Application Process - Financial Aid

If you have not previously done so, complete a Waubonsee New Student Application and select an academic program that leads to a degree or certificate. Note: some courses and programs are ineligible for financial aid. View the list of other requirements to receive financial aid.

Students who have attended and earned credit at previous colleges or universities should arrange to have official transcripts sent to Registration and Records to be evaluated for transfer credit.

If you do not already have one, create an FSA ID for yourself and your parent if you are a dependent student on studentaid.gov. You will need a social security number and a mobile phone number and/or email address. An FSA ID allows the student and the parent of a dependent student to sign the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) electronically.

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov for the appropriate year. Include the Waubonsee school code, 006931, to have the results sent to Waubonsee's Financial Aid Office. Once your FAFSA results are received, you need to allow time for the submission and review of any other documents that may be required before you can be awarded.  Accepting the award will allow you to register without making a payment. You must reapply annually, but after the first application year, you will be able to submit a renewal application for subsequent years.

The FAFSA can still be completed and submitted for the 2023-2024 academic year that starts with the fall 2023 semester.  The priority filing date for the 2023-2024 FAFSA was December 1, 2022.

The 2024-2025 FAFSA will open December 2023. The priority filing date for the 2024-2025 FAFSA is March 1, 2024.

When completing the FAFSA, use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import tax return information into the FAFSA for the student and the parent of a dependent student.

Review the information on the Student Aid Report (SAR) that you receive as a result of filing the FAFSA and correct any errors. The SAR should have your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and indicate if there is additional information needed.

Emails from Waubonsee's Financial Aid Office will inform you about missing requirements needed to complete your application. Missing requirements can be found in Self-Service via mywcc, the Waubonsee portal, and can include federal income tax transcripts or proof of non-filing from the IRS and a verification worksheet.  Missing requirements must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the end of the term for which the student wants to receive financial aid.  Failure to submit these requirements will result in no federal or state financial aid being awarded.

When you receive your Award Notification email, follow the instructions to accept your Terms and Conditions in mywcc and decide if you will accept or decline any loans that are offered. If you accept loan funds and have not previously done so, you will be required to complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note, both on studentaid.gov. These steps require you to create an account.