• To receive Federal Student Aid funds, a student must be qualified to study at the postsecondary level. A student qualifies at Wichita State if he or she:
  • has a high school diploma (this can be from a foreign school if it is equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma);
  • has the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma, such as a general educational development (GED) certificate or other state sanctioned test or diploma-equivalency certificate;
  • has completed homeschooling at the secondary level as defined by state law;
  • has completed secondary school education in a homeschool setting which qualifies for an exemption from compulsory attendance requirements under state law, if state law does not require a homeschooled student to receive a credential for their education.
• A student self-certifies this information when completing the FAFSA. Sometimes documentation of the student’s high school completion (or the equivalent) is required during the Admissions process to WSU, such as in the case for first-time freshman students. When such documentation is required for admission, then it is also required for financial aid eligibility. This requirement must show an official graduation date. A student must submit this documentation in order to be eligible for federal funds. No student aid will disburse until such documentation is received.
• For more information regarding early high school graduation, click here.

• Most financial aid is applied directly to your Wichita State student account balance at the time of disbursement.
• If the amount of your aid exceeds the amount due to Wichita State, then the Accounts Receivable Office will refund the excess aid balance to you (or your parent for a parent PLUS loan) by direct deposit or paper check.
• Work study awards are paid based on the actual hours worked during campus employment.  This amount is paid to you through WSU’s payroll system and is not part of aid disbursement.
• Scholarships and Federal Grants: Funds will be applied to your balance with Wichita State as they become available, but no earlier than the time listed in the Schedule of Courses, or no earlier than 10 days prior to your first scheduled course for the term.
• Federal Direct Loans: After you have completed the loan acceptance process(es), your funds will be disbursed to Wichita State.  If your loan is for the academic year, disbursements will be split between the fall (August) and spring (January) semesters. If your loan is for one semester only, the loan will be issued no earlier than the time listed in the Schedule of Courses, or no earlier than 10 days prior to your first scheduled course for the term.
• Federal Work-Study: WSU processes payroll every 2 weeks, and your paycheck will be based on the hours you worked in the previous two-week pay period.  Paychecks are directly deposited into your checking/savings account.
• Spring-Only Students:  Students receiving federal financial aid beginning in the spring semester are subject to a seven-day hold from the date of their award offer.  During this hold period, the OFA is required to confirm with the U.S. Department of Education that you are not receiving aid at another institution for the same period of time.  If it is confirmed that you are receiving or have pending aid at another institution, the OFA cannot disburse federal aid until we have official confirmation that aid at the other university has been cancelled.
• Please refer to the WSU Schedule of Courses for detailed payment and financial aid disbursement information at wichita.edu/schedule.   

• Tuition and Fees: You are expected to make payment arrangements for your tuition and fees as outlined in the Semester Calendar section in the Wichita State Schedule of Courses or be subject to late fee charges. Enrollment in classes obligates you to the payment for them, regardless of whether or not you attend. If you decide not to attend after enrolling, you must withdraw from your classes by designated dates. Otherwise, payment arrangements are due as outlined in the Schedule of Courses.
• Financial Aid Refunds: Financial aid (except Federal Work-Study) will be applied to your university charges (first to tuition and fees and then to on-campus housing next) as described in the Schedule of Courses. If your financial aid exceeds your total charges, the excess aid credit balance will be refunded to you (or your parent if it is a parent PLUS loan). This process will be completed by direct deposit or paper check. 
• For the quickest and most convenient access to your excess financial aid, you should sign up for direct deposit at myWSU.wichita.edu. Log in to myWSU, select the Finance tab, and then the Student Account Suite. From the Student Account Suite, access the eRefunds tab to designate your bank account to be used for electronic refunds. For questions regarding direct deposits, contact the WSU Accounts Receivable Office at (316) 978-3333.
• Payment Plan: Wichita State offers a payment option if financial aid is not available or does not cover your full tuition charges. This option allows you to make tuition payments through monthly installments. For more details on the University Installment Payment Plan, you may visit www.wichita.edu/payment or contact the WSU Accounts Receivable Office at (316) 978-3333.

