| Q: | How do I qualify for financial aid? |
| A: | Eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid is determined by a student's annual filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Widener University's priority deadline for filing these forms is February 15 for new students and March 1 for continuing students. Graduate students have a priority deadline of March 1, and in addition to the FAFSA, should also submit a Graduate Financial Aid Application Form each year. The Graduate Financial Aid Application Form is located under Publications and Forms on the Student Financial Services website. |
| Q: | What is the income cut-off for financial aid? |
| A: | There is no income cut-off for financial aid. The amount of financial aid you will receive is determined by your family's financial need as calculated by your annual FAFSA. |
| Q: | Where do I get an application for financial aid? |
| A: | You can complete the FAFSA application online. Students and parents of dependent students will be required to sign up for a PIN number which will serve as their electronic signature for the FAFSA online. |
| Q: | What is Widener's Title IV School code? |
| A: | 003313 |
| Q: | How do I apply for Widener academic scholarships? |
| A: | When you submit your application for admission to Widener University, you are automatically considered for all the academic scholarships the college offers. If any additional information is required, the Office of Admissions will contact you directly. The scholarships range from $6,000 to full tuition for entering freshman. |
| Q: | If I receive an academic scholarship, how does that affect my financial aid package? |
| A: | Academic award decisions are made independently from the need-based financial aid awards. However, because of federal guidelines, academic scholarship awards must be counted as a financial aid source and will be listed on your award letter. |
| Q: | If I receive a scholarship from my high school or local organization, how will it affect my financial aid award? |
| A: | Widener University students on financial aid, including academic scholarship recipients, are required to report their outside awards to Student Financial Services as soon as they are notified of them. No amount of aid, including outside awards and merit scholarships, can ever exceed Widener's cost of attendance. If necessary, adjustments to Widener financial aid awards will occur first to the self-help portion (federal loans, student employment) of the aid offer, but may affect need based grants and Widener tuition only scholarships. |
| Q: | How does the student employment program work at Widener University? |
| A: | Students are awarded student employment as part of their financial aid package if they have financial need. The average student employment award is $1,000. It has been our experience that by working 10-12 hours a week, the students can easily earn the full $1,000 award. Students can find out about the jobs that will be open by logging on to the Widener Student Financial Services web site, checking Campus Cruiser announcements, or picking up job listings from Student Financial Services. Students are responsible for contacting the supervisor listed and obtaining their own job. They will receive a bi-weekly paycheck for their work. |
| Q: | Can I expect the same financial aid package for all four years at Widener? |
| A: | A student's need-based financial aid package is renewed each year provided the student still demonstrates financial need as determined by the annual filing of the FAFSA, is making satisfactory academic progress, and is in good standing in the college community. However, if your financial need decreases due to a change in your family's circumstances (i.e., the size of your family decreases, the number in college decreases, your family's income or assets increases), or you are having difficulty with your academic performance, your need-based financial aid award will be affected. |
| Q: | How can I be an independent student? |
| A: |
In order to be considered independent for federal and state purposes for the 2008-2009 academic year, you must meet one of the following criteria:
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| Q: | When do I have to repay my loans? |
| A: | Federal Perkins and subsidized Federal Stafford Loans have a grace period of 9 and 6 months, respectively, from the date of graduation, the date a student drops below half-time enrollment, or the date a student withdraws from school. Before it is time to start repayment, you should receive a repayment schedule disclosure from your lender which tells you the total amount borrowed, current interest rates, due dates for payments, and total you will pay over the life of the loan if you follow the schedule. You can estimate your monthly repayment amounts using loan repayment calculators on the web. American Education Services, FinAid, and Mapping Your Future are among some of the sites offering calculators. Be sure to check your promissory note for types of payment deferments and loan cancellations available for your particular type of loan. |
| Q: | I just received my Student Aid Report (SAR). The processor says I need to make corrections. How do I do this? |
| A: | Make any necessary corrections on part 2 of the SAR, then sign and return the form to the address listed. You may also correct your FAFSA application online using your Federal PIN number(s). Be sure to not only save the updates/changes but also do the final step and submit them. |
Widener University
One University Place
Chester, PA 19013
tel: 610-499-4152
fax: 610-499-4687
finaidmc@mail.widener.edu