Financial Aid FAQs for On-Campus Students

All new students meet one-on-one with a financial aid advisor to get individualized advice during a packaging appointment. Your advisor will go over the different kinds of assistance available to cover the cost of your first year at WCU.

If you have questions while you’re a student at WCU, you can visit the Financial Aid Office on campus to speak with an advisor. For additional details, please visit the Financial Assistance page on our catalog.

In order to transfer credits from previous institutions, you must submit sealed official transcripts before your first day of class. If you’re unable to submit transcripts or transcripts are unavailable, you may be conditionally enrolled for one term by submitting unofficial transcripts no later than four days after the start of your first term.

If your packaging appointment with the Financial Aid Office is scheduled before your official transcripts are evaluated, you will be notified when transfer credits post to your academic record. You may request a meeting with the Financial Aid Office to see how the transfer credits impact financial aid eligibility.

Explore tuition costs for our different campus programs at WCU:

• California Undergraduate Programs
• California Graduate Programs
• Florida Undergraduate Programs
• Texas Undergraduate Programs
• Texas Graduate Programs

Transfer credits can help lower the total cost of your program. Our financial aid advisors can help you learn how tuition amounts are calculated to help determine program costs after transfer credits are applied to your academic record.

Qualifying students can take advantage of various types of financial aid options, including grants, scholarships, federal and private student loans, federal work-study, and more. For more detailed information, visit the Financial Aid Programs page of the WCU catalog.

While federal student aid may be incorporated into your plan (assuming you qualify), there is typically a remaining balance that is not covered by federal funds. A financial aid advisor will help you explore other options to cover this remaining amount.

Yes, WCU does accept funding from outside agencies. Provide a copy of your offer letter from the outside agency to your financial aid advisor who will counsel you on next steps.

We offer interest-free payment plans that allow annual tuition costs to be paid over the course of the academic year. To calculate the monthly amount, the balance is divided into nine equal payments and must be paid on time each month. Students who opt to continue with cash payments in subsequent academic years must have their balance paid in full at the end of the current academic year.

If you opt for our interest-free payment plan, you can choose to pay a down payment and reduce your remaining balance. This will help lower your monthly payment obligation, as long as payments are timely.

To learn about your federal student aid options and get an estimate of how much student aid you may be eligible to receive, visit the Types of Financial Aid page on the Federal Student Aid website.

Federal student loans and federal parent loans are provided by the federal government, whereas private student loans are made by a lender such as a bank, credit union, state agency, or a school. Federal student loans come with benefits such as fixed interest rates and income-driven repayment plans, and they are bound by terms and conditions that are established by law. The Federal Student Aid website has a more extensive breakdown of the differences between federal and private student loans.

West Coast University does not make any recommendations regarding private lender selection for students who decide to pursue private loan options. Students may borrow from any lender. Be sure to research and review each lender’s terms and conditions before making a final decision.

After you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment, you will have a six-month grace period before you are required to begin repayment. During this period, you’ll receive repayment information from your loan servicer, and you’ll be notified of your first payment due date. Payments are usually due monthly. Learn more about repaying federal student loans.

Generally, private loans require that the borrower is a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or a permanent resident and must be creditworthy. International students are eligible with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident) and appropriate U.S. citizenship and immigration service documentation. If the student has no credit or a poor credit history, he or she may still qualify for a loan by applying with a creditworthy co-borrower.

Most lenders expect you to have a qualified co-borrower before they will approve the loan. Interest rates and repayment terms vary between private lenders.

When you transfer from one school to another, there are a many different factors that could affect the amount and types of student aid for which you are eligible. If you are considering transferring to WCU, you can find more information on the Federal Student Aid website.

The California undergraduate campuses participate in the Post-9/11 GI Bill® Yellow Ribbon program. A limited number of qualified students will receive the offer each academic year. Offers are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. Submit a Yellow Ribbon application via WCU’s secure student portal to request consideration for these funds. Get additional information regarding military educational benefits.

Veterans or active-duty military who are unsure of their eligibility should contact the Veterans Administration or Department of Defense directly.

Unfortunately, undocumented students, including DACA recipients, are NOT eligible for federal student aid.

West Coast University and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security require confirmation of financial resources from all applicants who hold or plan to apply for an international student (F-1) visa at the time they apply for admissions.

Most foreign citizens are not eligible for federal student aid from the U.S. Department of Education. There are, however, some instances in which noncitizens may be eligible for financial aid from the U.S. federal government. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid website.

Generally, private loans require that the borrower be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident, and they must creditworthy. International students are eligible with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident) and appropriate U.S. citizenship and immigration service documentation.

If you had an unusual change in circumstances such as a decrease in income, a change in family size, or a change in dependency status, you may be eligible to have your financial aid award adjusted. To have your circumstances reviewed for this purpose, submit a professional judgment request with the Financial Aid Office. If approved, our financial aid advisors will be able to update the data used to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which can potentially result in a revised financial aid package. Learn about our professional judgment policy.

We offer several scholarship and grant opportunities to students who qualify. To be eligible, students must be admitted to the university and meet any fund-specific requirements. Unless otherwise noted, all WCU scholarships and grants are applied toward university tuition and fees. Funds are limited and not all who apply will receive an offer.

Explore the scholarships and grants that are currently available:

• Undergraduate Programs
• Pharmacy Program

Scholarships may be offered by external agencies, employers, companies, communities, religious groups, professional associations, or social organizations. Students admitted WCU will be granted access to Scholarship Universe, a database of external scholarships that can help them identify opportunities.

Transfer students can receive scholarships and grants if they meet the eligibility requirements. To be eligible for WCU scholarships or grants, students must be admitted to the university and meet any fund-specific requirements. Unless otherwise noted, all WCU scholarships and grants are applied toward university tuition and fees. Funds are limited and not all who apply will receive an offer.

Learn more about the current scholarships and grants that are available:

• Undergraduate Programs
• Pharmacy Program

Graduate students are NOT eligible for the Federal Pell Grant. Learn more about the Federal Pell Grant and its eligibility requirements.

If a student gives written notice of cancellation without attending any courses, all expected financial aid funds will be cancelled. Learn more about a student’s right to cancel an enrollment agreement at WCU.

Once you submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form, you will be taken to a confirmation page with a confirmation number. Your confirmation number serves as proof of your successful FAFSA submission or correction.

Be sure to print or screenshot the confirmation page to keep for your records. If you provided an email address on your FAFSA form or correction, your confirmation information will also be emailed to you automatically.

To check the status of your FAFSA form, take the following steps:

1. Log in to studentaid.gov.
2. Select that you are a student.
3. Select “Continue.”
4. Your FAFSA status can be found on the “My FAFSA” page, which you’ll see right after you log in if you’ve started or completed a FAFSA form.

To check the status of your FAFSA form, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

The school code is 036983 for all West Coast University programs and campuses. Enter it as shown below on your FAFSA.

All students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA. Our financial aid advisors use this information to determine a student’s eligibility for federal aid programs, and it assists them in deciding what resources may be best suited to the student’s circumstances.

Yes, you need to complete the FAFSA for every year you wish to apply for financial aid. Renewal of financial aid is not automatic. The FAFSA is available every year starting October 1 at www.fafsa.gov. Recipients are required to reapply each year by the announced deadline.

Students who opt to make cash payments must complete a new payment contract each academic year.