• If you wish to cancel all or a portion of your TEACH Grant, Direct, Graduate PLUS, or Parent PLUS loan after disbursement, you must notify the WSU Accounts Receivable Office in writing and include the repayment to Wichita State within 2 weeks of the disbursement date.

• Financial aid awards may be withdrawn or cancelled if:
  • Your awards are not accepted by the deadline given on your award offer notice
  • You are not enrolled in the required number of credit hours by the end of the Financial Aid Recalculation Date
  • You are not engaging academically in your courses and/or not meeting the OFA Satisfactory Academic Progress standards
  • You do not complete the verification process, if you are selected.
  • New information concerning your eligibility is reported by the Department of Education.
• Federal and state regulations require the OFA to adjust or cancel your federal and/or state aid if additional resources or other financial assistance cause your awards to exceed the Cost of Attendance or financial need criteria, even if your aid has already disbursed. These resources may include, but are not limited to: tuition rate waivers/reductions; graduate assistantships; outside scholarships; and third-party payments, such as employers or vocational rehabilitation. 
• Adjustments to your Cost of Attendance and awards may also occur as a result of an enrollment level that differs from the enrollment level initially used to determine your aid eligibility. If you withdraw from a course(s), receive failing grades, and/or or never attend the course(s), you may be subject to aid adjustments and/or cancellation, resulting in a possible balance owed back to Wichita State and/or the U.S. Department of Education. The OFA may also verify your attendance in courses by confirming academic engagement.
• If you have been offered the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Work-Study, Sedgwick County Access Grant, Shocker Promise, and/or Kansas Comprehensive Grant, please note that these awards were offered to you based on available funding and your eligibility at the time the award was offered. The OFA reserves the right to cancel, withdraw, or reduce these awards due to non-acceptance of the award within 2 weeks from the date of its offering, non-enrollment, changes in funding levels, and/or ineligibility as a result of additional resources or changes in enrollment status.
• Students Graduating in December: If you are an undergraduate student who will graduate in December, your annual Direct loan must be prorated according to your level of enrollment for your final term. This federal requirement ensures that you receive the correct portion of your annual allotment for Direct loans since you will not be enrolled for the full academic year.
  • If you are planning to graduate in December, please contact the OFA as soon as possible before your Direct loans disburse to ensure that your loans are disbursed using the appropriate proration calculation.  You may notify the OFA of your intended graduation date by completing a Financial Aid Revision Request through your myWSU account.  Failure to notify the OFA in advance of your loans disbursing may result in an adjustment of your loans and a subsequent balance owed back to Wichita State.
• If you previously accepted, declined, or reduced a student loan offer and want to make a change (before it has disbursed/paid), you can submit an update through the Update My Aid Decision webapp. This webapp is strictly for financial aid adjustments – not for scholarships. While all efforts are made to accommodate your update requests, the OFA must stay in compliance with federal, state, and university regulations and deadlines. Requests to increase your financial aid beyond maximum and/or annual eligibility will be cancelled.

• Students planning to enroll for the 2026-2027 academic year: If you or your family’s financial situation has changed since January 1, 2024 (such as the loss of a job or a change in marital status), please contact our office to meet with a financial aid advisor. 
• Students planning to enroll for the 2027-2028 academic year: If you or your family’s financial situation has changed since January 1, 2025 (such as the loss of a job or a change in marital status), please contact our office to meet with a financial aid advisor.
• If you have additional educational costs (such as costs associated with a disability, care for your dependents while you are in class, costs associated with a licensure exam, or specific program fees), please contact our office to meet with a financial aid advisor.
• Additional information about special and unusual circumstances can be found here.

• Federal financial aid regulations [The Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA)] requires the disclosure of general information to prospective and currently enrolled students with regard to consumer information. In accordance with these regulations, every effort has been made to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information available; however, the content of this information is subject to change due to changes in federal, state, or institutional policies and procedures. For additional consumer information, please visit wichita.edu/consumerinfo.

