Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

You must complete the FAFSA for every year you would like to receive federal and/or state financial aid.

You can complete the FAFSA for free at studentaid.gov. The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and you should NEVER pay to submit it.  If you need help, schedule an appointment with one of our financial aid advisors here.

If you gather all the documents you need before completing the FAFSA, it can be completed in 30 minutes.

For the 2027-2028 FAFSA, April 1st is WSU's priority date. Students can file after this date, but the opportunity to receive some types of aid will be reduced. Eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loans are not affected by this priority deadline.  A list of final deadlines is available here.

Apply anyway!  Most students qualify for federal aid options, and almost everyone is eligible for student loans. Each year Wichita State awards more than $100 million in aid to over 60% of our student body.

An FSA ID consists of a username and password and can be used to log in to Federal Student Aid websites, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The security of your FSA ID is important. Your FSA ID can be used to:

• Electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents
• Access your personal records
• Make binding legal obligations

The FAFSA includes an identity verification process for all applicants. Some students may be asked to take and submit a photo of their government-issued ID before completing the FAFSA. If a student is unable to complete this step, they may still submit the FAFSA but must provide identification to the Financial Aid Office before receiving financial aid.

You are required to complete the FAFSA using your marital status at the time of application. If you are unmarried now, you must indicate "single" as your marital status. Contact the financial aid office if you get married during the academic year to discuss your options.

While each aid program has special requirements, the following are the basic criteria required for eligibility. To be eligible to receive financial aid, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (such as a permanent resident or eligible refugee or asylee).
• Have a valid Social Security Number (unless you are from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau).
• Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate.
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program at a school that participates in the federal student aid programs.
• Not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on a federal student loan.
• Demonstrate financial need (except for Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans, PLUS Loans, or private alternative loans).

Changes in finances due to a reduction in income, a change in marital status, death of a parent/spouse, or other special circumstances may greatly impact a family’s ability to pay for college. The Department of Education allows financial aid administrators to use Professional Judgment on a case-by-case basis to make adjustments to the data used in calculating the estimated family contribution (EFC) to reflect these special circumstances.

If your family is experiencing financial issues (such as the loss of a job, reduction of income, or other extenuating circumstance) and would like to discuss financial aid options and information about the process of a Professional Judgment for the next academic year, schedule an appointment to meet with a financial aid advisor at wichita.edu/finaidappt.

Additional information is available at wichita.edu/finaidcircumstances. 

If you discover a mistake after submitting your FAFSA, first wait until it has been processed (usually 1-3 business days), and then log into studentaid.gov to make the necessary corrections online and resubmit your FAFSA.

The FAFSA typically takes 1-3 business days to process, but you can review the status of your submitted FAFSA online at studentaid.gov.

Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is an eligibility index number that the financial aid office uses to determine your eligibility for federal student aid. This number is calculated from the information you provided on your FAFSA form.

If you did not include Wichita State on your FAFSA, log into studentaid.gov and select Add School, in the returning user section.  Wichita State's school code is 001950.  Be sure to submit the changes.  

Review your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) to correct this situation. Using your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID), log into studentaid.gov and review your FSS to make the necessary corrections and resubmit it.  

After you apply for federal student financial aid, you’ll get your FAFSA results within a few days after your FAFSA has been processed or by mail within a few weeks. Your FSS is a summary of the financial and other information you reported on the FAFSA.  Read the FSS and check it for accuracy.  If there are no corrections, keep it for your records.  If you need to make corrections, do so and submit the corrections online. Your FSS will contain your Student Aid Index (SAI), which is the number that is used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid, so it is important to review the summary for accuracy.

If your parents are divorced, the parent who provided more financial support over the past 12 months will be identified as a contributor on your FAFSA form. But if both parents provided equal amounts of financial support, or if your parents don’t support you financially at all, the parent with the greater income and assets will be identified as a contributor.

Even if you support yourself, live on your own, or file your own taxes, you may still be considered a dependent student for the FAFSA. Not living with your parents does not automatically qualify you as an independent student.

