Financial Aid

Federal, state, and University policies and procedures regularly change, so stay informed by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to get regular financial aid updates and reminders! Find us @WIUFinancialAid on all platforms.

Enter to Win a $200 Book Award!

Posted September 15th

The 2023-24 FAFSA Application opens up on October 1st, 2022. If you file your 2023-24 FAFSA on October 1st, you'll be automatically entered to WIN a $200 book award! Make sure to include WIU's school code: 001780. The earlier you file, the more eligible you will be for federal and state aid programs.

If it is your first time filing a FAFSA, make sure to sign up for a FSA ID as you will need one to complete your FAFSA application. It can take up to 3 days to verify an FSA ID, so we recommend signing up ASAP if you plan on filing October 1st!

Please contact us if you have any questions!

graphic saying enter to win a 200 dollar book award when you file your fafsa october 1st

Now That You're Enrolled

Posted July 28th

  1. After registering for classes, calculate your expected charges using the    WIU Cost Estimator.
    • The first bill of each semester is generally available on STARS the first week of August/January.
    • Federal Direct Loans will be disbursed after the 10th day of the semester and will not appear on the August/January bills. Monitor your University account on STARS by selecting B/R Account Detail.
    • Complete the  Direct Deposit Authorization  on STARS to receive any refund due to you. Refunds will be ordered following the 10th day of the semester.
    • Remember that funds are to be used only for educationally-related expenses such as books and supplies, room and board or rent and utilities, transportation to class, etc.
  2. Additional loan eligibility may be availableif needed. See  Parent PLUS loan  and  private alternative loan  information in the  Loans section  of our website
  3. Prepare to pay for your books by cash, check, or credit card.
    • Books can be charged to your University account August 6th through August 31st.
  4. Read the  Financial Aid Reminders    available on our website.
  5. Read the  Financial Aid Handbook & Policy Information  available on our website.
  6. Review your federal student loan history   . (Log in with your FSA ID)
    • Track your federal student loan debt every year – remember, borrow only what you need!
    • Remember that private student loan information is not available through this federal database, so you will have to keep track of your private loan information yourself.
  7. Get ready to do it all again!  Financial aid is an annual process, so there will be new scholarship applications every fall and    a new FAFSA  to complete every October.
  8. If you are graduating and/or not returning next year should:

Also review our  Frequently Asked Questions!

Change in Disbursment of Aid Beginning Fall 2022

Posted July 28th

Beginning with the 2022-23 academic year, federal aid (i.e. Pell, Federal Student/Parent/Grad Direct Loans, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, and TEACH grants) will be disbursed and applied to student accounts following the 10th day of the term. As a result of this delay in disbursement, excess financial aid (federal/state grants, institutional scholarships, and federal direct loans) will be ordered beginning the third week of the semester.

Beginning Fall 2022, all registered students will be allowed to charge up to $600 each semester at the University Bookstore for required textbooks and supplies (no soft goods) through the 8th day of a term.

See our Financial Aid Policy for more information.

Looking for your Award Letter?

Posted July11th, 2022

We have started processing FAFSAs for the 2022-23 Academic Year. Award letters for new freshman will be sent out starting in January. New transfer and returning students are expected to receive award letters starting at the beginning of March.

Keep an eye on your WIU email and STARS Account. If you have been selected for Verification, we may need additional documents before we can process your Award Letter. Make sure to turn in the requested documents as soon as possible so that we can generate your award letter based on the timeline above. You will be notified via WIU Email and a notification in STARS if you have been selected for Verification.

No need to apply for Summer 2022 Financial Aid!

Posted May 19th, 2022

Summer 2022 aid eligibility will be determined using registered hours and remaining 2021-22 aid eligibility*. Students are no longer required to file a summer aid application to apply for summer aid.

*Students graduating Summer 2022 or Fall 2022 who have completed a 2022-23 FAFSA may be able to “borrow” financial aid eligibility from the 2022-23 academic year. This will be noted on your award notification, if applicable.