• Wichita State University does not discriminate in its employment practices, educational programs, or activities on the basis of age (40 years or older), ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a veteran. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding WSU’s non-discrimination policies: the Associate Vice President and University Title IX Coordinator (Telephone: (316) 978-3186), Office of Civil Rights, Title IX & ADA Compliance. For inquiries, please call or visit the Office of Civil Rights, Title IX & ADA Compliance at (316) 978-3186, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260, Lindquist Hall.

• To receive aid, you must be enrolled in a degree-bound program at Wichita State.  Only course work required for your degree will count as part of financial aid enrollment each semester. 
• Aid is based on the eligible hours of enrollment on the Financial Aid Recalculation Date or the day your aid disburses, whichever comes later.
• As an undergraduate student, you must enroll in at least twelve (12) undergraduate credit hours per semester to be considered full-time. Full-time enrollment is required for most scholarships. At least half-time enrollment, six (6) undergraduate credit hours, per semester is required for federal student loans.
• As a graduate student, you must enroll in at least nine (9) graduate credit hours per semester to be considered full-time. Full-time enrollment is required for most scholarships and fellowships. At least half-time enrollment, five (5) graduate credit hours, per semester is required for federal student loans.

• Effective for the 2026-27 school year, students in part-time status (11 to six credit hours in the semester for undergraduates, eight to five for graduate students) will receive a reduced amount of federal loan offers than students in full-time status (12 credit hours or more for undergraduates, 9 or more credit hours for graduate students). Students who withdraw from hours during the semester may have their loans adjusted.

• Waitlisted hours and audited hours will not count toward the credit-hour requirements or be eligible for financial aid.
• The OFA monitors enrollment levels each term. If you drop courses and fall below the minimum credit-hour requirements, you may be required to repay all or part of the aid you received. Before dropping or withdrawing from a class, it is important to discuss your situation with a financial aid advisor.
• If you withdraw from and/or fail all courses in a semester, a portion of the financial aid you received may be returned to the U.S. Department of Education, resulting in a balance that you must repay to Wichita State.   
• Failing a Course: In the event you fail your courses, the OFA is required to review if you attended or otherwise engaged academically in the failed course. The OFA must determine if you earned the financial aid which was disbursed. If attendance or other academic engagement cannot be confirmed, your financial aid may be withdrawn. As a result, you may owe a balance to Wichita State.
• Eligible Coursework: Only coursework required for your degree program (graduate or undergraduate) will count toward your financial aid enrollment status. You must be enrolled in the appropriate number of credit hours for your degree programs to be eligible for aid.
• If you are graduating in the fall semester, please complete a financial aid revision request to cancel spring financial aid and be repackaged for only the fall.

• The OFA will verify your required courses through Degree Works and only provide financial aid for eligible courses.
• If you enroll in courses not included on your degree plan, those courses will not count toward your eligible credit hours for financial aid purposes. This could impact the amount of financial aid for which you qualify.
• You can review your degree plan through the myWSU portal at www.wichita.edu/myWSU under the myClasses tab.
• If you have questions or concerns about your degree plan, please contact your academic advisor.

• Federal financial aid regulations limit the number of times a student may repeat a course and receive financial aid for that course.
• Repeated Courses: After a course has been completed with a D- or better grade, future aid for the course is restricted to one additional attempt.  This rule applies regardless of the minimum grade required by the program and regardless of whether or not you received aid for earlier enrollments in the course.  
• Taking a repeat course could reduce your financial aid Cost of Attendance and your financial aid eligibility. 

Examples for When a Course Can or Cannot Be Counted for Financial Aid Enrollment Consideration

Course Examples	1st Attempt at Course	2nd Attempt at Course	3rd Attempt at Course	Would 3rd Attempt Be Eligible for Federal Financial Aid Enrollment Consideration?
Math 100	F	D	Enrolled	Yes; The 1st Attempt did not result in a D- or better
English 100	D	C	Enrolled	No; 2nd Attempt was final attempt because 1st attempt resulted in a D- or better
Biology 200	D	F	Enrolled	No; 2nd Attempt was final attempt because 1st attempt resulted in a D- or better
Chemistry 200	C	Enrolled	---	No; 2nd Attempt is final attempt because 1st attempt resulted in a D- or better
History 300	W	F	Enrolled	Yes; Neither the 1st or 2nd Attempts resulted in a D- or better
Physics 300	F	F	Enrolled	Yes; Neither the 1st or 2nd Attempts resulted in a D- or better
Art 400	D	W	---	No; 2nd Attempt was final attempt because 1st attempt resulted in a D- or better

• Degree-bound undergraduate students at Wichita State must declare a major within the first 48 credit hours of enrollment.  Students transferring 48 credit hours or more must declare a financial-aid-eligible, degree-bound major before they will be eligible for their financial aid to be disbursed/paid.  If you have not yet declared a major and have earned more than 48 credit hours, you are not eligible for further financial aid disbursements. 
• Once an aid-eligible major is declared, financial aid eligibility will be re-evaluated, as long as you are still meeting all other aid-eligibility requirements.  If you have not yet decided upon a major and you are nearing/have met the 48-hour mark, then please consider meeting with the WSU Shocker Career Accelerator or your academic advisor to discuss your degree interests and options.  

Scholarships may include general scholarship awards through the OFA, awards through your academic college/department, or awards through other on-campus groups. Institutional scholarships generally require full-time enrollment and at least a 3.0 minimum GPA, unless otherwise specified by the donor or program guidelines. It is the responsibility of the recipient to review the guidelines and expectations of each awarded scholarship prior to accepting disbursement of the scholarship funds.

The total amount of scholarships awarded by Wichita State cannot exceed the estimated Cost of Attendance found on your Financial Aid award overview. Institutional scholarships and/or federal financial aid and/or state aid may be modified as necessary. If you fall below the required hours of enrollment during the 100% tuition refund period, your awards will be withdrawn. If you drop courses within designated WSU refund periods, your refund will be used to repay a portion or all of your scholarship(s).

After the WSU refund period, if you fail to meet the requirements of your awarded scholarship(s), you may be required to repay your scholarship(s), have adjustments made to future scholarship awards and/or have your scholarships completely withdrawn. Renewal of any award is subject to the renewal criteria for the program and the availability of funds within the program. Scholarships in excess of tuition, fees, and required books and supplies may qualify as taxable income. Please consult your tax advisor for details.

Scholarships are provided to students through the generosity of private donors to the Wichita State Foundation, as well as through generous contributions to Wichita State provided by various on and off-campus organizations. You may receive requests to acknowledge this financial support in the form of a written “thank you” and/or requests to participate in events where you can meet and thank donors in person. Instructions and/or invitations will be sent to you based on your specific award. We strongly urge you to take the time to honor these requests. It means a great deal to our donors to know their contributions are truly appreciated.

Most outside scholarships are made payable to Wichita State or are co-payable to Wichita State and you as the student. All checks need to be sent to the OFA as soon as possible. Please be sure to endorse the check if it is co-payable. These outside funds will be added to your student account as a resource. They will first be applied against any outstanding charges, and any credit balance will then be refunded to you. The OFA cannot process scholarship checks made payable to students only.

Important Income Tax Information for nonresident aliens:  Wichita State is required to report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) scholarship awards that exceed the cost of required tuition and fees for each semester and withhold amounts to cover income tax payments. Tax withholding may be waived if you can claim a tax treaty exemption and submits IRS Form W-8BEN to Wichita State.

This grant is designed to assist full-time, Pell-grant-eligible, undergraduate students with standard tuition and fees.

Eligible students must be a Kansas resident, be Pell-Grant-eligible, have minimal assets, have a qualifying Student Aid Index value, and have remaining financial need up to tuition costs, after other gift aid, to receive priority consideration. The Shocker Promise is a 4-year, last-payee scholarship designed to cover remaining costs associated with your tuition and fees and after applying all other gift aid, including waivers, scholarships and grants. You must be enrolled full time at the end of the Financial Aid Recalculation Date to receive these funds. Renewal is subject to meeting Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress and enrolling in and successfully completing at least 24 credit hours each academic year. The grant is awarded for a total of four consecutive academic years (excluding summers) – or – to the point where you earn your first bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first. Additional information on eligibility is available at wichita.edu/shockerpromise.

This fund is intended only as a short-term financial solution for qualifying students experiencing extreme financial difficulties for the current term.

Primary consideration is related to the payment of tuition and fees, books or other educational expenses. Consideration will also be given to small, unexpected financial emergencies. Only undergraduate students in a degree-seeking program, who have exhausted all other forms of federal financial aid, are eligible; those in non-degree programs need not apply. Priority consideration will be given to students who are within 24 credits of completing their first Bachelor’s degree.

The undergraduate scholarships awarded by the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) include: Kansas State Scholarship, Kansas Military Service Scholarship, Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship, and Kansas Nursing Service Scholarship.

These awards require full-time enrollment each semester, with the exception of the Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship and the Kansas Adult Learner Grant, which are based on actual enrollment, and the Kansas Military Service Scholarship. Renewal of any award is subject to the renewal criteria for the program and the availability of funds from the KBOR. Renewal criteria, as well as a list of state aid programs, can be found here.

This state-funded undergraduate grant awarded by Wichita State is based on need and requires full-time enrollment. The maximum Kansas Comprehensive Grant is $2,000 per academic year. You must be enrolled full time at the end of the Financial Aid Recalculation Date to receive these funds.

The Pell Grant is a need-based grant for undergraduate students who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree. The amount of the award is based on full-time enrollment, and will be reduced if you enroll in fewer credit hours. Federal Student Aid Regulations for the Pell Grant require that you engage academically in all courses for which Wichita State disbursed Pell funds. Revisions may occur based on your enrollment at the end of the Financial Aid Recalculation Date. If your initial aid disbursement, including Pell, is disbursed after the Financial Aid Recalculation Date, the grant will be paid based on the number of hours you are enrolled in on the date of disbursement. If you add credit hours after your initial Pell has been paid and after the end of the Financial Aid Recalculation Date, no additional Pell funds can be disbursed.

Eligibility to receive the Pell Grant is contingent on the following: enrollment in your first undergraduate degree program; U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status; making Satisfactory Academic Progress; not defaulting on any federal student aid; not owing a refund on a federal education grant; showing financial need as determined by the results of the FAFSA; and not previously having earned a bachelor’s degree.  Students who graduate mid-year are not eligible for future Pell grants and will be required to repay additional Pell payments.

Pell Grant award amounts can change yearly. Approximate annual award limits for the 2026-2027 academic year range from $740 to $7,395. The amount of Pell funds you receive depends on your Student Aid Index (SAI), Cost of Attendance (COA), enrollment status, and attendance over the course of the full academic year.  You cannot receive Pell funds from more than one school at a time.

You can only receive Pell Grant funds for a maximum of 12 full-time semesters or its equivalent (600% lifetime eligibility). This rule applies to all Pell Grant funds received prior to, on, and after July 1, 2012 and at any college you attend. You may log in to studentaid.gov using your FSA ID to review your Pell lifetime eligibility used.

General Award Information

Pell Grant award amounts can change every year.

• How much grant aid you receive depends on:
  • Your Student Aid Index
  • Your Cost of Attendance
  • Whether you are a full-time or part-time student (as defined by the financial-aid-eligible credit hours you are enrolled in)
  • Whether you attend school for a full academic year
• You may not receive Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.
• Students who graduate mid-year are not eligible for future Pell grants and will be required to repay additional Pell payments.

