- \n
- Financial Literacy<\/a><\/li>\n
- Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n
- Signs of Student Loan Fraud<\/a><\/li>\n
- Glossary of Terms<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2026-2027 Federal Financial Aid Changes<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#db0a29″ divider_weight=”5px” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.2.2″ custom_margin=”||7px|||” custom_padding=”||10px|||” global_module=”4539″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_module=”4627″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Managing my aid<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Course Participation<\/a><\/li>\n
- Eligibility<\/a><\/li>\n
- Important Dates and Deadlines<\/a><\/li>\n
- Satisfactory Academic Progress<\/a><\/li>\n
- Student Rights & Responsibilities<\/a><\/li>\n
- Withdrawals<\/a><\/li>\n
- Professional Judgement Appeals<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ header_2_font_size=”24px” custom_margin=”||19px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_toggle title=”Should I complete the FAFSA\u00ae if I don’t think I’ll qualify for financial aid anyway?” _builder_version=”4.23.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Yes! You will, at the very least, be offered\u00a0<\/span>federal student loans, which are considered to be financial aid<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”I completed FAFSA\u00ae, so when will I receive my financial aid offer?” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
We will create an initial award offer prior to requesting any verification documents. After you submit all documents, we will complete the verification process, and if corrections to your FAFSA\u00ae application are required, a revision to your award offer may be made and an updated offer pushed to your My FinAid portal account.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Check your student e-mail regularly to see if we need anything else to mark your file as \u201ccomplete.\u201d Students with completed files who file their FAFSA\u00ae by our priority deadline of March 1 can expect their official aid package in the spring. Students who file their FAFSA\u00ae after March 1 can expect their aid packages sometime during the summer months.<\/strong><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”I\u2019ve been selected for Verification. What do I need to do?” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
If you have been selected for Verification by the US Department of Education, you will need to log into your StudentForms<\/a> account in order to complete the verification process. **Follow the instructions completely on the requested form(s) to prevent any delays in packaging your financial aid.<\/strong><\/p>\n
You can also view any additional requirements on your Financial Aid Dashboard by logging into your WOU Portal<\/a>, and clicking the\u00a0Experience<\/strong> icon
![](\"https:\/\/cdn.wou.edu\/finaid\/files\/2025\/11\/experience.png\" "\\"Experience\\"")
<\/a> at the top of the page. Then navigate to the Services<\/strong> tab and find the Financial Aid Tile<\/strong>. Click the “FA Dashboard<\/strong>” link, all outstanding requirements will be listed on the Home<\/strong> tab.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”How do I find out if the Financial Aid Office is missing items that might hold up my financial aid?” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Log into your WOU Portal<\/a>, and click the Experience<\/strong> icon
<\/a> at the top of the page. Then navigate to the Services<\/strong> tab and find the Financial Aid Tile<\/strong>. Click the “FA Dashboard<\/strong>” link. If we\u2019re missing anything from you, or if there is any circumstance that might be holding up your aid packaging or disbursement, it will appear on the Home<\/strong> tab. You\u2019ll also see the items that you have completed as well.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”Can someone else call on my behalf and talk to you about my financial aid?” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Yes, but\u00a0you must authorize the\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>release of your confidential information specific to the academic year<\/strong>. You can locate this form by logging into your WOU Portal<\/a>, and clicking the\u00a0Experience<\/strong> icon
<\/a> at the top of the page. Then navigate to the Services<\/strong> tab and find the Financial Aid Tile<\/strong>. Click the “FA Dashboard<\/strong>” link, all forms are on the Home<\/strong> tab. Complete the form and return it to our office. This must be completed annually, similar to your FAFSA\u00ae.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”How do I request a change to my already-accepted financial aid?” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Complete a\u00a0Revision<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Request<\/strong> form for the appropriate aid year. You can access this form by logging into your WOU Portal<\/a>, and clicking the\u00a0Experience<\/strong> icon
<\/a> at the top of the page. Then navigate to the Services<\/strong> tab and find the Financial Aid Tile<\/strong>. Click the “FA Dashboard<\/strong>” link, all forms are on the Home<\/strong> tab.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”How do I submit a Special or Unusual Circumstances Appeal?” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
The FAFSA\u00ae Simplification Act distinguishes between different categories of professional judgment<\/a> through section 479A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Special Circumstances refer to financial situations (loss of a job, etc.) that justify an aid administrator adjusting data elements in the Cost of Attendance (COA) or in the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation.<\/li>\n
- Unusual Circumstances refer to the conditions that justify an aid administrator making an adjustment to a student\u2019s dependency status based on an unique situation (e.g., human trafficking, refugee or asylee status, parental abandonment, incarceration), more commonly referred to as a dependency override.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It is possible that a student may have both a special circumstance and an unusual circumstance. If this is the case, you will need to submit the corresponding appeal for each individual situation. Financial Aid Administrators (FAAs) may make adjustments that are suitable for each student\u2019s situation with appropriate documentation.<\/p>\n