If you have questions, wish to cancel or reduce funds, or your enrollment changes, contact the Financial Aid Office, Sherman Hall 127, by calling 309/298-2446 or email financial-aid@wiu.edu. Visit our Summer Aid page for more information.

Register to Win

Posted May 19th, 2022

Fall 2022 registration is OPEN! Students who register for a minimum of 6 credit hours by June 30th, 2022 (11:59PM) will be entered to win one of three grand prizes:

Graphic: register for at least 6 credit hours and be automatically entered to win grand and weekly prizes

  • Free Domino's Pizza for a Year ($250 value)
  • $200 Book Award
  • WIU Backpack & School Supplies

Grand prize winners will be randomly selected the week of July 4th, 2022. In addition, weekly prizes will be drawn each Monday which will consist of WIU merchandise, gift cards, and more. We will randomly select winners from a pool of every student who has registered for classes up until that date.

For more details and a full list of ways to get additional entries, see our register to win webpage.

 

 

 

File to Win!

Posted September 19th, 2021

File your 2022-23 FAFSA on  October 1st, and be automatically entered to WIN a $200 book award! Make sure to include WIU's school code: 001780. Remember, the earlier you file, the more eligible you will be for federal and state aid programs. If it is your first time filing a FAFSA, make sure to  sign up for a FSA ID as you will need one to complete your FAFSA application. It can take up to 3 days to verify an FSA ID, so we recommend signing up ASAP if you are planning on filing October 1st! 

For more information, view the  7 Easy Steps to the FAFSA.

Want help completing your FAFSA? Drop into one of our Zoom sessions that we'll be hosting on October 1st! Get all your FAFSA questions answered by a financial aid advisor. 

10AM-12PM Session
4PM-6PM Session

Financial Aid Scavenger Hunt

The Financial Aid Office is organizing a scavenger hunt, open to all, starting on Sept. 28th at 1pm and ending on Sept. 30th at 4pm! 

Every clue will lead to a different spot across campus that contains a QR code. Scan the QR code to reveal the question and test your cleverness and knowledge of financial aid! Once you have completed the scavenger hunt, submit the google form for a chance to win a stadium seat, courtesy of the WIU Bookstore! Three winners will be selected from the group of participants.

Here's a hint! Bring a folder, bag, or something to store things in. Lots of stops will have information for you to collect and get more connected with WIU resources.

Financial Aid Crossword

FAFSA is just around the corner! Do you feel confident about your financial aid knowledge? Now is the time to put it to the test. Complete this crossword activity & bring it back to our office at Sherman Hall 127 by September 30th to be entered to win a WIU Blanket!

All answers to this crossword can be found on our website. Feel free to stop by our mobile office hours for help completing this puzzle! Good luck!

Fall 2021 Financial Aid Checklist

Posted June 21, 2021

  • Check your WIU email frequently for notifications from the Financial Aid Office.
  • File your 2021-22 FAFSA and other financial aid documents ASAP! FAFSA applications and other submissions received in August will be processed by date recieved beginning in September due to the volume of processing in August.
  • Set up a Parent and Guest Account on STARS if you want a parent or other person to be able to see your financial aid information on STARS or to talk with Financial Aid staff about your aid.
  • Under the Financials tab in your STARS account, click "Financial Aid Information" to:
    • See if information is needed to complete the review of your FAFSA application.
    • See your Financial Aid Award Offer.
    • See if you need to complete Entrance Counseling
    • See if you need to sign a Master Promissory Note
    • See current financial aid awards. Actual awards may adjust nightly if your enrollment changes.
    • Cancel or reduce any of your loans. Reductions requested after August 1st may take up to 10-15 business days to process and may delay your loan disbursement.
  •  Check B/R Account Detail on STARS under the Financials tab for information from Billing and Receivables Office to:
    • Confirm when aid has been credited to your university account. Aid may adjust nightly if you add or drop courses and your tuition and fees change.
    • Confirm when a refund disbursement has been initiated. Allow 2 business days for direct deposit to personal account.

