sessions) acting as a trailer (for administration of financial aid) to the Academic Year.  The full academic year is 24 credit hours and 30 weeks long. The Fall and the Spring semesters each contain an “intersession” that begins before the regular semester. These intersession courses are, for financial aid purposes, attached to the full-length semester that comes before them. For example, the December intersession courses are considered to be a part of the Fall Semester. Fall semester courses typically run from late-August through mid- December and Spring semester courses typically run from mid-January through early-May. Summer courses typically run from early-May through late-July. For further information regarding the academic year please see the EPPM that details the University calendar and what the calendar includes. The calendar considerations apply to all programs except the Medical School where that program has four terms (fall, winter, spring, summer) compared to the two for all the other programs. Additionally, the Registrars website notates the academic calendar and it is here you can select the campus and the term.

The estimated total cost of attendance for attending an institution for one academic year. This amount may include the following:

• Tuition (Direct Charge) – Charges for one academic year of tuition based on residency, campus and assumed full-time enrollment.
• Mandatory Fees (Direct Charges) – Charges assessed for other college services (e.g. technology access, recreational center use, etc.)
• Room (Indirect Cost) – Estimated cost; Includes residence hall charges for on-campus students or an estimate of rent and utilities for an off-campus student
• Board (Indirect Cost) – Estimated cost; Includes the cost of a meal plan and/or an estimate of the costs of food prepared at home
• Transportation (Indirect Cost) – Estimated transportation and parking costs
• Books (Indirect Cost) – Estimated costs for books and supplies
• Miscellaneous (Indirect Cost) – Estimate costs such as personal hygiene, laundry, and reasonable entertainment, average loan fees

Per cost of attendance regulations, housing, food, transportation and miscellaneous components are calculated based on actual weeks of enrollment within the term and not necessarily on the amount of credits taken.

If you have received a Graduate Assistant Fee Waiver spring 2024, SFS is estimating that you will be receiving this resource for the upcoming awarding year. This is not a guarantee that you have been approved for these funds. This is just a placeholder and does not disburse. If you are certain you will not be on an assistantship and receiving these funds, you can email SFS and we will remove this placeholder.

Charges included in a students University bill that the student/family pays directly to the college.

A form of financial aid that must be repaid.  The money borrowed is meant to finance post-secondary education or higher education-related expenses. Educational loans are intended to cover the cost of tuition, books and supplies, and living expenses while the borrower is in the process of pursuing a degree. Students generally are not required to pay back on their loans while attending college, with some students being able to defer their payments up to 6 months after graduation.

Federal Student Loans

Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan (PLUS)

Private Loan

Academic workload (or course load), as defined by the institution, in which a student is enrolled for a defined academic period. This normally relates to the number of credit hours or clock hours taken by a student during a given academic period (e.g. full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time, less-than-half-time).

Provided to students who qualify for funding as a result of completing a FAFSA or WASFA.

An eligibility index that college financial aid staff use to determine how much financial aid you would receive if you were to attend their school. The SAI is calculated according to a formula specified in law and is based upon the information provided by the student and their family on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Use Federal Student Aid Estimator to estimate your potential federal aid.

Federal Form students complete to be considered for federal financial aid. To complete this application, log into studentaid.gov to get started. **You will need an FSA ID and password to complete this application.

WSU awards institutional need-based scholarships and grants based upon comprehensive calculations of family financial circumstances. This can result in a higher (or lower) figure than the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) might indicate with its  Student Aid Index (SAI) estimate. For a better understanding of SAI, please visit our WSU Financial Aid Estimator page to approximate how much aid you could receive.

A federal grant provided by the federal government to undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need and have a Student Aid Index below a certain threshold established by the federal government. The Pell Grant award amount is prorated based on Enrollment Status.

A federal grant awarded by the institution to qualified undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need. For FSEOG, priority is given to Federal Pell Grant recipients.

A federal program offered and administered by the institution that provides opportunity for part-time employment to students with financial need to help pay their educational expenses. Students are responsible for finding qualified employment. Federal Work Study funds are paid out through a paycheck, as earned.

Funds awarded to the student that do not have to be repaid, unless the student fails to meet certain criteria, such as a service requirement that is specified as a condition of the gift aid or not completing the period for which the aid was awarded. Gift aid can include awards with titles such as grants, scholarships, remissions, awards, waivers, etc. Gift aid can be awarded based upon many factors, including (but not limited to) financial need, academic excellence, athletic, musical, and/or theatrical talent, affiliation with various groups, and/or career aspirations.

A form Gift-Aid that is based on financial need that students generally do not need to pay back. Grants cover a variety of education-related expenses, such as tuition and fees, room and board, and books and supplies.

Estimated expenses associated with attending college that do not appear on a student’s University bill, but should be included when budgeting for school.

A federal grant to qualifying students with a parent or guardian who died as a result of U.S. military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001. If a student is eligible for a  Federal Pell Grant, he or she cannot receive an IASG.

The difference between cost and ability to pay. The student’s  Student Aid Index, or Family Financial Responsibility (if applicable) is subtracted from their Cost of Attendance. The remaining balance is the students financial need when assessing financial aid.

Amount of direct and indirect costs remaining after all  Gift Aid is applied. Net price can be covered through a variety of sources, including: savings, income, and education loans.

These are funding sources that count as estimated financial assistance. This fund source does not disburse through Student Financial Services. There are a variety of ways SFS is notified of these resources

• A department or outside source sends funds directly to the Bursar’s Office to apply toward specific charges. Bursar’s Office sends notification to SFS and a placeholder award is added. SFS estimates the same amount for spring term but this is not a guarantee you will receive these funds. You will want to inquire with the awarding source to validate what your expected award is each term.
• You’ve notified SFS of Estimated Financial Assistance. SFS will account for these funds as a placeholder award.
• Work Study funding is awarded as placeholder funding noting the approved maximum amount of Work Study you are eligible for each term.

Level of the degree-granting program in which a student is enrolled. Program levels may include: undergraduate (students seeking an associate degree, an undergraduate certificate, or a baccalaureate degree); post-baccalaureate (such as teacher certification); or graduate (students working on a master’s degree, graduate certificate, doctorate, or professional degree). The amounts and types of financial aid for which a student is eligible is determined, in part, by their program level.

Gift Aid  that is typically based on merit, such as, academic excellence, talent, affiliation with various groups, or career aspirations or a combination of merit and need. Students generally do not need to repay this aid.

An institution’s expectation that a student contributes towards their education using a combination of loans, student employment such as  Federal Work-Study, and/or summer savings.

A state program offered and administered by the institution that provides opportunity for part-time employment to students with financial need to help pay their educational expenses. Students are responsible for finding qualified employment. Funds are paid out through a paycheck, as earned.

TEACH grants are federal grants for undergraduate and graduate students, awarded in exchange for specific future teaching service in designated high-need fields and low-income elementary and secondary schools. If a student does not complete the required teaching service, the grant becomes a  Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan that must be repaid.

The student’s  Cost of Attendance, minus their  Student Aid Index  or  Family Financial Responsibility (if applicable), less any need-based aid received, such as Gift Aid,  Federal Work-Study or  Federal Direct Subsidized Loans.

A federally mandated process to confirm the accuracy of data provided by selected applicants on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To complete the verification process, the student, their parent(s), or spouse, if applicable, are required to provide certain documents to the school for review. If the documentation the student provides the institution doesn’t match what was reported on the FAFSA, verification can result in changes to the student’s financial aid eligibility, and/or financial aid offers.

An application for Washington State resident students who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA.