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Federal Financial Aid Information for Masters of Social Work

Financial Aid & Masters of Social Work

Thank you for your interest in Wichita State's Masters of Social Work program. Review the options below as you consider how to fund your educational career in social work.

Apply for Federal Financial Aid

If you are interested in federal financial aid options, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov.  Make sure to add Wichita State’s school code when prompted: 001950.

Which FAFSA should you complete?

Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Summer 2027 Admission Terms
  • Complete the 2026-2027 FAFSA application and use your 2024 tax information.
  • If enrolling for summer classes, you must also complete the Summer Aid Application online through your myWSU Portal. This application is generally available beginning in April after you have enrolled for the summer term.
Fall 2027, Spring 2028, Summer 2028 Admission Terms
  • Complete the 2027-2028 FAFSA application and use your 2025 tax information. The application will be available in October 2026.
  • If enrolling for summer classes, you must also complete the Summer Aid Application online through your myWSU Portal. This application is generally available beginning in April after you have enrolled for the summer term.
  • If enrolling for summer classes, you must also complete the Summer Aid Application online through your myWSU Portal. This application is generally available beginning in April after you have enrolled for the summer term.

Apply for Scholarships

Search for and apply for internal (WSU) and external (other organizational) scholarships through Wichita State's ScholarshipUniverse. Create your profile to match to relevant scholarships and apply!

Loan Eligibility & Limits for Graduate Students

How much can I borrow?

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

Annual Loan Limits: As a graduate student, you can borrow up to $20,500 each year in Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans.  The actual amount of federal loans you can borrow each term depends on your enrollment each term:

  • Full Time: 9+ credit hours
  • Half time: 5-8 credit hours. 
  • Enrollment in 4 or less credit hours is not eligible for federal loans. 

*Annual loan amounts are based on full-time enrollment. Annual loan amounts will be reduced for students who enroll less-than-full-time.

The graduate level aggregate limit of loans you can borrow is $100,000.  The total lifetime aggregate limit for borrowers is $257,500, which includes all undergraduate, graduate, professional, and Graduate PLUS loans borrowed as a student.

For borrowers prior to July 1, 2026, see Interim Exceptions for eligible exceptions.

Private/Alternative Loan

Some students choose to use private loans or a combination of federal and private loans to pay for their education. A list of lenders other student at Wichita State have used in the past is available at ELMSelect. For your convenience, we have developed a list of questions for you to consider when evaluating private loan options: wichita.edu/altloan.

Interest rates and repayment terms vary with each lender. Contact the lender of your choice for more information.

What is the interest rate?

  • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: The fixed interest rate for loans borrowed before July 1, 2026 is 7.94%. The fixed interest rate for loans borrowed on or after July 1, 2026 is 8.07%. The interest rate is subject to change with each year.
  • Private/Alternative Loan: Interest rates may vary by lender.

If I accept my loans, are there additional requirements I need to complete before my loans will pay?

Yes, when borrowing loans for the first time as a graduate student, you must complete two additional steps at studentaid.gov depending on which loan or loans you are borrowing:

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan:
  1. Complete your Loan Entrance Counseling (allow 45 minutes to complete the online session).
  2. Complete your Master Promissory Loan (MPN) - this serves as your official agreement to pay the loans in full.

Repaying Your Loans & Loan Forgiveness

Repayment Options

Federal student loans include a 6-month grace period that begins once your graduate or your enrollment is less than half time. You are not required to make payments during your grace period. If you have previous loans and have used the grace period already, those loans will go back into repayment once you graduate, or your enrollment is less than half time.

Your loan servicer (the company that manages your loan during repayment) will contact you with repayment terms and information needed to be successful in repayment of your loans. You can find out who your loan servicer is and their contact information at studentaid.gov. 

Loan Forgiveness Options

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Public Service Loan Forgiveness applies to Federal Direct Loans only. To qualify, you must be employed full-time with a qualifying public service organization. This program forgives any remaining student loan debt after 10 years or qualifying payments. Payments must be on-time and during qualifying employment. You must be enrolled in one of the following repayment plans:

  • Standard Repayment
  • Income-Driven Repayment Plans (IDR)

For additional information regarding Public Service Loan Forgiveness, contact your loan servicer or visit studentaid.gov.

Questions?

The Office of Financial Aid is here to help!

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