Financial Aid FAQs: COVID-19

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Do you have a financial plan ready for this upcoming semester? Be sure to meet priority deadlines, complete the 2425 FAFSA form, and make it part of your plan to visit with our team for your financial success.

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Financial Aid FAQs Related to COVID-19

NOTE: This is a complex, challenging, and fluid situation which continues to evolve rapidly. All information is subject to change as deemed necessary by University leadership in accordance with guidance and recommendations issued by federal, state, and local public health and government officials.

CARES/CRRSAA/ARP Act

Emergency Relief Funding FAQs CARES/CRRSAA/ARP Act Reporting - HEERF

How do I contact financial aid?

To contact our financial aid staff 24/7/365, call us at (316) 978-3430 or chat with us at wichita.edu/OneStop.
To meet with our financial aid staff, schedule a phone, Zoom, or Teams appointment at wichita.edu/finaidappt.
To send documents to our office electronically, use the online Dropbox, accessible from your myWSU student portal.
To mail documents to our office, send to:

Office of Financial Aid
1845 Fairmount Street
Wichita, KS 67260-0024

Financial difficulties/changes due to COVID-19

Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, families may be experiencing a reduction of income or job loss. Changes in finances may greatly impact a family’s ability to pay for college. The Department of Education allows financial aid administrators to use Professional Judgment to re-evaluate financial aid eligibility when the family income changes.

We may be able to use Professional Judgment on a case-by-case basis to make adjustments to the data used in calculating the estimated family contribution (EFC) to reflect these special circumstances.

If your family is experiencing financial issues (such as the loss of a job, reduction of income, or other extenuating circumstance), related specifically to the impact of the pandemic or otherwise, and would like to discuss emergency financial aid options and/or information about the process of a Professional Judgment for the 2021–2022 academic year, schedule an appointment to meet with a financial aid advisor at wichita.edu/finaidappt.

How does completely withdrawing from classes impact my financial aid?

If you are considering dropping any or all of your classes and received financial aid, please contact one of our financial aid advisors, and we can advise you specifically for how your aid may be impacted.

Due to the fact that federal financial aid is awarded based on your expected enrollment and anticipated costs for the full semester, if you do not complete the semester, the Office of Financial Aid is required to recalculate your financial aid eligibility based on your last date of attendance. If WSU is required to return more money than is available through any tuition refund, you will be billed and a hold will be placed on your account, which will prevent you from registering, obtaining copies of academic transcripts, or receiving your diploma.
Additionally, withdrawing from classes may affect your future financial aid eligibility through the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy. If you fall below SAP requirements, you will be placed on financial aid suspension and will have to file an appeal to be considered for future financial aid. For additional information regarding this policy visit here. We monitor SAP based on three measurements:
- Pace rate: Complete at least 67% of all attempted credit hours.
- Cumulative GPA: 2.00 required for undergraduate and 3.00 for graduate.
- Maximum time frame: Complete your course of study within 150% of the credit hours needed for your educational program.
Furthermore, if you drop below half-time enrollment, Wichita State must report your change in enrollment to the National Student Clearinghouse. This could activate your 6-month grace period for federal student loan repayment. After 6 months of non-enrollment or under-enrollment has passed, arrangements for repayment must be made.

How does dropping some (but not all) classes impact my financial aid?

As mentioned above, withdrawing from classes may affect your future financial aid eligibility through the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy. If you fall below SAP requirements, you will be placed on financial aid suspension and will have to file an appeal to be considered for future financial aid. For additional information regarding this policy visit here. We monitor SAP based on three measurements:
- Pace rate: Complete at least 67% of all attempted credit hours.
- Cumulative GPA: 2.00 required for undergraduate and 3.00 for graduate.
- Maximum time frame: Complete your course of study within 150% of the credit hours needed for your educational program.
A partial withdrawal from classes could also result in the required return of some of your federal aid, depending on the types of aid you have received. Please contact our office directly to determine how your specific student account will be impacted.

Is the Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid impacted by COVID-19?

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a federally regulated policy in which the Office of Financial Aid is required to monitor the academic progress of all students receiving federal financial aid. We monitor SAP each semester based on the following three measurements. COVID-19 may impact your SAP in the instance you no longer meet one of the following criteria:

Pace rate: Complete at least 67% of all attempted credit hours.
Cumulative GPA: 2.00 required for undergraduate and 3.00 for graduate.
Maximum time frame: Complete your course of study within 150% of the credit hours needed for your educational program.

If your failure to meet SAP after a specific term can be directly attributed to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, please schedule an appointment to discuss your circumstances witha financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress specialist at wichita.edu/finaidappt.