How to apply for financial aid at Wheaton

The U.S. Department of Education has created eligibility guidelines for federal grants that also apply for state grants and Wheaton College need-based financial aid. In addition to academic record and institutional enrollment requirements, you must be a U.S. citizen, an eligible non-citizen, or one of several designations approved by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Your status as a dependent or independent person also plays a role in your eligibility for financial aid. Visit the U.S. Department of Education website for a full explanation of these guidelines.

Before applying for financial aid, research and apply for scholarships or other types of gift aid. The amount of need-based aid you receive will be calculated based on Wheaton College's cost of attendance, your academic scholarships, and your FAFSA expected family contribution (which can include any scholarships you have earned).

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the only application required to apply for financial aid. The 2022-2023 FAFSA went live on the Federal Student Aid website on October 1, 2022. For Wheaton College, please use College Code 00178100.

Submit your FAFSA according to the following deadlines based on your application status:

Illinois Residents: We recommend that you submit the FAFSA by November 15 to be considered for the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant.

Wheaton College will process estimated financial aid awards for new undergraduates by June 1.

If a student is required to go through verification, they will be required to submit additional items, including:

• Verification worksheet
• W2s for non-tax filers with income

All verification information must be submitted before your final award is determined and funds are disbursed. The amount of your award may change depending on final tax data and other verification information.

Use the Wheaton Portal to review your financial aid offer and accept or decline any portion of the offer. (If you have not set up your Wheaton Portal, refer to these instructions to do so.)

• Click on “New Undergraduate Student” on the left, then “Banner Self-Service” on the right. Choose “Financial Aid,” then “Financial Aid Status.”
• Choose the appropriate aid year, “2022-2023,” and click “Submit.”
• Click the link titled “You have been awarded financial aid…”
• Carefully follow the instructions on your Award Package page, moving through the tabs from left to right, to accept your award.

Future notifications about your financial aid status will be sent to your Wheaton College email address. If you have not set up your Wheaton College email address, refer to these instructions to do so. If you use another primary email address, please forward your Wheaton College address to your preferred email address.

If you feel that the determination of your financial need is not sufficient, you may appeal the decision. Please review the Appeal Procedure Explanation (PDF) and contact your Student Financial Services advisor to discuss the situation.

March 1, 2022 is the priority deadline to submit the FAFSA for 2022-2023 financial aid consideration. You can submit these items after that deadline but be aware that you may not have full consideration for Wheaton Grant funds, which are distributed on a first come, first serve basis.

Note for state funding recipients: Because state funding is often subject to availability, Wheaton College encourages families to submit your FAFSA earlier than March 1. For Illinois residents, we recommend filing by November 15, 2021, for maximum consideration for the MAP Grant.

You will be notified if your financial aid source requires verification documents. Specific financial aid sources require different verification documents and follow different deadlines. For example:

• Campus-based, direct loan, and institutional need-based aid require submission of verification documents before the last day of your current enrollment year.
• Pell Grants require submission of verification documents 120 days after the last day of your current enrollment year or earlier.

All documents you submit must include your full name and student ID number.

Important: Financial aid awards cannot be processed until you submit all the verification items required for your financial aid source. If your financial aid disbursement comes through after your semester payment is due, you will incur late fees and interest charges.

Use the Wheaton Portal to review your financial aid offer and accept or decline any portion of the offer. (If you have not set up your Wheaton Portal, refer to these instructions to do so.)

• Click on “Undergraduate Student” on the left, then “Banner Self-Service” on the right. Choose “Financial Aid,” then “Financial Aid Status.”
• Choose the appropriate aid year, “2022-2023,” and click “Submit.”
• Click the link titled “You have been awarded financial aid…”
• Carefully follow the instructions on your Award Package page, moving through the tabs from left to right, to accept your award.

If you feel that the determination of your financial need is not sufficient, you may appeal the decision. Please review the Appeal Procedure Explanation (PDF) and contact your Student Financial Services advisor to discuss the situation.