All applicants should apply for financial assistance

All applicants are encouraged to apply for financial assistance regardless of family income level as many factors affect eligibility, such as household size, the number of children in the household attending college, the parents’ age, etc. Your financial assistance offer will be calculated based on subtracting your expected family contribution from the cost of attendance.

The components included in a need-based financial assistance offer are specific to each family’s financial circumstances and work together to make enrollment a reality.

Once released, your financial assistance offer will be posted in your Financial Aid Portal. Your offer could be made up of a combination of different types of aid, including grants, scholarships, and federal work-study funds. Starting in fall 2024, WashU’s no-loan policy means any need-based loans will be replaced with scholarships and university grants.

To qualify for financial assistance, you must complete the application process.

Financial aid greatly impacted my decision to come to WashU. I’m so grateful to have a financial aid package that allows me to comfortably transition to college, which was something I was very concerned about as I applied to colleges. WashU goes above and beyond to make sure I have my finances covered. Student Financial Services, especially my SFS counselor, helped me understand how my grants and refund checks work.

Analiese, Class of 2024

Types of assistance

Grants

Grants don’t have to be repaid. They are offered by the federal government, states governments, as well as private institutions.

Grants

Scholarships

Scholarships don’t have to be repaid. Many scholarships are based on academic and other achievements, rather than financial need.

Scholarships

Loans

Loans are money that you borrow and must be repaid with interest. Loans are offered by both the federal government and private institutions.

Loans

Federal Work-Study

Federal Work-Study programs allow students to earn money at federally-funded part-time jobs on campus.

Federal Work-Study

WashU Affordability Initiatives

Recent initiatives are opening doors for under-resourced students, making a WashU degree a possibility.

WashU Affordability Initiatives

Assistance renewal

Students are generally eligible to receive financial assistance for eight semesters. For students admitted to combined-degree programs requiring more than four years of study, aid will be extended beyond eight semesters.