Financial Aid

Important Announcements

The biggest changes in 40 years is happening in Financial Aid starting the 2024-2025 academic year. You can learn more about the new FAFSA Simplification here!

How to check your financial aid status

Check your email along with the Tasks, Message Center, and Financial Aid tiles in your student homepage in ctcLink for updates on your financial aid. Be sure to check your preferred email for your award notification.

2025-2026 FAFSA/WASFA now available!

Renew your FAFSA/WASFA for the 2025-26 award year. This includes Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026. Start your application today!

Federal School Code

Our Federal School Code is 005006

Frequently Asked Questions

To apply for financial aid, follow the steps below!

There are many types of financial aid available to help you cover the costs of tuition, books, and living expenses while you go to school. Follow the steps below and download the Financial Aid Guide for reference!

Step 1: Apply for Financial Aid

All financial aid applications begin with the FAFSA or WASFA form.

Students enrolling for Spring 2025 should complete the 2024-25 FAFSA/WAFSA. The 2025-26 aid year begins Summer 2025.

The FAFSA application: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) provides financial aid for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens, such as permanent residents. Visit the FAFSA website to create your FSA ID and to complete your application.

Complete the FAFSA

The WASFA application: The Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) is for DACA or undocumented students. Visit the Washington Student Achievement Council website to complete your WASFA application.

Complete the WASFA

Need help deciding which form to complete? Answer a few quick questions on the WASFA Questionnaire to help you choose.

Step 2: Complete WWCC’s Financial Aid Information Form

Complete the 2024-25 Financial Aid Information Form for the current year and submit it to the Financial Aid Office.
24-25 Financial Aid Information Form

25-26 Financial Aid Information Form

To submit, complete the form online and save it to your computer. Once saved, the form can be emailed to [email protected]. Alternatively, you can print it and drop it off at the Admissions/Financial Aid counter on either campus or mail it to:

WWCC Financial Aid Office
500 Tausick Way
Walla Walla, WA 99362

Step 3: Stay up-to-date on your Award Status

Login to ctcLink via the mobile link. Follow these directions to review your financial aid award information.

ctcLink Mobile Login

Step 4: Submit Additional Documentation, If Required

If your FAFSA is federally selected for verification, you will be required to submit additional documentation to the Financial Aid Office. Verification is a review process where the Financial Aid Office ensures the accuracy of information reported on the FAFSA. Students are selected for verification by the Department of Education at the time they complete the FAFSA. Documents required for verification may include: Income Verification Form, Household Verification Form, tax transcripts or copies of 1040 tax forms and schedules, W-2 forms, verification of non-filing, and identity verification. Other documents may be requested as needed to resolve conflicting information found during verification.

Students who are selected for verification will be notified of the documents required through their “To Do” list in ctcLink. All required documents should be turned in by the priority processing date to complete your file. Financial aid funds will not be awarded until verification is completed.

If Selected, Click Here for More Information

Remember to report any changes

Other documentation may be required if you need your aid adjusted due to income changes, a change in credit load, or you need to file an appeal.

Step 5: Award Notification

Students are notified by email (sent to their email account marked as preferred in ctcLink) with a financial aid offer when their application is processed. The initial aid offer assumes that students will enroll in 12+ credits each term, which is considered full-time. Revised offers are sent with each update to an award. Updates may occur when additional funds are received or awarded, or dollar amounts on existing awards are adjusted. Students are encouraged to review all changes and take the appropriate action for the awards offered.

Your financial aid award will first be applied to any outstanding tuition and fees. Any remaining funds will be refunded to you through BankMobile after the start of the quarter.

Students may still be eligible for aid at lower enrollment levels. If eligible below full-time, federal and state grant aid is prorated based on the chart below:

Credit Hours	Enrollment Level (Old)	Enrollment Intensity (New)
12+	Full-time	100%
11	Three-quarter Time	92%
10		83%
9		75%
8	Half-time	67%
7		58%
6		50%
5	Less than half-time	42%
4		33%
3		25%
2	Ineligible for financial aid funds	Ineligible for financial aid funds
1	Ineligible for financial aid funds	Ineligible for financial aid funds

Students who plan to enroll less than full-time (12 credits) will need to complete an Enrollment Change Form to confirm their enrollment level and request to have their aid adjusted to their planned enrollment level before disbursement of funds.

As a reminder, the disbursement date that displays in your financial aid account is the earliest date your financial aid award can be applied to any charges on your account (your tuition and fee charges). This usually happens one or two days before the quarter starts. WWCC then subtracts your charges from your award, and the difference will be your refund. Refunds are issued after the quarter begins to account for any schedule changes that may affect charges.

Types of Financial Aid

Read the general overviews of the types of aid available to students below. Walla Walla Community College advisors and navigators are ready to help you understand the specific financial aid programs for which you qualify when you meet with them during mandatory advising each quarter.

Grants

Grants are gifts of money that do not have to be earned or repaid by the student. This is the preferred way of many students to pay for college before they start taking out loans. Refer to the 2024-25 Financial Aid Guide (coming soon!) for a complete list of all available grants.

Scholarships

Funding for scholarships is made possible through the generous support of individuals and organizations. The WWCC Foundation offers many scholarships to WWCC students each year. Students may also have scholarships from other sources, or “Outside Scholarships.” WWCC also offers a select number of athletic scholarships each year. These are separate from tuition waivers, which do not appear on award letters.