Annual Eligibility Criteria

1. You are enrolled in a regular degree program
2. You are a U.S citizen or an eligible noncitizen.
3. You are making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
4. You are not in default on any federal student aid and do not owe a refund on a federal education grant.
5. You show financial need as determined by the results of the FAFSA.
6. You have NOT previously earned a bachelor’s degree.

Lifetime Pell Grant Limits

Effective as of July 1, 2012, you can only receive Pell Grant funds for a maximum of 12 full-time semesters or its equivalent (600% lifetime eligibility).

This rule applies to all Pell Grant funds received prior to, on, and after July 1, 2012 at any institution you attend. The U.S. Department of Education tracks every student’s Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) among all institutions. To review your Pell LEU, log in to studentaid.gov using your FSA ID.

If you wish to decline or return Pell Grant funds within the award year to preserve eligibility for future enrollment periods, you must submit the request in writing directly to the WSU Office of Financial Aid (OFA).

Other Important Information

1. The “Aid Offer” you have been sent reflects your estimated award based on full-time enrollment. Your actual award will be determined at the semester’s financial aid recalculation date based on your financial-aid-eligible, enrolled coursework and reduced accordingly.
2. If you add classes after your initial Pell grant has been paid and after the financial aid recalculation date, no additional Pell Grant funds can be disbursed. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
3. Late Awards: If you applied late or regained your eligibility after the financial aid recalculation date, your eligibility for a Pell Grant will be calculated based on your eligible, enrolled coursework at the time of disbursement.
4. Repeated Courses: After a course has been successfully completed (with a D- or better grade), the course may only be attempted one additional time to still be eligible for the Pell Grant. This rule applies regardless of the minimum grade required by the program and regardless of whether or not you received aid for earlier enrollments in the course or its equivalents.
5. Disbursement and Your Student Account: Your Pell Grant will be applied directly to your WSU student account each term. Any excess financial aid remaining after semester charges are fully paid will be issued to the student by paper check or direct deposit. If your grant does not cover the cost of your tuition/fees, you must make payment arrangements for the balance owed by the payment deadline.
6. Withdrawal: When you withdraw from one or more (or all) courses, the OFA must review if you began attendance or otherwise engaged academically in each of these courses. This also includes cases where you stop attending all of your classes but do not actually complete Wichita State’s official withdrawal process. The OFA must also review the timing of your date of withdrawal or recorded last date of attendance. This review determines if it is necessary to recalculate your eligibility for Pell Grant funds based on the revised enrollment and cost of attendance. This review will also determine if it is necessary to complete a process called Return to Title IV, in which all of your unearned federal financial aid is required to be returned to the U.S. Department of Education. As a result, you may owe a balance to Wichita State.
7. Dropping Courses: Dropping courses within the term may require you to repay all or part of the Pell Grant you received. If you are considering dropping a class, it is important to discuss your situation with a financial aid advisor before dropping.
8. Failing a Course: In the event you fail a course, the OFA is required to review if you attended or otherwise engaged academically in the failed course. The OFA must determine if you earned the Pell Grant which was disbursed. If attendance or other academic engagement cannot be confirmed, the Pell Grant will be withdrawn for that class. As a result, you may owe a balance to Wichita State.
9. Eligible Coursework: Only coursework required for your degree program (graduate or undergraduate) will count toward your financial aid enrollment status. You must be enrolled in the appropriate number of credit hours for your degree programs to be eligible for your Pell Grant.

Students whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001, or while serving as a public safety officer may qualify for the maximum Pell Grant award regardless of their Student Aid Index (SAI), provided they otherwise meet Pell Grant eligibility requirements. Eligibility criteria and the application are available here. These provisions replaced the former Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) and Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) programs.

SEOG is a need-based grant for undergraduate students who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree and have exceptional financial need. The amount of the award is based on full-time enrollment, and will be reduced if you enroll in fewer credit hours. You must be enrolled at least half-time at the end of the Financial Aid Recalculation Date to receive these funds. Federal Student Aid Regulations require that you engage academically in all courses in which Wichita State disbursed SEOG funds. Approximate annual amounts are between $500 and $2,000.

