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Undergraduate Financial Aid

Most Wheaton College financial aid is allocated on the basis of need as demonstrated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This analysis of family information is required and approved by federal law and is used to determine the Student Aid Index (SAI) by the Federal Methodology. Students must be enrolled full-time to receive maximum aid; however, degree students enrolled less than full-time may receive reduced aid awards. Students must be enrolled a minimum of half-time to be eligible for institutional scholarships and grants.

All students seeking financial assistance are required to submit the FAFSA annually. This serves as the financial aid application for federal, institutional, and Illinois state funds (if applicable). Since awards are made on a first-come, first-served basis, and funds are limited, the FAFSA should be completed as early as possible after October 1. FAFSAs may be completed online at http://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

Merit scholarships are available to students meeting certain criteria. Some merit scholarships include a minimum cumulative GPA requirement to be renewed annually. Conservatory of Music merit scholarships require participation in ensembles and enrollment in the Conservatory of Music to be renewed annually. A separate application for these awards is not necessary.

Federal Direct PLUS loans, which are not based on need, are available to parents to help cover their expected contribution. For more details about Federal PLUS loans, please visit https://studentaid.gov/plus-app/parent/landing or contact Student Financial Services.

The following states allow students to receive state grant funds even if they attend college in another state: Alaska, Delaware, and Vermont. Students must apply for these funds and must complete the forms provided by their state. The application for Illinois residents is combined with the FAFSA.

For financial aid purposes, full-time enrollment for undergraduate students in the summer term is 12 hours and half-time is 6 hours.

For students enrolled in an Accelerated MA program, their federal, state, and institutional financial aid eligibility is determined based on courses required for the undergraduate degree. The Cost of Attendance budget will only include CPOS courses applicable to the undergraduate degree. Therefore, to receive full financial aid eligibility, accelerated MA students must be registered in 12 credits of required undergraduate coursework each semester. Graduate level courses that also apply to a bachelor's degree are CPOS eligible. If the reduced Cost of Attendance creates an over-award for a student, Federal Work Study or the loan portion of the financial aid award will be reduced before reducing the institutional grant.

Questions pertaining to financial aid should be directed to one of our Student Financial Services advisors or see the website at http://www.wheaton.edu/admissions-and-aid/cost-and-financial-aid.

Refunds and the "Return of Title IV Funds" Policy

If a student withdraws or is expelled from Wheaton, the school or the student may be required to return some of the Financial aid funds awarded to the student. The student may also be eligible for a refund of a portion of the tuition, fees, room, and board paid to Wheaton for the semester according to the College refund policy. If the student received financial assistance from outside of the family, a portion of the refund will be returned to the grant, scholarship, or loan source from which the assistance was received.

The federal "Return of Title IV Funds" formula dictates the amount of Federal Title IV aid that must be returned to the federal government by the school and the student. The federal formula is applicable to a student receiving federal financial assistance in the form of a Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Direct Stafford loan, or Federal PLUS loan, and who withdrew before completing 60% of the semester. 

NOTE: If funds are released to a student because of a credit balance on the student's account, the student may be required to repay some of the federal grants if the student withdraws.

Special Scholarships

National Merit Scholarship—National Merit Semifinalists are automatically awarded the highest Presidential Scholarship which is $20,000 per year for up to four years. Students who advance to Finalist status can receive additional funding from National Merit based on their awarding criteria. Wheaton College is a sponsor in the National Merit Scholarship Program and offers a scholarship to National Merit Finalists indicating Wheaton as their first-choice college. The awards for incoming freshmen are either $1,000, renewable up to four years, or a one-time $2,500 award for those selected for a National Merit Corporate Scholarship. The award type is determined by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Army ROTC Scholarships—Four-year, full-tuition scholarships are offered by the U.S. Army to outstanding students enrolling in the ROTC program. Detailed scholarship information and links to applications are available from ROTC units and high school counselors across the country, on Wheaton College's website (http://www.wheaton.edu/academics/programs/rotc), or the U.S. Army ROTC Homepage (www.armyrotc.com). Four-year scholarships are offered out of high school, on-campus two- and three-year scholarships, and two-year scholarships available for graduate students. Interested students should contact the Department of Military Science for more information at 630.752.5121 or 630.752.5367, or at Jenks Hall. Fax: 630.752.5031. Send email to: military.science@wheaton.edu Army ROTC full-tuition scholarship recipients are not eligible for need-based Wheaton Grant funds.

Certain scholarships are available to students from underrepresented minority groups, including the Don and Ann Church Scholarship, and the Alvero L. Nieves Latino Scholarship. 

For more information about scholarships and aid available, please check the Scholarships and Aid website at https://www.wheaton.edu/admissions-and-aid/cost-and-financial-aid/student-financial-services/financial-aid-/.

