Financial Aid Offer Letter
If you completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and received your FAFSA submission summary, you will then receive your WMU financial aid offer letter. If you are a new or returning student, you will receive your interactive financial aid offer letter via your WMU email. Updated offer letter information is available in .
Determination of offers
Offer letters will tell you just how much aid you can expect to receive from WMU. Offers are determined based on several factors, including the information you and your family supplied on the FAFSA, your residency and your planned enrollment.
Offerings for new students are usually packaged in late winter for the upcoming year. Offerings for returning students are usually packaged in late spring.
Accept or decline offers
Student borrowers have the right to accept or decline their federal loans electronically on the ‘Accept Award Offer’ tab through goWMU. Students may request subsequent adjustments to their loans using the student financial aid adjustment form, which may be submitted securely through goWMU. Students have up until 30 days after your loan has disbursed to cancel or decrease your loan. More information available at wmich.edu/finaid/aid-types/loans. Once you have accepted your loan, you may be prompted to complete additional items in order for disbursement of the loan funds. Be sure to check goWMU for any unsatisfied requirements.
Financial aid terms you need to know
- Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of how much college will cost that includes tuition and fees, room and board, books, supplies and other university expenses.
- Student Aid Index (SAI) is the amount the federal government believes your family can contribute to one year of college and is used to determine financial need.
- Financial Need is the difference between Student Aid Index (SAI) and the Cost of Attendance (COA).
- Federal Work-study is a need-based program that allows students to work and earn a paycheck that is partially subsidized by the federal government.
- Federal Pell Grant is a federal grant for students with significant need. It is not repaid. Eligibility is determined in part by your student aid index .
- Federal SEOG is the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. It is a federal grant with limited funding and is not repaid. This grant is awarded to students with significant need.
- Federal Direct Subsidized Loan is a student loan that is federally funded and based on need. It carries a low, fixed interest rate.
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is not based on need. It offers a low interest rate and minimal fees. Interest accrues with disbursement.
- WMU Grant has limited funding and is provided by WMU to students with need. Eligibility is based in part on your expected family contribution.
Semesters/sessions
WMU breaks the school year into two semesters and two sessions. Financial aid is based on your estimated full-time enrollment. Most students enroll for fall and spring semesters. You may also enroll for classes during summer I and summer II sessions. Both of these sessions require an additional financial aid application available each spring semester on our Forms webpage. Your offer letter shows your aid by semester and session.
Military offer letter
The U.S. Department of Education requires our institution to send a more detailed offer letter to military active duty and veteran students. To view your interactive offer letter, please check your personal or WMU email.
Your offer letter may not include all your offers or resources. It does not include any Veterans Affairs education benefits you may have, including:
- Montgomery GI Bill®.
- Post-9/11 GI Bill®.
- Yellow Ribbon Program.
- Federal Tuition Assistance.
For more information about these programs, you should contact the WMU Office of Military and Veterans Affairs at (269) 387-4444.
After your offer letter
Once you receive your offer letter, you may be required to complete additional steps. Learn about the process by going to our After Your Offer Letter webpage.
Verification
In compliance with federal law, some students will be selected for verification. If you have been selected, we will contact you through your WMU email. You will then be required to submit additional documentation detailing household and other information. You need to turn in all requested documents as soon as possible to avoid any delay in processing your aid.
Some financial aid offers are time sensitive and could be reduced or revoked if you do not complete the verification process.
Satisfactory academic progress
To remain eligible for financial aid, you must make satisfactory academic progress at WMU. This means you must:
- Pass 67% of all attempted hours
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average as stated in the .
- Not exceed a maximum of 183 attempted undergraduate hours, including transfer credit hours.