Important Information for Completing the FAFSA

Apply for Admission

Students must be accepted into a financial aid eligible program at Western to receive aid. The admissions application can be completed either before or after completing the FAFSA; however, please note that a financial aid award package will not be determined until the student has applied and accepted into a program. Western must have your correct, complete FAFSA information by your last day of enrollment or no later than June 30th of the school year you're attending, whichever occurs first.

FSA ID

To complete the FAFSA, students (and a parent/spouse) will need to create a federal student aid ID (FSA ID) to sign electronically. An FSA ID can be created  at studentaid.gov/fsa-id.

School Code

Western's federal school code is 003840.

FAFSA Year Varies by Term

When applying for financial aid, please choose the appropriate FAFSA year:

TrimesterFAFSA Year
Summer 20262025-2026
Fall 20262026-2027
Spring 20272026-2027
Summer 20272026-2027
Fall 20272027-2028

What's Next?

The federal processing center will do an initial review of the FAFSA and then send it to Western. After Western’s Financial Aid Resources and Planning Services reviews a student’s application, an email will be sent to indicate next steps.

See the detailed Financial Aid Checklist (PDF) for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Visit the Federal Student Aid website for answers to common questions such as: Do I need to provide my parent’s information on the FAFSA? Who is considered my parent when I complete the FAFSA? Do I need to complete a FAFSA each year?

Visit Federal Student Aid Website

Verification

Verification is the process your school uses to confirm that the data reported on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is accurate. If you’re selected for verification, Western will request additional documentation that supports the information you reported. All requested documents will be listed on your Western Financial Aid account. To access this account, log into your MyWestern, click on Self-Service, then click on Financial Aid.

Western will not award or disburse financial aid until verification is complete and all corrections are received. It is the student’s responsibility to submit all documents requested prior to the end of the enrollment period. If a student fails to submit all documents requested, their financial aid will be placed on hold and will not be processed.

Western monument sign

Let Us Help

To receive help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), attend one of the FAFSA Together events! To view the dates and times for the FAFSA Together events, visit the student events calendar. Have other questions? Please contact us.