Independent status is determined by the federal government based on questions on the FAFSA in regards to your birth date, marital status, degree, veteran status, and more.  To be considered independent for federal financial aid purposes, you must be able to answer yes to at least one of these questions. If none of these conditions apply but you believe you have extenuating circumstances, contact the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships to schedule an appointment with one of our advisors. Please note you will be required to submit detailed information and documentation to support your circumstance.

Additional information is available at wichita.edu/finaidcircumstances. 

Yes. While students must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to receive federal financial aid, your parent's citizenship status is NOT a factor. If your parent does not have a social security number, they can still apply for a FSA ID to complete their portion of the FAFSA for you.

Your FSA ID is a legal binding signature with the U.S. Department of Education and should not be shared with anyone.

Your parent only needs one FSA ID because each FSA ID is tied to a person's social security number. Parents are able to use their own FSA ID to complete their section of the FAFSA for each of their children in school.

Dependent students are required to submit their parents’ information on the FAFSA in order to be considered fully for financial aid. This does not require your parents to pay for your educational costs, but helps our office determine if your family has financial need. 

If your parent refuses to complete their portion of the FAFSA, you may still be eligible for an Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan when completing the FAFSA with only your information. Schedule an appointment with one of our financial aid advisors here to discuss your situation.

Additional information is available at wichita.edu/finaidcircumstances. 

This situation depends on the reason a parent did not file taxes. If the parent who has to be on the FAFSA is not required to file, they can complete the FAFSA using the tax filing status as “Will Not File” and enter any applicable income as requested throughout the application. If that parent would have been required to file taxes, they can still complete the FAFSA using the tax filing status as “Will File” and estimated income, but the parent will need to file taxes and then update the FAFSA with actual amounts. If you are selected for verification, then we will need a copy of the tax return, and you may not receive aid until we receive all requested documentation. 

Verification is a process that ensures that the information you reported on your FAFSA is accurate.  Verification selection can be random or because your FAFSA data was incomplete, estimated or inconsistent.

If any further information is needed, you will be contacted by the Office of Financial Aid.  We are required to ask you to provide documentation to confirm the information on your FAFSA.  This may include a verification worksheet and your federal tax and/or income documents.  If you are a dependent student, this may include copies of your parent's tax and income information as well.  You can view any requested information in your myWSU portal under the Finance tab in the Financial Aid Requirements sections.

A subsidized loan is awarded based upon need. The federal government pays the interest on the loan while you are in school, and only after leaving school does interest begin to accrue.
An unsubsidized loan is not based upon need. Interest begins immediately, and you can elect to pay it as it accrues, or have it added to the loan principal to be paid when the loan goes into repayment.

Alternative/private loans are available to students who are not eligible for federal financial aid or who need additional funds to meet their educational expenses. Alternative/private loans are not guaranteed by the federal government. In addition, the lender will review your credit history as well as other criteria to determine eligibility, amounts and rates.  Additional information is available here.

Parents of dependent students may choose to borrow under the federal Parent PLUS program on behalf of their student. A Federal Parent PLUS loan is a low-interest, unsubsidized federal loan that allows a parent of a dependent student to assist in paying for their student’s college education. The parent repays the loan, NOT the student. The PLUS loan limit is the annual cost of attendance minus other financial aid. To apply for a Parent PLUS loan, the parent must complete and submit an online application at studentaid.gov.

You can complete an online revision form through your myWSU account under the Finance tab.  If the loan has not yet been paid to your account this is a relatively simple process. However, if the loan has been disbursed to your account already, you will need to make arrangements to voluntarily return those funds.

You can complete an online revision form through your myWSU account under the Finance tab.  If your financial aid offer has not changed since the loan was declined, reinstatement is fairly simple. If you have since received any additional aid, changed grade levels, or had a budget adjustment, a financial aid specialist will have to review your eligibility.  You must be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for any loan disbursements for the academic year.

