Your part in the financial aid process doesn't end when you receive your offer letter. Depending on your situation, you may have to complete additional steps. Our financial aid checklist will help you finish the process. To find out what requirements you need to complete, visit goWMU. You can check the status of your financial aid anytime.
Additional funds
Financial aid doesn't always cover your entire cost. If you need additional help, you might need to consider private alternative loans.
Financial aid adjustment form
The student financial aid adjustment form must be completed and returned to Student Financial Aid at least 30 days prior to your last date of enrollment for the applicable aid year to do the following:
- Decline or reduce the amount of federal direct student loans.
- Decline Federal Direct Grad/Parent PLUS Loan(s).
- Cancel all offers if you are not attending WMU.
- If graduating at the end of Summer or Fall, rather than the end of Spring, we will recalculate your aid based upon that enrollment period. If you are going to be a graduate student at WMU, you must notify us in order to receive financial aid at the graduate level.
Scholarship resource form
You must notify our office of scholarships, assistantships, tuition benefits and other resources received from sources outside of the state and WMU. To do this, complete the scholarship resource form and return it to Student Financial Aid. Private donor scholarships will be indicated as "estimated offers" until the check from the donor is received by our office.
Federal payment authorization
If you are receiving federal financial aid, you must select an option to pay all charges on your WMU account at the time those funds are paid, or limit the payment to only tuition, fees and on-campus room and board charges. If you already completed this form in a prior year, it is not necessary for you to complete it again. You can complete the form online for the first time after your account has been setup. If you wish to change your payment option, complete and submit the paper federal payment authorization form. If the form is not received prior to the disbursement of your federal aid, we will assume you want your federal aid to pay only tuition, fees and on-campus room and board charges.
Electronic Master Promissory Note
The E-MPN can be used to receive multiple Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans. By signing the E-MPN, you are receiving a "line of credit" for the maximum amount of loans for which you are eligible, not to exceed the maximums allowable under the Higher Education Act. If you are a first-time borrower, you must complete an Electronic Master Promissory Note. If notification of the completion of the E-MPN is not received within 30 days of your acceptance of the loan, or at least 30 days prior to your last date of enrollment, your loans may be canceled.
Loan entrance counseling
If you are a first-time borrower of a federal direct loan at WMU, you can complete entrance counseling. We will be notified electronically that you have successfully completed entrance counseling. Your loans will not pay toward your tuition and fees or other WMU charges until entrance counseling has been completed. If you are enrolled and have not completed entrance counseling within at least 30 days after your loans have been offered, your loans may be canceled.