If you believe that these circumstances apply to you please submit a Professional Judgement Appeal through your StudentForms<\/a> account.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”I submitted a Special Condition, Revision Request, or SAP Appeal today. When can I expect an answer?” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Our processing times vary greatly based on where we are in the yearly aid processing cycle. Times of heavy requests, throughout the summer and at the beginning of each term, usually see a response in 4 weeks.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”I don\u2019t fully understand my financial aid package. How do I decipher it?” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Visit our\u00a0Glossary<\/strong><\/a> for a comprehensive list of financial aid terms and types of aid. You may also schedule an appointment with one of our financial aid counselors!<\/span><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”It\u2019s the beginning of the term and my aid has not disbursed! What could be going on?” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
There could be a number of reasons why your aid hasn\u2019t disbursed; the best place to check what is holding up your particular aid package is by looking at your Financial Aid Dashboard.\u00a0 To do so, log into your WOU Portal<\/a><\/strong>, and click on the Experience<\/strong> icon
<\/a> at the top of the page. Then navigate to the Services<\/strong> tab and find the Financial Aid Tile<\/strong>. Click the “FA Dashboard<\/strong>” link, outstanding requirements will be listed on the Home<\/strong> tab.\u00a0<\/p>\nSome common reasons which prevent aid from disbursing are not being enrolled full time, not having accepted your aid, or not having completed your Entrance Loan Counseling and Master Promissory Note. If you are not going to be a full time student in a given term, you must let our office know so we can adjust your aid amounts, if necessary, and release it to you.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”How long does it take for my Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans to disburse once I\u2019ve completed the Loan Entrance Counseling and signed the Master Promissory Note (MPN)?” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
It depends on when you have completed both requirements. The WOU Financial Aid office runs weekly disbursements. If we do not receive notification that you have completed both steps prior to our scheduled disbursement, then your loans will post the following week. If it has been more than 2 weeks since you completed both requirements and your loans still have not disbursed, then please contact the Financial Aid Office <\/a> for assistance.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”Can I use all of my financial aid for the year in one academic term?” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
No, federal regulations require us to disburse aid equally across all your terms of enrollment.<\/span><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”How is my financial aid disbursed to me?” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Your financial aid is applied to the charges on your account first. If your financial aid exceeds your charges, you will receive a refund of your credit balance, which you can use for your educationally-related expenses throughout the term.\u00a0You can sign up for direct deposit for these excess funds by clicking the link in your ‘Business Services’ channel on your main WOU portal page<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”I\u2019m receiving a private scholarship. How does that fit into my financial aid package?” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
You must report all scholarships to our office;\u00a0<\/span>your total financial aid\u2014including private scholarships\u2014cannot exceed your cost of attendance<\/strong>, and some types of aid cannot exceed your financial need. Email our office to let us know the details of your scholarship so we can adjust your aid if necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_toggle][et_pb_toggle title=”If my question isn\u2019t answered here or anywhere else on the website, can I make an appointment with a financial aid counselor to discuss my situation?” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Yes! We have\u00a0online appointment booking<\/a> through your WOU Portal. Once you\u2019re logged in, click on the Navigate<\/strong> icon
![](\"https:\/\/cdn.wou.edu\/finaid\/files\/2025\/12\/icon_Navigate.png\" "\\"Experience\\"")
at the top of the page then click \u201cGet Advising.\u201d Follow the prompts to select a Financial Aid appointment and book a time that works for you.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_toggle][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.2.2″ custom_margin=”||0px|||” global_module=”4902″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Understanding my aid<\/b><\/p>\n
- \n
- Financial Literacy<\/a><\/li>\n
- Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n
- Signs of Student Loan Fraud<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#db0a29″ divider_weight=”5px” disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”||7px|||” custom_padding=”||10px|||” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.16″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Managing my aid<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Eligibility<\/a><\/li>\n
- Important Dates and Deadlines<\/a><\/li>\n
- Student Rights & Responsibilities<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ min_height=”127px” custom_margin=”26px|||||” global_module=”4762″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Contact<\/h3>\n
Financial Aid Office toll free<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>1-877-877-1593<\/strong>\u00a0| or\u00a0<\/span>e-mail:<\/strong>\u00a0finaid@wou.edu\u00a0<\/a><\/span>|<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Location<\/strong>: Welcome Center 140<\/span><\/h4>\n
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:<\/b><\/p>\n
- \n
- Monday, 9:00 am \u2013 Noon
<\/span><\/li>\n- Monday, 1:00 \u2013 4:00 pm