 Important Dates

August 5th - First day any Fall aid and Fall charges can display on B/R Account Detail in STARS.
August 10th - Billing and Recievables Office emails the first monthly bill for Fall. Loans will not show as a credit on the August bill.
August 13th - Per federal regulations, the earliest that any federal loan funds can be released to your university account. Please be aware that many loans must be manually reviewed which will delay that release. The day after the release, you will see the credit applied on B/R Account Detail.
August 20th - First day for direct deposit of refunds from Billing and Receivables if you have more aid than allowable costs.
August 23rd - first day any private/alternative and Parent PLUS loans will display on B/R Account Detail.

Additional Aid Information and Resources

  • Talent/Athletic awards are credited as soon as notification is received from the department. If your award is not credited, you may contact the awarding department.

  • Illinois National Guard and Illinois Veteran grants are credited as soon as the information is provided by ISAC.  If your award does not appear on your account, you may contact ISAC at 1-800-899-4722.

  • The WIU Foundation Office applies outside scholarships to the billing account as they are received.  If you have a check from an outside scholarship, take it to the WIU Foundation Office in Sherman Hall 303 or mail it to: WIU Foundation, 1 University Circle, SH303, Macomb, IL 61455.

  • Looking for a student job? Visit the Student Employment website for more information

  • Repeating a course? Review the Financial Aid Policy for Repeated Courses.

  • Grades matter! See information about the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

February is Financial Aid Awareness Month!

Posted February 1, 2021

Each Fall, students across the country can begin the process of applying for financial aid through the Free Application for Financial Student Aid, or FAFSA. Throughout the month of February, the higher education community celebrates Financial Aid Awareness Month, in an effort to provide crucial information to students and families about access to federal, state, and institutional student aid.

The WIU Office of Financial Aid has a month of events and activities scheduled to celebrate Financial Aid Awareness Month February 2021. You can find a list of weekly events online @WIUFinancialAid across social media platforms Facebook , Twitter or Instagram .

Week 1 Events (February 1st-5th)

Week 2 Events (February 8th-12th)

Week 3 Events (February 15th-19th)

Week 4 Events (February 22nd-26th)

Over the course of the month students will have an opportunity to enter to win an Apple iPad Air. Enter to win at Tinyurl.com/FinAidiPad. Read through the full terms and conditions.

Check social media for updates and additional activities scheduled throughout the month of February. If you are planning to enroll in college classes during the 2021-22 academic year now would be a great time to apply for financial aid. You can apply online at StudentAid.gov/FAFSA. Don’t delay, apply for aid! #FinAidFeb

File to Win Update

Posted October 8th, 2020

The Financial Aid Office is excited to see so many current and prospective students prioritizing their futures by  filing the 2021-22 FAFSA early. Over 2,400 Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) have been filed to date (October 8, 2020) and over 1,300 were filed on October 1st alone! Students who filed on October 1st were automatically entered to win a $200 Book Award. Not everyone will win but everyone can benefit from filing early. Winners will be notified once they receive their award letters for the 2021-22 year!

Freshmen will start receiving award letters in early November while returning and transfer students will begin receiving award letters in January 2021. We are working hard to ensure accurate and complete information is displayed on a student’s first award notification from WIU. In the meantime we encourage all students to review their Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Department of Education and use the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to estimate aid eligibility using the  Net Price Calculator.

It's FAFSA Season!

Posted October 1st, 2020

The 2021-2022 FAFSA is now open! Make sure to include WIU on your application by entering our school code: 001780. Remember, the earlier you file, the more eligible you will be for federal and state aid programs.

In order to  file a FAFSA, students and parents/guardians of dependent students will need to have an  FSA ID. It can take up to 3 days to verify an  FSA ID, so we recommend  signing up  for one as soon as possible. 

For more information and helpful filing tips, visit our  FAFSA Help page.