Financial Aid for Online Accelerated Students

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How Financial Aid Works for Online Accelerated Students

As an online accelerated student, you are in a special category of classes that operate at a faster pace than the other programs offered at EWU.

Learn more about how Financial Aid works differently for online accelerated students, what you can apply for, how to accept your aid and more.

Questions? You can make an appointment with the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office

Phone: 509.359.2314 | Fax: 509.359.4330 | Email: finaid@ewu.edu

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Getting Started Types of Loans Deadlines

By federal law, a student must commence at least half-time enrollment (4 or more credits) to receive Financial Aid loans. 

Getting Started

  1. Fill out a FAFSA

    Plan to complete your FAFSA and turn in all of your required documents 8-10 weeks prior to the start of your first session. This allows the Financial Aid team to process your loans on time for your online accelerated program.

    Be sure to file the correct FAFSA form for the correct academic year. At EWU, the academic year runs from fall through the following summer term.

    2024-25 FAFSA covers all sessions from Fall 2024, session one through Summer 2025 session.

    2025-26 FAFSA opens in December 2024, but is not used until Fall 2025, session one.

  2. Register for Both Sessions

    To keep both your academic plan and your Financial Aid on track, register for both sessions at once (example: Fall session I and Fall session II) your aid eligibility is based on the entire quarter.

    Example pattern of an online accelerated academic year:

    QuarterSession (Session Number)Weeks
    Fall QuarterSession One (A01-A49)Week 1-6
    Session Two (A50-A79)Week 7-12
    Winter QuarterSession One (A01-A49)Week 1-6
    Session Two (A50-A79)Week 7-12
    Spring QuarterSession One (A01-A49)Week 1-6
    Session Two (A50-A79)Week 7-12
    Summer QuarterOne Session Only (A01-A49)Weeks 1-6

  3. Accept Your Aid

    When calculating how much aid you would like to accept, be sure to include the cost of both sessions. The financial aid cost of attendance is estimated on an average of 8 credits hours for the whole quarter (for session I and session II together). If you are taking more than 8 credit hours for the whole quarter, review the cost per credit hour to further calculate your estimated cost.

    Your notice of a financial aid offer will be sent by email when it is available. To receive the aid, you must log into your EWU student portal and “accept” the offer. In addition, if you are borrowing a loan for the first time at EWU, you must complete a Master Promissory Note and Loan Counseling at studentaid.gov. These steps must be complete at least three days before available aid can apply to your EWU charges. Learn more about accepting your aid.

  4. Pay Your Bill

    Beginning the Friday before each session start, your accepted and available aid is applied to your EWU bill. If aid does not apply, regardless of the reason, you are still responsible to pay your session bill in full by the third class day to avoid session disenrollment. If your aid is delayed for any reason, you should pay your balance or set up a payment plan and be reimbursed when your aid becomes available.

    To pay your bill visit inside.ewu.edu > My Account > Student Financial Services > Pay My Bill.

    If you have questions about your bill or how to pay, or how to set up a payment plan, contact Student Financial Services at 509.359.6372 or sfsofc@ewu.edu.

Types of Loans

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

Graduate-level students are eligible for direct unsubsidized loans and can borrow up to $20,500. Total federal funding from subsidized and unsubsidized loans is capped at a total of $138,000 over your undergraduate and graduate periods. These loans accrue interest upon release of funds. Graduate-level students are not eligible for subsidized loans. 

More Information

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

Graduate-level students are eligible for Grad PLUS loan too. A graduate student borrower could borrow up to the total cost of attendance minus any other financial aid you are receiving. These loans accrue interest upon the release of funds. 

More Information

Deadlines

Three Days Before Class

By the end of the day, available financial aid is released and applied automatically to your EWU bill.

Two Days Before Class

Your tuition balance is due.

First Day of Class

Yay! Happy First Day! If your expected aid has not applied to your balance, contact Financial Aid. If your aid is delayed for any reason, you should pay your balance or set up a payment plan and be reimbursed when your aid becomes available.

Do you need a payment plan? You can sign up for one. Contact Student Financial Services for help on how to sign up at 509.359.6372 or sfsofc@ewu.edu.

Second Day of Class

Have you paid your balance? Be sure to pay before tomorrow.
Do you need a payment plan? You can still sign up for one.

Third Day of Class

Ensure your current session balance is paid in full by 11:30pm PST to avoid session disenrollment. Regardless of the reason, you are responsible to pay your balance in full (or set up a payment plan), or you will be disenrolled.

Graduate Programs

206 Showalter Hall
Cheney, WA 99004

Office Hours:
Mon. – Fri.: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Pacific Time Zone

Phone Hours:
Mon. – Fri.: 9 a.m. – 4.30 p.m. Pacific Time Zone

If you have questions about our programs, enrollment, or the admissions process, please contact the Graduate Programs Office at:

gradprograms@ewu.edu

509.359.6297
(Please include your full name, phone number, email, and your student ID number if you have one, in your voicemail.)

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