<\/span><\/li>\n- Thursday, 2:00 \u2013 4:00 pm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Schedule in-person\/phone\/virtual appointments with your counselor using the <\/b>Navigate<\/b><\/a><\/span>\u00a0icon.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ABOUT MY AID Understanding my aid Financial Literacy…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":900,"featured_media":0,"parent":1963,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"splash-page.php","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[fruitful_tabs type=\"default\" width=\"100%\" fit=\"false\"]\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"Should I complete the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify for financial aid anyway?\"] Yes! You will, at the very least, be offered federal student loans, which are considered to be financial aid<\/strong>. [\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"I completed FAFSA, so when will I receive my financial aid offer?\"] Starting with the 2019-20 award year, we will create an initial award offer prior to requesting any verification documents. After you submit all documents, we will complete the verification process, and if corrections to your FAFSA application are required, a revision to your award offer may be made and an updated offer pushed to your My FinAid portal account.\r\n\r\nCheck your student e-mail regularly to see if we need anything else to mark your file as \u201ccomplete.\u201d Students with completed files who file their FAFSA by our priority deadline of February 1 can expect their official aid package in spring 2019. Students who file their FAFSA after February 1 can expect their aid packages sometime during the summer months.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tab]\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"I\u2019ve been selected for Verification. What do I need to do?\"] If you have been selected for Verification by the US Department of Education, you can log into your My FinAid portal account and check under \u201cDocuments\u201d to see which verification form you\u2019re required to fill out. Follow the instructions completely on the form to prevent any delays in packaging you.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tab]\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"How do I find out if the Financial Aid Office is missing items that might hold up my financial aid?\"] <\/em><\/span>\r\nLog into your My FinAid portal and click on the \u201cDocuments\u201d tab. <\/strong>If we\u2019re missing anything from you, or if there is any circumstance that might be holding up your aid packaging or disbursement, it will appear here. You\u2019ll also see the items that you have completed as well. [\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"Can someone else call on my behalf and talk to you about my financial aid?\"] Yes, but you must authorize the <\/strong>release of your confidential information (2019-20)<\/strong>. You can locate this form on the Portal home under\u00a0Financial Aid Forms. Complete the form and return it to our office. [\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"How do I request a change to my already-accepted financial aid?\"] Complete a Revision<\/strong> Request<\/strong> form for the appropriate aid year, available in the Financial Aid Forms section of the Portal.\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"I submitted a Special Condition, Revision Request, or SAP Appeal today. When can I expect an answer?\"] Our processing times vary greatly based on where we are in the yearly aid processing cycle. Times of heavy requests, throughout the summer and at the beginning of each term, usually see a response in 6-8-weeks.<\/strong> [\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"I don\u2019t fully understand my financial aid package. How do I decipher it?\"] Visit our Glossary<\/strong><\/a> for a comprehensive list of financial aid terms and types of aid.\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"It\u2019s the beginning of the term and my aid has not disbursed! What could be going on?\"] There could be a number of reasons why your aid hasn\u2019t disbursed; the best place to check what is holding up your particular aid package is in your \u201cMyFinAid\u201d under \u201cDocuments.\u201d<\/strong> Some common reasons which prevent aid from disbursing are not being enrolled full time, not having accepted your aid, or not having completed your Entrance Loan Counseling and Master Promissory Note. If you are not going to be a full time student in a given term, you must let our office know so we can adjust your aid amounts, if necessary, and release it to you.\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"Can I use all of my financial aid for the year in one academic term?\"] No, federal regulations require us to disburse aid equally across all your terms of enrollment.\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"How is my financial aid disbursed to me?\"]\r\nYour financial aid is applied to the charges on your account first. If your financial aid exceeds your charges, you will receive a refund of your credit balance, which you can use for your educationally-related expenses throughout the term. You can sign up for direct deposit for these excess funds through the Business Office\u2019s website<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"I\u2019m receiving a private scholarship. How does that fit into my financial aid package?\"]\r\nYou must report all scholarships to our office; your total financial aid\u2014including private scholarships\u2014cannot exceed your cost of attendance<\/strong>, and some types of aid cannot exceed your financial need. Email our office to let us know the details of your scholarship so we can adjust your aid if necessary.\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[fruitful_tab title=\"If my question isn\u2019t answered here or anywhere else on the website, can I make an appointment with a financial aid counselor to discuss my situation?\"]\r\nYes! We have online appointment booking through your WOU Portal<\/strong>. Once you\u2019re logged in, click on the Wolf Connection System (WCS) icon, and then click \u201cGet Advising.\u201d Follow the prompts to select a Financial Aid appointment and book a time that works for you.\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tab]\r\n\r\n[\/fruitful_tabs]\r\n\r\n<\/span>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-2025","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/finaid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/finaid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/finaid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/finaid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/900"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/finaid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2025"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/finaid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2025\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26001,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/finaid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2025\/revisions\/26001"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/finaid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/finaid\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Monday, 1:00 \u2013 4:00 pm
- Important Dates and Deadlines<\/a><\/li>\n
- Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n
- Financial Literacy<\/a><\/li>\n
- Eligibility<\/a><\/li>\n
- Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li>\n