Application Procedures for Financial Aid

  1. Wilmington University requires all financial aid applicants to complete the FAFSA each academic year and strongly urges all students to do so online at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa. If not already done, students must register for an FSA ID as the first step in completing the FAFSA online. When accessing the FAFSA web site, students who do not have an FSA ID are directed to apply for one. The FSA ID allows students to electronically sign the FAFSA, which reduces federal processing time to days instead of weeks. The data required on the FAFSA is based on the federal income tax information from two years prior.
  2. Upon receipt of a student’s FAFSA data, Wilmington University will send an email communication indicating what additional requirements are needed to complete processing. Students must be fully admitted into an eligible degree or certificate program and complete all requirements before financial aid awards will be made.
  3. Upon completion of all requirements, a determination will be made by Wilmington University as to the applicant’s aid eligibility. Students will receive an Award Notification from the Financial Aid Office directing them to their student portal to view the types and amount of aid offered to them.
  4. Students who are offered and who accept student loans for the first time must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Students who have received or who are currently receiving a student loan at Wilmington University do not have to do this, as the MPN is good for 10 years. First time loan borrowers or borrowers who have completed Exit Counseling after graduating with a prior degree, must complete an online Entrance Counseling session before any federal student loans can be disbursed.  Federal Direct Entrance Counseling is an online educational tool for student loan borrowers. Entrance Counseling only has to be completed one time for the duration of the student’s degree program enrollment.
  5. To be eligible for aid, applicants must be fully admitted into a degree program. To receive aid in most aid programs, students must maintain an enrollment of a minimum of six credits per semester in courses in their program of study.
  6. The financial aid office advises all students to log on to studentaid.gov and complete the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment (ASLA) process prior to accepting additional federal student loans.