How to Apply for Financial Aid
Investing in your education prepares you for your future.
Below is information about applying for student loans, grants and scholarships. Please explore all your options—you may qualify for aid, but you can’t receive aid unless you apply.
For Federal, University, state and most private aid, family resources are measured by the needs analysis formula of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). A family’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is based upon the information submitted on the FAFSA, which includes income, assets, number of people in the family and other family factors. All students are required to file the FAFSA if they wish to apply for federal, state and University aid and scholarships.
The FAFSA may be filed by paper application or electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov, an official U.S. Department of Education site. Filing through the internet is currently a two-step process: submitting data electronically AND sending official signatures via U.S. mail to the federal aid processor. All students and families with computer access are encouraged to take advantage of the electronic process.
Students may also estimate their EFC on the internet. Wheeling Jesuit recommends the "Financial Aid Estimation Form." It can be found at www.finaid.org, a comprehensive financial aid site. An estimated EFC is for personal planning use only. Official EFCs may vary from an estimated one and only official, federally calculated EFCs resulting from the FAFSA can be used to determine financial aid eligibility at Wheeling Jesuit.
The difference between the Expected Family Contribution and the Cost of Attendance (COA) for an academic year represents a student’s “financial need.”
Financial assistance may be in the form of federal, state, University or private aid. There are three types of aid: grants (“gift aid,” including scholarships), loans (low interest loans requiring repayment) and work opportunities.
All financial aid is disbursed directly to students’ accounts for charges relating to tuition, fees, room and board. Aid exceeding student account charges may be issued as a refund to the student for other educational expenses (books, supplies, etc.).
