You must apply for financial aid for each year you plan to attend Wheaton College—but the requirements and deadlines for first-time applicants and current students are different. Find the section that reflects your status to see the steps you need to take to complete your financial aid application.
Steps to Apply for Financial Aid: New Students
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 2024-2025 FAFSA will be available on the Federal Student Aid website on January 1, 2024. For Wheaton College, please use College Code 00178100.
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, “2024-2025,” 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 based on additional facts not considered at the time need was determined, you may appeal the decision. Please contact Student Financial Services to discuss the situation.
Steps to apply for financial aid: Current students
In making every effort to distribute our financial aid funds as equitably as possible, Wheaton reconsiders the needs of the whole student body annually and distributes the available aid on that basis. For this reason, please keep in mind that you must reapply each year in order to continue receiving financial aid. If your financial situation changes from year to year, you may also see your financial aid increase or decrease based on those changes.
There are major changes coming to the 2024-2025 FAFSA form and as a result it will be available in December rather than on October 1. Students should submit their FAFSA as soon as possible once it becomes available.
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 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.
Paying your bill
Semester bills and monthly statements will be available online in the Student Billing and Payment Gateway. Students and their account’s authorized users will receive email notifications when new bills and statements are ready to view. View more information about the Student Billing and Payment Gateway, as well as other billing-related concerns.