Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Aid

• Grants are awards that are usually based on need and do not have to be repaid upon completion of your degree. Grants form the foundation of a financial aid package, upon which other aid may be added, depending on eligibility.
• Scholarships are gift aid which may be based on academic achievement, particular skills, talents, abilities or interests, and may or may not be based on financial need. Most scholarships do not have to be repaid.
• Tuition Waivers are similar to scholarships but do not represent actual cash for your education. Rather, tuition waivers are a cancellation of part or all of your quarterly tuition charges by CWI.
• Work Programs such as Federal Work-Study are need-based awards and are designed to provide students with employment opportunities to help meet the cost of education
• Loans are borrowed funds used to help pay educational expenses. Loans must be paid back. A variety of loans, both need-based and non-need based, are available to CWI students and their parents.

Federal Aid - All students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on paper or online.  In conjunction with our accreditation partner, the College of Southern Idaho, CWI participates in federal financial aid programs using a special CWI federal school code - E01695.  Paper FAFSA applications are available from any of the CWI One Stop Student Services Center at the Nampa Campus, at any of the CWI extension centers (Canyon County or Boise State University), from your local high school, or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You can also complete FAFSA application entirely online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Continuing students should reapply each academic year by completing a FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA, either on paper or online.

State Aid  - Residents of the State of Idaho may also be eligible for a variety of scholarships or grants offered under the direction of the Office of the State Board of Education and the College of Western Idaho. Some Idaho scholarships require an application directly to the Office of the State Board of Education while some are administered by the College of Western Idaho. All Idaho residents should complete the federal FAFSA application and apply for Idaho scholarships through the State Board of Education at http://www.boardofed.idaho.gov/scholarships/scholarships.asp.  CWI distributes state grants and scholarships administered by the college (campus based programs) according to the rules and regulations defined by the Office of the State Board of Education.

Institutional Aid - College of Western Idaho offers a variety of tuition waivers and scholarships to students participating in school clubs, organizations, and programs. Tuition waivers and scholarships are offered by individual departments and interested students should contact each department for application instructions or information concerning the availability of aid.

“Outside” Scholarships - There are many other sources of student financial aid available through private foundations, companies, service clubs, or other organizations that are not directly managed by the College of Western Idaho. All students should seek out and apply for any source of financial assistance available. Many scholarships require separate applications.

Each college or university in the U.S. develops its own Cost of Attendance Budget(s) with consideration for tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, dependent care expenses, loan origination fees, and personal allowance (or miscellaneous expenses). Your cost of attendance budget will depend on where your permanent address is (state of residency), your housing plans while in school, the number of dependents you have (if any), and your enrollment status (the number of credits you enroll in each term.) The College of Western Idaho uses standardized amounts or calculations for each of these budget items and customizes your budget according to your situation as described above.

Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is computed by the U.S. Department of Education's processing center using the information you provided on your FAFSA application. Your EFC will usually appear on your Student Aid Report (SAR) in the upper right hand corner of the first page (this may be different if you requested on your FAFSA that communications from the Department of Education be sent to you via e-mail). Your EFC is subtracted from your personalized Cost of Attendance budget to determine your original Financial Need.
NOTE: Your EFC does not necessarily indicate your actual out-of-pocket expenses for college.  The FAFSA application and the formula used to determine your EFC are standardized and applied to all federal financial aid applicants nationally.

NOTE: Your EFC does not necessarily indicate your actual out-of-pocket expenses for college.  The FAFSA application and the formula used to determine your EFC are standardized and applied to all federal financial aid applicants nationally.

From these elements, CWI will first determine your eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant and then attempt to meet the remaining unmet need with other funds as available and according to the school’s awarding policies.

You will receive notification of your Cost of Attendance Budget, your EFC, your Financial Need, and the financial aid funds you are eligible for in an award notification from CWI Financial Aid after completing your FAFSA and all application requirements.

Eligibility for certain awards and award amounts are determined, in part, by your Enrollment Status.  Awards are adjusted or pro-rated according to the program rules for each award.  Student financial aid recipients should maintain a close relationship with their academic advisor and register for classes early in order to allow CWI adequate time to make quarterly adjustments if necessary.  For more information regarding enrollment status requirements for each award program, please contact CWI One Stop Student Services. 

If you withdraw completely from any term, you may have to repay some of the financial aid you received to CWI, the U.S. Department of Education, or both. You will also receive written notification concerning your options once you complete the official withdrawal process.  If you attend beyond the 60% point of the semester you are considered to have earned 100% of your financial aid and will not have to repay unearned funds.  Students who fail to officially withdraw and simply stop attending are assumed to have completed no more than 50% of the semester (in the absence of documentation from your instructors) and are likely to owe a repayment of federal financial aid. Please read carefully any correspondence you receive in reference to a complete withdrawal. CWI is required to report overpayments of federal grants to the U.S. Department of Education's Collection unit if no repayment arrangements are made within 45 days of being notified.

A class drop, withdrawal, or administrative withdrawal may affect your ability to receive financial aid in the future at any college or university.  Further information is available at from CWI One Stop Student Services.  

You must use marital status at the time of filing the FAFSA even if you plan to marry during the academic year. Marital status cannot be corrected later.