Don’t let money be a barrier to your education. Take advantage of federal and state dollars – and get a little extra help from Waubonsee in the form of our Success Scholarship. It is designed to make sure the financial aid application process pays off for every eligible student!

Get the Money You Need to Succeed

Waubonsee is committed to supporting students with high financial need. After other available financial aid and resources are applied, the Waubonsee Success Scholarship may help cover remaining eligible costs for tuition, fees, and/or course materials.

The scholarship is designed to reduce financial barriers and help students stay focused on achieving their academic goals.

3 Factors Determining your Success Scholarship Award Amount:

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  1. Demonstrate financial need 

    Your financial need will be determined using information from your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).    
     
  2. Other financial resources available to you 

    Any other financial aid or resources available to help cover your educational costs will be applied first. This may include federal aid, state grants, veterans' education benefits, gift assistance, other scholarships, and employer benefits.

    The Waubonsee Success Scholarship is intended to help address remaining eligible costs after these resources have been applied.
     
  3. Your enrollment level

    The number of credit hours you are enrolled in may affect the amount of assistance available for course materials. Awards may be prorated for students enrolled less than full-time.

*Funding is limited, and eligibility does not guarantee an award.

Who is Eligible

New and returning Waubonsee students must meet the following criteria to be eligible to receive a Waubonsee Success Scholarship:

  • Be an in-district student or receive an out-of-district waiver. Learn more about residency requirements.
  • Take at least 6 financial aid eligible credit hours (excluding any repeat courses that are not eligible for financial aid).
  • Be pursuing a financial aid-approved degree or certificate and NOT have already earned a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree. Note that a certificate program must be at least 16 total credit hours to be eligible.
  • Complete the financial aid process, including submitting a FAFSA and finishing all other process steps (also see How to Apply). 
  • Have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of $14,790 or less.
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress status to maintain eligibility.
    • Eligible – NEW, PASS, MAX-W, and MAX-A
    • NOT Eligible – WARN, FAIL, FAIL-A, MAX, MAX-D, DENIED, P-APPL, and FAAP-A
Using the Scholarship/Aid to Register and Pay for Courses

Waubonsee's Financial Aid Office will communicate with you at key points throughout the financial aid application, completion, and awarding process.

You will be notified, usually through email from financialaid@waubonsee.edu, (to the email address given at the time your x-number was created via FAFSA application or New Student Application form if a new student; OR if a returning student, to your Waubonsee student email address) at the following points:

  • once Waubonsee is in receipt of your submitted FAFSA 
  • if additional action is needed on your part to keep the process going
  • once you have aid that is being offered

Any grants or scholarships offered to you will be automatically accepted. For loans and other awards, you can choose to accept or decline them.

No matter what, to make sure your aid can be used to hold your course registration, you MUST agree to the Terms and Conditions. All this can be done via the Financial Aid page on mywcc.

Students who demonstrate high financial need

As a student with high financial need, you will likely receive a variety of federal and state aid money, which is great! Once we look at those monies, and any other resources you can use to help pay (gift assistance, other scholarships, etc.), you may then qualify for:

  • Success Scholarship to cover any remaining tuition and fee costs
  • Up to $250 additional per semester to help pay for course materials, based on your credit hours (see chart below)

Waubonsee Success Scholarship - Course Materials Chart
Credit Hours
(per semester)		 Course Materials Credit
(per semester)		 Max Annual Award
12+ $250 $500
9-11 $187 $375
6-8 $125 $250 

Note that any unused materials credit expires at the end of each semester and does not roll over to the next.

How to Apply

Follow these easy steps:

Step 1:  Register for your classes! 

Step 2:  Sign up for a Chief's Payment Plan to hold your courses until your aid comes through.

Step 3:  Complete the FAFSA 

Step 4:  Complete the financial aid process

Get Help!

We know the process can seem difficult, but remember that it is free, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Plus, we’re here to help with individual appointments (in-person or virtual) to walk you through it.  

Questions?

Help

Have questions about the aid process or the Success Scholarship? Reach out! 

Waubonsee Financial Aid Office 
(630) 466-5774
financialaid@waubonsee.edu