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides grants of up to *$4,000 per year ($16,000 maximum for a four-year program) to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. Graduate students are eligible for *$4,000 per year ($8,000 maximum limit). Students who are working on a second undergraduate degree are not eligible for the TEACH Grant. TEACH Grant funds will prorate based on your enrollment status (i.e. full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time). Federal Student Aid Regulations require that you begin academically related activity in all courses for which Wichita State disbursed TEACH funds. 

In exchange for receiving a TEACH Grant, you must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary school that serves low-income students. You must teach for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which you received a TEACH Grant. If you fail to complete the service obligation, then all amounts of the TEACH Grant you received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. You must then repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education including interest from the date the grant(s) were disbursed.

Additional information for the Federal TEACH Grant can be found here: https://studentaid.gov/teach-grant-program.

*TEACH Grant funds may be subject to reductions as a result of federal sequestration.

Student Eligibility Criteria

To receive the TEACH Grant, you must:

• Complete the FAFSA; although you do not have to demonstrate financial need
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
• Be enrolled in coursework that will allow you to begin a career in teaching or plan to complete that coursework
• Meet the following academic requirements:
  • Score above the 75th percentile on one of the following admissions test(s): ACT, SAT or GRE, or
  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. This cumulative GPA must be maintained throughout the academic program for which you are awarded a TEACH Grant.
• Be admitted to Wichita State’s Teacher Education Program
• Complete TEACH Grant counseling for each award period online.
• Sign a TEACH Grant “Agreement to Serve” each year online.

Service Obligation

In order to fulfill the service obligation of the TEACH Grant, you must be a highly-qualified, full-time secondary or elementary teacher in a high-need subject area, at a school serving low-income students, for at least four years within eight years of finishing your program.

• A highly qualified teacher is one as defined by the U.S. Department of Education.
• A full-time teacher is one who spends the majority (at least 51%) of time teaching in one of the high-need subject areas. Because of the 51% requirement, most elementary teachers will not be eligible.
• A school serving low-income students is designated by the U.S. Department of Education. See details here: https://studentaid.gov/app/tcli.action.

High-Need Subject Areas

The following are designated as high-need subject areas:

• Mathematics
• Science (such as Biology, Geology, Chemistry or Physics)
• Foreign Language
• Bilingual Education
• Special Education
• Reading Specialist
• Other “High Need” Field as designated by the U.S. Department of Education

Failure to Complete Service Obligation

If you fail to complete the four years of service for each eligible program in which you received the TEACH Grant within eight years of completing your program, the grant will convert to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest accrued from the date of the first disbursal of the funds. Once the grant converts to a loan, it cannot be converted back to a grant.

Designated Eligible Programs at Wichita State University

Wichita State University has designated the following programs to be TEACH Grant eligible programs:

Undergraduate:

• Early Childhood Unified
• Early Childhood Unified/Elementary Education Apprentice
• PreK thru 12 – Foreign Language (French, Latin, Spanish)
• PreK thru 12 – ESOL
• Middle Level – Math or Science
• Secondary Education – Biology, Chemistry, Earth & Space Science, Math, or Physics

Graduate:

• Special Education – Adaptive
• Special Education – Functional
• Special Education – High Incidence
• Special Education – Low Incidence
• Special Education – Early Childhood Unified
• Reading Specialist
• Transition to Teaching with Endorsement in Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Science, Earth Space Science, French, Latin or Spanish

Work-Study is an employment program intended to pay at least minimum wage for the hours you work. A variety of positions are available, including some with community service. This program is available to both undergraduate and graduate students. Your award is an estimate of your eligibility, not a guaranteed award. The actual amount you receive depends on finding employment, the hourly wage, and the number of hours you work. You must enroll at least half-time to be employed in this program. 

You must accept these funds by July 1 and obtain an eligible position by the end of the Financial Aid Recalculation Date or the offer will be withdrawn.

