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Disbursement Process
Disbursement Schedule
Federal regulations allow Financial Aid to disburse up to ten days before a term begins.
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Before the Term: WOU Financial Aid disburses two times during the week before a term begins.
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1st Week: WOU Financial Aid disburses three times during the first week of the term.
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During the Term: WOU Financial Aid regularly disburses aid twice a week.
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Last Week: WOU Financial Aid disburses two times during the last week of each term.
Disbursement Payment
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Financial Aid is electronically disbursed to your Wolf Web account as a payment.
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After Financial Aid is paid to your Wolf Web account, you may have an owed balance or a refund issued.
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See the Accounting & Business Services office’s Payment Information page for information on payment deadlines.
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It is the responsibility of the student to ensure sufficient payment is made for the charges on a Wolf Web account.
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Estimate Your Wolf Web Account Balance
Wolf Web account charges are assessed by the Accounting & Business Services Office on a per-term basis.
- Estimate Wolf Web account charges with the Accounting & Business Services office Tuition Calculators.
- Estimate Financial Aid payment with the One-Term Estimated Budget Worksheet, located on Portal home, “Financial Aid Forms”.
Disbursement Inhibitors
Census Date
The WOU Financial Aid Census Date is always the second Friday of each academic term.
Eligibility for all federal, state, and institutional aid is based on your enrollment level as of Census Date. Your enrollment level will lock at Noon on Census Date and is the enrollment level which your financial aid is based for that term, regardless of whether you add or drop courses after that date. Degree Partnership students should ensure their enrollment level is set by the second Thursday of each term.
Exception: For summer term students in late-starting summer modules. Your aid may be reduced if you do not begin attendance in a late-starting session.
2019-2020 Census Date Schedule
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Summer 2019 – July 5, 2019
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Fall 2019 – October 11, 2019
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Winter 2020 – January 17, 2020
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Spring 2020 – April 10, 2020
Financial Aid is revised for students whose registered enrollment at Census Date does not match their financial aid enrollment level.
Census Date revisions begin the third week of each term.
Example: Joe College began this term enrolled in 12 credits. Joe’s financial aid disbursed on the first day of the term, but by Census Date, he dropped a course and his enrollment was locked at 8 credits. After the Census Date, Joe’s financial aid will be revised to reflect 8 credits worth of Joe’s Pell Grant. This may create an owing balance on Joe’s Wolf Web account, after the revisions are made. Note: Other grants and scholarships may also be impacted by a reduced enrollment level.
Learn more about enrollment level requirements for Loans and Grants.
Learn more about enrollment level requirements for Scholarships.
Retroactive Disbursements
Retroactive disbursements are disbursements which occur after an academic term has ended. View types of retroactive disbursments here.
Taxability of Various Types of Educational Assistance
Note: Some or all of your financial aid (from scholarships, fellowships, need-based education grants, and qualified tuition reductions) may be considered taxable income. Please consult IRS Publication 970, Chapter 1 for more information.
Common Issues
Enrollment Level Mismatch
WOU Financial Aid is packaged based on full-time enrollment.
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If you are not enrolled full-time each term, your aid will not disburse until your registered enrollment level matches your financial aid package enrollment level.
If you do not plan to attend full-time each term, please submit a Revision Request to avoid delays in your financial aid disbursement.
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Revision Requests may take several weeks to be process, so we recommend students submit the request as soon as they are aware they will not attend full-time.
| Student Level | Full-Time | Three-Quarter Time | Half-Time | Less than Half-Time |
| Undergraduate & Post-Baccalaureate | 12+ | 9-11 | 6-8 | 1-5 |
| Graduate | 9+ | 7-8 | 5-6 | 1-4 |
Pending Award Status
After you receive your official award notification, use My FinAid in your Portal to accept award(s).
You must choose “Accept” or “Decline” on every award listed to officially process your award acceptance.
- Log-in to Portal, and click the My FinAid icon at the top.
- On the Menu, click “Accept Awards“. Read the Terms and Conditions, and check the box to accept them.
- Open the Menu, and click “Accept Awards“. Scroll to the bottom of the page and slightly to the right.
- Each award is in pending status. Choose which awards you would like to accept and which to decline.
- Click submit.
Outstanding Federal Loan Requirements
If you plan to take out or have accepted Federal Direct Loans, the following requirements must be completed prior to disbursement.
Undergraduate & Post-Baccalaureate – Federal Direct Stafford Loan
Graduate – Federal Direct Stafford Loan
Graduate – Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
Parent – Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
- Master Promissory Note
- Loan Credit Counseling – *Only required for PLUS Loans which were endorsed or appealed.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
WOU Financial Aid completes an annual SAP review at the end of every spring term, after final grades become available.
To view the full Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy:
- Undergraduate students, refer to “Financial Aid Eligibility and Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy – UG”
- Graduate students, refer to “Financial Aid Eligibility and Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy – GR”
If you are not meeting one or more Satisfactory Academic Progress standards:You are ineligible to receive federal, state, and some institutional aid (WOU Grant, WOU Supplemental & Transfer Fund, etc.) until you successfully meet all SAP standards, or until you successfully appeal your SAP standing. You may apply for a private educational loan to cover expenses until you are meeting SAP standards. |
Types of Retroactive Disbursements
Federal Direct Loans
Students who meet these requirements may be eligible for a retroactive disbursement:
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The student successfully completed at least half-time for the previous term(s)
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The student is currently registered at least half-time; OR
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The student was awarded and accepted their awards prior to the end of their last term.
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Meeting this criteria does not guarantee a student is eligible for a retroactive disbursement.
Students are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office about retroactive disbursement eligibility.
Federal Grants
Retroactive Pell Grant disbursement eligibility requirements:
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Retroactive TEACH Grant disbursement eligibility requirements:
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Meeting this criteria does not guarantee a student is eligible for a retroactive disbursement.
Students are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office about retroactive disbursement eligibility.
Institutional Scholarships
Most scholarships require that students successfully completed three-quarter time or full-time enrollment in prior term(s), among other requirements.
Contact the Financial Aid Office about retroactive disbursement eligibility for WOU Scholarships.
Contact
Financial Aid Office toll free 1-877-877-1593 | or e-mail: finaid@wou.edu | Location: Welcome Center 140
In-person services are Monday through Thursday 8am to 5pm and Friday 10am to 5pm. **Walk-in appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis on the following days/times:
- Monday, 9:00 am – Noon
- Monday, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
- Thursday, 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Schedule in-person/phone/virtual appointments with your counselor using the Navigate icon.