Federal Work Study is a program where you can work part-time to help earn money for your education. It is available to both undergraduate and graduate students who are at least half-time students. You will be responsible for finding a work study job (most are on campus), and you would be paid by the hour.

Priority is given to students who demonstrate financial need and meet Wichita State’s priority date (2024-2045: April 1st - extended to May 1st) for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You must indicate on your FAFSA that you are interested in work study as part of your financial aid assistance. 

Visit Shocker Central, powered by 12twenty, at https://wichita.12twenty.com to view and apply for available Federal Work Study positions and other on-campus employment opportunities. Log in using your Wichita State credentials. 

For login questions or assistance with Shocker Central, contact the Shocker Career Accelerator at SCA@wichita.edu or (316) 978-3688.

It may be possible if you have not already been awarded the maximum loan amount for your status and grade level. You will need to contact our office to determine if you have any remaining loan eligibility.

No. Work study simply subsidizes your earnings at your job. You will receive a paycheck just as you would at any job. If you do owe money for your tuition, however, you should make payments using these funds.

In 2023-24, the average Wichita State work study student earned $3,300. Students generally are offered up to $4,500 for the academic year. However, most students do not use their full award amount, as it depends on their hourly rate, work schedule, etc.

Federal Work Study (FWS) eligibility requires you to meet the overall FAFSA requirements, such as being a U.S. citizen or eligible non-resident (permanent resident). Students who only have the employment authorization card but do not have permanent residency or citizenship would not be eligible for FWS funds, but they may be able to secure a regular student position as long as they are authorized to work in the US.

Incoming students who are graduating seniors in high school or directly transferring from another institution receive automatic consideration for scholarships when they become fully admitted to the university. High School seniors will need their sixth semester transcript and ACT/SAT score.  Transfer students will need their most recent college transcripts. For more detailed information, refer to our scholarships website: wichita.edu/scholarships.  Students may complete the admission application online at wichita.edu/admissions.

Yes. All incoming freshmen and transfer students are considered for incoming student merit scholarships based on their admissions' application.  However, students should also check with their academic college because college specific scholarships may have different application forms, procedures and deadlines. The academic college scholarship contacts can be found at: wichita.edu/additionalscholarships. 

Scholarships from sources outside of the university are considered outside resources and must be included in your overall financial aid package. These resources must be sent through the Financial Aid office and processed in the same way any other aid is. When a resource is applied to your financial aid package, that your “financial need” will be reduced and this may cause your aid amounts to be changed resulting in lower loan amounts, etc. depending on your “need” status. If any changes occur on your account, you will receive an e-mail notification on your WSU e-mail account letting you know changes were made. You are welcome to contact the Financial Aid Office to get more detailed information regarding those changes.

Outside source scholarships are applied to your Financial Aid account when the funds arrive in our office, as long as no further action from you is required, i.e. endorsement, increased enrollment hours, etc.  Those checks are then deposited with Accounts Receivable and applied as a payment to your Student Account (applying first toward any owed tuition and fees). If this payment results in a credit balance, those funds will be sent directly to you either via Direct Deposit or check. Once the check has been deposited, all further processing and timeframes fall under Accounts Receivable’s purview.

Contact your department or the WSU Graduate School.

Unless you are a permanent resident or a political refugee granted status by the (INS) Immigration and Naturalization Service, you are not eligible. International students who have a F1 or F2 student visa are not eligible for federal aid. Look for additional aid resources here.

At this time, DACA, Dreamer, and undocumented students are not eligible for federal student aid, so completing a FAFSA is not necessary.  If you are applying for a need-based scholarship that requires documentation of financial need, check with the scholarship organization to determine what type of financial need statement or documentation you need to submit.

It’s simple following these steps.

• Sign into your myWSU student portal with your WSU ID and password.
• Select the Office 365 icon below your name and the wichita.edu search engine.
• Follow the instructions to access your student email account.

As a first-time freshman, you will be required to stay in Shocker Hall, The Suites, or The Flats during your first two semesters at Wichita State unless you meet the criteria to complete a housing waiver. You may discuss this option with WSU Housing.