A variety of positions are available, including some with community service. For more information about available positions, contact the Shocker Career Accelerator in Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, via phone at (316) 978-3688, via email at SCA@wichita.edu, or visit them online at wichita.edu/careers. You can apply for available positions online through jobs.wichita.edu. After selecting a position that interests you, contact the department to request an interview. For questions about your financial aid award contact the Office of Financial Aid.

If hired, you must complete the necessary employment forms before beginning work. Your employer will determine the number of hours you may work per week and the rate of pay. Work-study students may work up to 30 hours per week during in-session periods and up to 40 hours per week during official school break periods.

Subsidized:

Interest on the subsidized loan is paid by the federal government while you are enrolled at least half-time. For the 2026-2027 academic year, the fixed interest rate is 6.52%, and the loan origination fee is 1.057%. Subsidized loans are available to undergraduate students only.

Unsubsidized:

Interest on the unsubsidized loan will begin to accrue from the time of disbursement until the loan is paid in full. For the 2026-2027 academic year, the fixed interest rate is 6.52% for undergraduate students and 8.07% for graduate students, and the loan origination fee is 1.057%. 

The PLUS loan enables parents with good credit history to borrow funds to assist with their dependent undergraduate student’s educational expenses. You must be enrolled at least half-time for your parents to borrow PLUS loans. For the 2026-2027 academic year, the fixed interest rate is 9.07%, and the loan origination fee is 4.228%. Your parents may apply for a PLUS Loan at studentaid.gov.

If your parent is denied a PLUS loan, you may be eligible for an additional Unsubsidized Direct Loan. Typically, repayment begins 60 days after the final PLUS loan disbursement for the academic year. Parents who wish to request a deferment must contact the loan servicer for details on eligibility requirements and the application process. See additional details about PLUS Loans at wichita.edu/studentloans.

*Due to federal changes to the Graduate PLUS Loan program, Graduate PLUS Loans will no longer be available for new borrowers after June 30, 2026.

Students who have borrowed a Federal Direct Loan for their current program may be eligible to continue borrowing Graduate PLUS Loans under Interim Exceptions.

Direct Loan interest rates are determined and communicated by the U.S. Department of Education in July every year. Loan origination fees will be deducted from your accepted loan amounts prior to receipt at Wichita State and are subject to change due to federal sequestration.

If you and/or your parent(s) enter into a Title IV, HEA loan, enrollment and loan data will be submitted to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), and will be accessible by guaranty agencies, lenders, and institutions determined to be authorized users of the data system.

Follow the instructions below to review and accept your loans to ensure a timely disbursement.

1. Log in to myWSU at myWSU.wichita.edu. Select the Finance tab and then the Financial Aid Dashboard link. Select the appropriate Academic Year and the Offer tab to view current offers. Read the terms and conditions for your loans. From the Offer tab, accept the amount of the student loan(s) that you would like to borrow for the academic year (the accepted amount will be split equally between the fall and spring terms). Keep in mind that you should borrow only what you need.
2. All borrowers must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) for the appropriate loan and Entrance Loan Counseling. For Direct Loans, you may complete these steps at studentaid.gov.
3. Students eligible for Graduate PLUS loans under Interim Exceptions must also complete the Master Promissory Note and the PLUS Entrance Loan Counseling online at studentaid.gov.
4. If you need to update your original acceptance decision about a student loan, such as to borrow funds for one term rather than the full academic year or cancel accepted loans, you may submit an Update My Aid Decision through your myWSU account under the Finance tab.
5. Deadline to Accept Loans: You (and/or parent for a PLUS loan) must accept Direct and/or PLUS loans before the end of the academic term in which you are registered. Loans requested after the priority deadlines are subject to cancellation without notice. 
   • For loan application and acceptance deadlines, visit wichita.edu/finaiddates
   • If you are not enrolling for the spring term, your federal loans must be accepted and processed prior to the end of the fall term.