Financial Support

Washington University is committed to continuing to find new ways to provide students the resources they need to engage fully in academic and campus life. Student Financial Services has worked to create a variety of special programs to ensure access and affordability for students regardless of their ability to pay tuition and fees.

Washington University bases most financial assistance on a careful assessment of financial need. The university also offers a limited number of academic scholarships and fellowships awarded based primarily on academic achievement and outstanding promise for excellence at WashU. Other financing options and innovative plans — such as the university's Partners in Education with Parents program and the Installment Payment Plan (the monthly payment plan administered by CASHNet) — assist students and families with financing the university's costs.

Eligible Washington University undergraduate students receive need-based financial assistance, which is offered in combinations of scholarships, grants, federal student loans, and part-time on-campus employment.

Applicants' financial circumstances are considered individually during the financial assistance process. When evaluating the extent of each applicant's need, the university considers many factors besides family income, such as the number of people in the family, the number of children in college at the same time, and special financial circumstances.

The university strives to make attendance a financial reality for qualified students, even when financial need is great. Information about application procedures may be obtained from Student Financial Services.

Veterans. Washington University is committed to ensuring the success of all military-connected students in their pursuit of attitudes, skills, and habits of lifelong learning and leadership. For more information about how we support veterans, military service members, spouses, dependent children, caregivers, survivors, and ROTC Cadets, visit the Office of Military & Veteran Services. Specific information about benefits is available.

Scholarship Funds

Many generous Washington University donors provide scholarship funds to assist deserving students who need financial support to attend WashU. These scholarships are included in financial assistance awards. In addition, all applicants for admission are jointly considered for scholarships offered by academic divisions based on merit and financial need. Our Signature Scholars Programs — Danforth, Ervin, and Rodriguiez — are awarded through a special application process. Signature Scholarships are awarded based primarily on merit, with consideration for financial need. For scholarship information, please visit the Admissions website.

Army ROTC Scholarships

High school seniors can apply for four-year Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships. Current students can apply for three- and two-year scholarships. Students pursuing a graduate or advanced degree can compete for a two-year scholarship. Army ROTC scholarships are awarded based on merit, and they cover the full amount of tuition and mandatory fees. Army ROTC scholarships also include support for textbook purchases once per semester and a monthly subsistence allowance during the period that the student is in school on scholarship status. Some students who receive Army ROTC scholarships also receive stipends from the university toward room and board. The source of the student's stipend will be the university, the federal or state government, or other scholarships, depending on the student's eligibility for financial assistance. For more information, contact the Military Science Department, Washington University in St. Louis, 700 Rosedale Ave., Suite 1550, St. Louis, MO 63112; call 314-935-5521; or visit the Washington University Army ROTC website. The Four-Year Scholarship application may be submitted through the Army ROTC National Headquarters website.

Air Force ROTC Scholarships

High school seniors may compete for three- or four-year Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) scholarships, which cover up to full tuition at Washington University, plus a monthly stipend and allowance for books. The In-College Scholarship Program (ICSP) requirements vary from year to year and require at least one semester of AFROTC participation prior to application. Extensive information and the electronic application portal can be found on the AFROTC website. Some students who receive AFROTC scholarships also receive stipends from the university for room and board. The source of the student's stipend will be the university, the federal or state government, or other scholarships, depending on the student's eligibility for financial assistance.

Different types of AFROTC merit-based scholarships are available to students studying at Washington University. However, a scholarship is not required to join AFROTC or to successfully begin a career as an Air Force officer. For scholarship details, contact AFROTC Detachment 207 at 314-977-8328 or afrotc@slu.edu.

Corporation Awards to Children of Employees

A number of companies have scholarship programs open to the children of their employees. Inquiries about such plans should be made through the parents' employers.

Loans

While our financial assistance packages do not initially include loans to meet demonstrated financial need, families may elect to take loans to pay their portion of costs. Washington University participates in federal student and parent loan programs. These loans provide reasonable interest rates and long-term repayment schedules.

Partners in Education with Parents (PEP)

Partners in Education with Parents (PEP) is an innovative multiple-option program financed and operated by Washington University to help parents and families pay university charges for tuition, fees, room and board.

PEP continues Washington University's commitment to a partnership with the families of our students. This partnership includes a variety of choices to make the family contribution as affordable as possible. Families may choose the Multiyear Option, Prepayment Option, Combination Option or Annual Option.

The PEP Multiyear Option allows families to borrow one initial amount at the start of the entering year to cover all or part of four years of tuition, fees, room and board charges. This option freezes the charges covered by PEP at the entering-year rate based on the percentage of costs covered by the PEP (participation rate). Families can benefit from the competitive fixed interest rate and take up to 10 years to repay. There is no penalty for prepayment.

The PEP program also offers the choice to prepay, without borrowing from Washington University, all or part of the tuition, fees, room and board charges for all four undergraduate years at the entering-year rate. This Prepayment Option assures families that the prepaid portion of college expenses is covered and will not be subject to later increases in university costs.

Families can also choose the Combination Option, which allows them to prepay a portion of the charges and then borrow the rest from Washington University. This combination works well for families who may have saved for a portion or most of their student's college expenses and who want to take advantage of the benefit of increasing their participation rate by using PEP to finance the remaining charges.

If the family prefers to borrow for college costs one year at a time, then the PEP Annual Option might be their best choice. Each year, the family can borrow an amount up to or equal to that year's tuition, fees, room and board charges and take up to 10 years to repay. There is no penalty for prepayment, and they can benefit from the competitive fixed interest rate.

Financing under the Multiyear, Combination or Annual Options requires no security or collateral from participants. A prospective participant must have a good credit rating and provide evidence of being able to meet the required monthly payments to be approved for a loan.

More information about Partners in Education with Parents is available by contacting Student & Parent Loan Programs, Attn: PEP, Washington University in St. Louis, MSC 1041-105-05, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899; calling 314-935-4139 or 800-468-0569; faxing 314-696-0563; emailing pepfinancial@wustl.edu; or visiting the Partners in Education with Parents website.

Installment Payment Plan (Monthly Payment Plan)

The monthly payment plan, which is administered by CASHNet, provides for the payment of the total annual university charges — tuition, fees, room and board — in monthly installments. Information about this plan is provided to all admitted students or may be obtained directly from Student Financial Services. For details, visit the Student Financial Services website.

Federal Work-Study

If students apply for financial assistance, they are considered for the Federal Work-Study Program. Students who participate in this program work an average of 10 to 12 hours per week on campus and typically earn up to $2,500 over the course of the academic year. Money earned through Federal Work-Study is paid directly to the student, typically through biweekly direct deposit; it is not applied to the student's university account.

Academic Load Status for Financial Aid, Immigration and Enrollment Verification

Status Enrolled Units
Status	Enrolled Units of Credit
Full time	12+ units
Three-quarter time	9-11.99 units
Half time	6-8.99 units
Less than half time	Fewer than 6 units