Individual scholarships may be restricted to covering specific educational expenses – such as tuition and books – or have specific eligibility criteria that must be met – such as maintaining a certain grade point average (GPA) or enrollment level – to qualify for funds awarded. Students should refer to the scholarship award letter they receive from the WWCC Foundation or sponsor for the conditions of their award. If a student does not meet the conditions of their scholarship, incurs fewer authorized expenses than the amount of their scholarship, or obtains financial assistance that collectively exceeds their Cost of Attendance budget, Walla Walla Community College may be required to return a portion or the full amount of that scholarship to its sponsor. Scholarship applications are separate from the application for financial aid (FAFSA), although some scholarships may also require you to complete the FAFSA, as well.

Generally, scholarship applications are available between January through April, and funds are awarded for the following academic year.

Student Loans

Loans are need or non-need based funds that must be repaid with interest and require a loan application. Students generally prefer to take out the smallest amount of loans and are usually the last resort.

Refer to the 2024-25 Financial Aid Guide (coming soon!) for a complete explanation of the types of student loans available and steps in applying for them.

Work Study

Types of Work Study Available

Work study is awarded based on need to students who indicate they are interested in student
employment on the FAFSA. Funds are earned through employment on and off campus. Students must
be enrolled in six or more credits per term.

Federal Work Study (FWS) – a federally funded program; providing on campus part-time jobs (8-10 hours per week) to students with financial need. Students must be taking at least 6 credits each quarter toward their intended degree and must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to remain eligible for FWS.

State Work Study (SWS) – a WA State funded program; providing on and off campus part time jobs (15-19 hours per week) to students who are residents of WA State and have financial need. Students must be taking at least 6 credits each quarter toward their intended degree and must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to remain eligible for SWS.

Requesting Work Study

Students who are interested in using their work study offer can get started by:

Accepting the offer online in ctcLink
Contacting our Career Services Specialist, Kim Hamann ([email protected])
Reviewing and applying for available jobs after accepting work study offer

Offers are automatically awarded to students for fall, winter, and spring terms and are estimates based on the number of hours that could be worked throughout the year.

Financial Aid Policies

To receive and maintain your financial aid, you’ll need to agree to certain terms and conditions, including making satisfactory academic progress.

Read Financial Aid Policies

Frequently Asked Questions About Financial Aid

Who should apply for aid?

Any student needing assistance with the cost of higher education should apply for financial aid. Not all federal aid is based on need, so WWCC encourages all students to file the FAFSA, regardless of family income.

What is a FAFSA?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (known as the FAFSA) is a form that can be filled out annually by current and anticipating college students, and sometimes their parents, in the United States. It is used to determine eligibility for federal student financial aid. Aid can include Pell grants, Stafford loans, PLUS loans, and work-study programs.

What is WASFA for DREAMers?

The Washington Application for State Financial Aid (known as WASFA) is a state financial aid program for DREAMers. Washington State offers aid to students who aren’t eligible for federal financial aid because of immigration status. Complete the free WASFA form to find out if you qualify for state financial aid.

WASFA guide en español

How will I know if I’m eligible for aid?

The WWCC Office of Student Financial Aid will review FAFSA data once an official record is provided to our office by the federal processor. Our office will provide Financial Aid Award notifications to students throughout the academic year. You will be notified of your financial aid eligibility depending on when you submit all documents to the Office of Student Financial Aid. Check this page annually for the release of checklists and timelines.

How and when will I get my financial aid?

Financial aid disbursements will be released to the Student Financials department on or just before the first day of each quarter. Your refund (the difference between your charges and award) will be based upon the option that you set up with BankMobile. If you have not been awarded your financial aid by the first day of the quarter, refunds will be made the next business day after your aid has been in place.

What is the Student Aid Index (SAI), how is it determined, and how does it affect my financial aid award?

The Family contribution calculations have changed with the new Simplified FAFSA . The “Estimated Family Contribution” has been renamed the “Student Aid Index.” The lower the Student Aid Index value, the higher the financial need and the greater the eligibility for federal financial aid. (The maximum Pell Grant is now $7,395 per year.) Use the Federal Student Aid Estimator tool linked below to see what you may be eligible for.

Federal Student Aid Estimator

Do I have to be a full-time student to receive financial aid?

You do not have to be enrolled full time (12 or more credits) to receive aid. However, if you enroll for less than full time, your grant award may be pro-rated for part time attendance. Your student loan amount remains the same as long as you enroll and complete at least 6 credits. If you have a student loan and enroll for less than 6 credits, you will not be eligible for the loan portion of your financial aid. However, you may still be eligible and able to receive a small amount of grant aid.

I’m returning to college after working for a while, does that impact my chances of getting financial aid?

Whether you are a new or returning student, you will need to complete a FAFSA application for each academic year. You will need to share updated information about your enrollment status, income, and financial situation.

Let us help you! The best thing to do is contact WWCC’s Student Success Center. One of our advisors will have up-to-date information to share and guide you through the application process and any requirements for returning students.

What do I need to do to continue receiving financial aid?

A new FAFSA is required for each year you are in college. It is best to apply as early as possible for each school year.

A student must also make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward completion of an eligible WWCC degree or certificate program. Follow this link to learn more about WWCC’s SAP requirements and other Financial Aid policies.

Who is considered a contributor on the 2024-25 FAFSA Form?

What Does It Mean To Provide Consent and Approval on the 2024–25 FAFSA Form? (youtube.com)

If I’m unable to finish my FAFSA application, what happens to it?

Any incomplete FAFSA will expire and disappear after 45 days, which means the form will need to be restarted after those 45 days have passed. Contributors who have not completed their sections will receive a reminder every 7 days to do so.