Financial Aid
Understanding Your Award
Expected Family Contribution
The data gathered from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used by the federal government to determine the amount of money you or your family could reasonably contribute toward your education for this year. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) appears on the Student Aid Report (SAR) which you received after submitting the FAFSA. The EFC may or may not be the amount you actually end up paying for college.
Calculating Financial Need
Once your EFC and your Cost of Attendance (COA) are established, your Financial Need (Need) can be calculated.
COA - EFC = Need
The Financial Aid award tries to meet your need with one or more of the following:
- Federal and State Grants
- Outside Scholarships and Guaranteed Sources
- Institutional Gift Aid
- Work-Study Employment
- Subsidized Loans
- Perkins Loan
- Unsubsidized Federal Direct Student Loan
- Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan.
- TEACH Grant /Loan upon request. These funds can cover EFC and Unmet Need
CWU Offer of Financial Award Policy
Central attempts to offer aid up to the full COA. In order to accomplish this, your aid package may include:
- Unsubsidized Federal Direct Student Loan
- Federal Direct Parent Loan
- TEACH Grant/ Loan upon request
Not all students are eligible for all programs. You will be offered all aid types that you are eligible to receive within federal, state and institutional guidelines and fund limits. Because resources are limited in some of these programs, we encourage you to apply for financial aid as soon as possible. You may apply by clicking on this FAFSA link.
Once your available financial aid awards have been determined, you will either be sent a post card (new students) or sent an email (returning students).These communications will guide you to MyCWU >MyCWU>Sign In >the Cost of Attendance (COA), your calculated Need, and your financial aid offer. Please read the Conditions of Financial Aid Award, Satisfactory Progress Standards, Loan Conditions, and then accept or decline the offer of aid. For more instructions on accepting or declining loans or aid, see Accepting Financial Aid Offers. You may reduce loan amounts, and adjustments can be made to loans during the year. No aid will be processed unless you accept it.
New Students
A communication will be sent via US Mail to notify you that you have been awarded financial aid and will include directions on how to Accept / Decline your award(s) online.
Returning Students
Once you have been awarded, you will receive an email notification through CWU’s Outlook email using your CWU email address directing you to the online financial aid services.
Grad Students
All grad Students can expect to receive their Award Letter by the 3rd Week of May. If you are expecting an assistantship on campus and you have not signed your Assistantship Contract your Award Letter may be delayed or incorrect until your Assistantship Contract is submitted and processed.
Prorated Awards for Part-Time Students
The College Grant and Pell Grant will be prorated to approximately:
- 100% for 12 or more credits
- 75% for three-quarter-time attendance (9-11 credits),
- 50% for half-time attendance (6-8 credits),
- 25% for less than half-time attendance, 3-5 credits for state aid.
CWU News
CWU to highlight student research at next week’s SOURCE conference
May 8, 2024
by Rune Torgersen
CWU Theatre and Film to present ‘Footloose’ the next two weekends
May 8, 2024
by University Relations