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Welcome to Financial Aid

For many students and families, the cost of attending college can be too great to manage alone – for this reason, the WIU Financial Aid Office is available to assist eligible students in obtaining financial aid so they may achieve their educational goals.

2013-14 FAFSA Now Available!

To maximize your financial aid opportunities for next year, complete your 2013-14 FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov as soon as possible after January 1, 2013. Students should also review the WIU Financial Aid Process, use STARS to view the status of their FAFSA application, and regularly check their WIU email account for requests and notifications.

• Important Spring 2013 Financial Aid Information
• Financial Aid Scams
• PARENTS: Incorrectly received a notice to begin repayment?
• Notice: For first-time federal student loan borrowers
• New Pell Lifetime Limits
• New Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
• New Repeated Course info.
• New Verification Process for 2012-13!

Important Spring 2013 Financial Aid Information

Available to answer common semester start-up questions ...

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Financial Aid Scams

When completing your FAFSA, applying for outside scholarships, or consolidating loans, be aware of financial scams. Unreliable sources often ask for money or donations, personal banking information, or require students to attend seminars to "learn more". Others tell applicants they are "guaranteed" to receive ...

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PARENTS: Incorrectly received a notice to begin repayment?

If you believe you have incorrectly received a notice to begin repayment on your Fall 2012 - Spring 2013 Parent PLUS Loan, you are not alone. To confirm if your billing statement was incorrect, contact the loan servicer who sent you the statement. You can also find loan servicer information online at National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website.

Notice: For first-time federal student loan borrowers

First-time federal student loan borrowers must complete a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling online. PLEASE NOTE: Financial Awareness Counseling, also available at StudentLoans website, is NOT required of any WIU student.

New Pell Lifetime Limits

New limits for the grant have been established, restricting the lifetime Pell funds a student may receive to the equivalent of six years ...

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New Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Western's Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy changed during the Fall 2011 semester. These changes were in compliance with new federal regulations that went into effect July 1, 2011 ...

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New Repeated Course info.

New federal financial aid regulations beginning Fall 2011 affect our ability to base financial aid on courses that you have already taken ...

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New Verification Process for 2012-13!

Changes from the Department of Education allow us to simplify our verification process for many students. If you and your parents are able to retrieve your IRS data directly from the IRS to your FAFSA, your chances of being selected for verification are greatly reduced ...

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Get Started

There's a lot to cover, so the best place to begin is our Getting Started section - here you can find checklists, timelines, helpful hints, and other tools created specifically for WIU students.

The first step is always completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can be done online at www.fafsa.gov. If you're looking for a quick and easy review, check out the:

• 7 Easy Steps to the FAFSA video tutorial and
• IRS Data Retrieval video tutorial

Of course, different types of students may need different information. Click below to determine if there are any specific instructions or requirements that may apply to you:

Stay in Touch

Are you looking for an easy way to stay up to date in the world of financial aid? Visit us on Facebook! Even better, ‘Like’ our page, and you will receive regular reminders, updates, and current financial aid news through your Facebook News Feed. It’s a great way for WIU students and parents to stay informed!