Financial Aid and Scholarships

Determine Your Eligibility to Apply for Aid

You must meet all of the basic eligibility factors listed on our Financial Aid Eligibility page to be eligible to apply for financial aid at Eastern Washington University.

Apply for Admission to EWU

• Undergraduate Students: Apply through Undergraduate Admissions. To be considered for priority funding, apply by Feb. 15 for the following academic year.
• Returning Students: If you have not attended EWU for more than three quarters, complete a Former Student Returning Form by Feb. 15 for the following academic year.
• Graduate Students: Apply through Graduate Admissions. To be considered for priority funding, apply by April 1 for the following academic year.

Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Be sure to file the correct FAFSA for the correct school year. At EWU, our school year runs from fall quarter through the following summer quarter.

Use the 2011-2012 FAFSA if applying for fall 2011 through summer 2012, and the 2012-2013 FAFSA if applying for fall 2012 through summer 2013.

• Priority Funding Deadline: If your 2012-2013 FAFSA was received by the Federal Processing Center by Feb. 15, 2012, you will receiv priority consideration for grant and work-study funding for the 2012-2013 academic year. You can submit the 2011-2012 FAFSA up through June 30, 2012, for the 2011-2012 academic year.
  
  
• Federal PINs: You (and/or your parents, if applicable) should apply for a Federal Personal Identification Number (PIN). The PIN will allow you to access personal information on various Department of Education systems, including the FAFSA. You can also use your PIN to electronically sign various pieces of information.
  
  
• New Applicants: The FAFSA is available beginning each January at FAFSA on the Web. The information of the FAFSA is analyzed by the Federal Processor and returned to EWU electronically if you list EWU as one of the receiving schools. Eastern Washington University's School Code is 003775.
  
  
• Renewal Applicants: If you have a FAFSA on file for the previous year, you can use your PIN to pre-fill certain data elements on your application for the current year and then complete the remainder of the application. As above, use FAFSA on the Web to complete this process.

Review your Student Aid Report (SAR) Online

Using your Federal Student Aid PIN, you can check your financial aid application status, view your Student Aid Report (SAR) information, correct your application data, and electronically sign your applications at FAFSA on the Web. Parents can also use their PINs to sign their student's financial aid applications electronically. Your Student Aid Report (SAR) is available for viewing approximately one week after you complete and submit your application. Please review your SAR and make any necessary corrections. Keep a copy for your records; we will receive an electronic copy if you listed EWU as one of the receiving schools.

Respond to Verification Requests

Approximately one-third of all applications are selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are selected, the EWU Financial Aid and Scholarship Office is required to verify the information submitted on your application. We will request a verification form and an IRS Tax Transcript (if you did not use the IRS data retrieval process, or changed the IRS data after you retrieved it). Respond immediately and include your name and EWU ID on each document you submit.

Review and Return Your Financial Aid Notification (FAN)

After your file is complete, you will receive a Financial Aid Notification (FAN) from our office detailing the aid for which you are eligible. Please accept or reject each type of aid offered and return the FAN within 30 days. If we do not hear from you, the offer may be subject to cancellation. You will be notified of all subsequent award revisions via your university-assigned e-mail account or by paper if you have not yet confirmed your intent to enroll.

If you are awarded a Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Loan, or Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), additional steps are necessary to obtain these loans.

Disbursement of Financial Aid Funds

The university will first apply your financial aid to your outstanding university charges. Any remaining funds will be disbursed to you on or after the first day of each quarter. You have the option of receiving your balance by: 1) direct deposit to a bank account or 2) by check sent to your mailing address on file with EWU. A check will automatically be mailed if you do not select direct deposit. You may update your address at any time on EagleNet. Additional information on financial aid disbursement is available in our Award Information and Instructions section.

FAFSA Application Tips

• File the correct FAFSA for the correct school year.
• Read the FAFSA instructions carefully as you complete the FAFSA on the Web.
• Make sure your Social Security Number is accurate.
• Use the exact name on your social security card. Notify the Social Security Administration if you change your name due to marriage or other reasons.
• Include your name and EWU ID on every document you send us.
• Use Eastern's school code (003775) to indicate that you want your FAFSA results sent to Eastern.
• Request a PIN and keep it with your records.
• Make sure you have the appropriate electronic signatures (yourself and your parents, if applicable).
• Use your completed federal income tax form if possible, but do not delay completing your FAFSA if your tax return is not finished. Use estimated tax information if necessary.
• Keep copies of your federal income tax forms and other documents for your records.
• Remember to keep a copy of the confirmation number after filing your FAFSA on the Web. Your application is not complete until you click on "submit".
• Update EWU and correct your processed FAFSA whenever you have an address change. Address changes may be made on EagleNet at any time. We will send mail throughout the year to your mailing address.
• Reapply by the priority date each year.