How to Apply for Student Financial Aid

Students who wish to be considered for federal and/or state student financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Links to the application process online are provided at https://www.indwes.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/#how:

• When completing the FAFSA (direct link is https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa) you must list IWU’s Title IV Code, 001822, or IWU will not receive your FAFSA information from the federal processor.
• You must disclose any additional funding you will receive from employer reimbursement, vocational rehabilitation, or private scholarships to help pay for your education.  To facilitate this requirement, complete the Other Aid Source Disclosure Form available online at https://www.indwes.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/_files/Other-Aid-Source-Disclosure-Form.pdf.
• If loans are desired, students must complete the Loan Entrance Counseling Session and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note online (direct link is https://studentaid.gov). You must have an established Federal Student Aid (FSA) username and password in order to complete these items. For each item, you must enter "Indiana" in the "Choose a State" field even if you attend classes in another state or online.
  • Entrance Counseling Session: Log in using your FSA username and password. Hover over "Loans and Grants" in the navigation bar and select "Loan Entrance Counseling" under the "Get a Loan" heading to the left. On the next page, select the appropriate counseling session for your program level (undergraduate or graduate/professional). 
  • Master Promissory Note: Log in using your FSA ID and password. Hover over "Loans and Grants" in the navigation bar and select "Master Promissory Note (MPN)" under the "Get a Loan" heading to the left. On the next page, select the appropriate MPN for your program level (undergraduate or graduate/professional).
  • The Financial Aid Office's standard practice is to originate federal student loans for the amount of a student's maximum eligibility. If you wish to have a lesser loan amount originated than your maximum eligibility, complete the Reduced Loan Request form available online at https://www.indwes.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/_files/Reduced-Loan-Request-Form.pdf.

Once the above steps have been completed, be certain to:

• Quickly respond to requests for additional information from the Financial Aid Office. You may be asked, as required by federal regulations, to provide items for review in a process called Verification.  Some items that may be requested are: a completed Verification Worksheet, a completed and notarized Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose Form, and a signed copy of your Federal Income Tax Return (and your spouse’s or parents' as appropriate).
• Fully complete all forms. Forms filled out incorrectly or submitted to the wrong office or IWU regional location could complicate your approval to begin classes or delay your student financial aid offer.