Apply for financial aid?

Complete the FAFSA

Complete the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible between January 1 and March 1 of the year you plan to attend WVU. There are limited funds available in some aid programs; meeting filing deadlines is very important.

Electronic submission of the FAFSA is the recommended method and is accessible at http://www.fafsa.gov. If you prefer to submit a paper application, request a FAFSA from US Department of Education by contacting Federal Student Aid Programs at 1-800-4FED-AID. Allow 2 weeks for receipt.

If you need assistance completing the application you can obtain information from the experts at the Federal Student Aid Programs (1-800-4FED-AID), or you can call the WVU Financial Aid Office, 304-293-5242. You can also visit the Financial Aid Office online at http://finaid.wvu.edu/.

Once your application is processed by the Federal Processing Center, a notification will be sent to you either electronically (if you included an e-mail address on the application) or by a paper Student Aid Report (SAR).

If you listed WVU as a school to receive information, we will electronically receive your information from the processing center and begin to determine your eligibility.

Verification

Federal regulations require WVU to select a certain number of applications for a review process called “verification.” If your application is selected, you will be notified by our office through a written request for additional information. You will have 30 days to submit the required documents. Your financial aid will NOT be processed until all required documents are received.

Your Award

You will receive an award notification with the type(s) and amount(s) of financial aid you are eligible to receive. You must respond to the aid offer within 30 days; otherwise, awards may not be available. Many federal awards cannot be reinstated after being canceled or declined.

Application Tips

  1. Apply on time. The application deadline for need-based aid is March 1. To receive academic scholarships, the admissions application process must be completed by February 1.
  2. Be sure applications are complete and correct.
  3. When in doubt, ask questions.
  4. Know your rights and responsibilities.
  5. Read correspondence completely and respond promptly.
  6. Establish a budget for your college expenses and stick to it.
  7. Complete your federal tax returns as soon as possible and keep photocopies.

Please remember that applying for financial aid is your responsibility.