Graduate Financial Aid

Graduate Admissions will notify the student of any merit eligibility. Students seeking additional assistance may apply for loans by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. Each applicant must remember to indicate Wheaton College (school code 001781) as the school to receive the information. Federal loan eligibility will not be awarded until this information is received. Students must be enrolled and at least half-time to receive a Federal Direct Stafford Loan.

Refunds and the "Return of Title IV Funds" Policy

If a student withdraws or is expelled from Wheaton, the school or the student may be required to return some of the federal funds awarded to the student. The student may also be eligible for a refund of a portion of the tuition, fees, room, and board paid to Wheaton for the semester according to the College refund policy. If the student received financial assistance from outside of the family, a portion of the refund will be returned to the grant, scholarship, or loan source from which the assistance was received.

The federal "Return of Title IV Funds" formula dictates the amount of Federal Title IV aid that must be returned to the federal government by the school and the student. The federal formula is applicable to a student receiving federal financial assistance in the form of a Federal Direct Stafford loan, or Federal PLUS loan, and who withdrew before completing 60% of the semester. 

NOTE: If funds are released to a student because of a credit balance on the student's account, the student may be required to repay some of the federal grants if the student withdraws.

Federal Direct Stafford Loans

The most readily available resource to degree-seeking graduate students comes from the Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program. This loan is based on enrollment status and hours carried per term. The unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loan has a fixed interest rate which accrues during enrollment and during the grace period. The interest rate is set based upon the 10-year Treasury Note each year in June for loans first disbursed between July 1st through June 30th of the following year.

Graduate students may borrow up to $20,500 per year, or the total budget cost minus other financial aid received, whichever is less. The maximum aggregate total for the Stafford loan program, including any undergraduate loans, is $138,500.

Students may apply for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan by completing a FAFSA which serves as the loan application. If they have been accepted for enrollment in a degree program at Wheaton College Graduate School, and have a current FAFSA on file in the Student Financial Services Office, the loan will be processed.

For additional information about Federal Direct Stafford loans for graduate students, please check http://www.wheaton.edu/graduate-school/financial-aid/loans/stafford/

Billy Graham Scholarships

The Billy Graham Scholarship Program offers financial assistance to carefully selected students in any master’s degree program (not doctoral or certificates) at the Wheaton Graduate School. Qualified applicants may be experienced international Christian workers, or domestic (U.S. or Canada citizenship) missionaries, missionaries in preparation, health care workers, or urban/ethnic ministry workers serving inner cities and ethnically diverse populations. All awards are loan/scholarships, meaning 25% is forgiven for each year of eligible Christian service completed following completion of the Wheaton degree. If this obligation is not met, the loan principal must be repaid with interest.

Internationals must have completed at least two years of full-time Christian service in their national contexts or cross-culturally and be affiliated with a Christian organization, national denomination, or mission agency which will indicate future plans for applicant. Billy Graham International Christian Leader Scholarship, Billy Graham International Missionary Scholarship.

North American Missionaries are U.S. or Canadian citizens who have completed at least two years of overseas service with a recognized mission organization and intend to return to their ministry. North American Missionary Scholarship.

Pre-field Missionary Candidates are U.S. or Canadian citizens who are preparing for careers as missionaries outside these countries. Pre-field Missionary Candidate Scholarship

Workers in Urban/Ethnic Ministries are U.S. or Canadian citizens who have completed at least two years of urban or ethnic ministry in North America with a recognized mission agency, Christian organization, or denomination and intend to return to their ministry. Priority given to those of ethnic minority backgrounds. Urban/Ethnic Ministry Worker Scholarship.

Inquirers may learn more about eligibility requirements, scholarship amounts, application processes, and timelines on the webpages above. Questions may be directed to the Billy Graham Scholarship Program Coordinator: bgc.scholarship@wheaton.edu

Financial Aid for Ph.D. Students in Biblical and Theological Studies

Full tuition remission will be granted to Ph.D. students in Biblical and Theological Studies. In addition, each student will be awarded a research fellowship, carrying an annual stipend. The tuition remission will apply to the duration of the student’s program, while the fellowship will be granted for three years of the program, with possible extension to a fourth year. As a condition of the research fellowship, the student will be asked to serve the Biblical and Theological Studies Department or the institution for 8-10 hours per week. The service will include, but not be limited to, research and classroom assistance to specific professors, tutoring of undergraduate and graduate students, clerical support of the program and the department, and supervised pedagogical experiences.

Graduate Assistantships in Residence Life (GRA)

Graduate Assistantships are available to graduate students who are interested in working with students in the residence halls, apartments, or houses of Wheaton College. Graduate Resident Advisor (GRA) positions are available for all MA degree programs except Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, M.A.T. and TESOL. The appointment is for a ten-month period providing a stipend, 10 meals a week in Anderson Commons throughout the school year, partial tuition remission, a one or two-bedroom furnished apartment, and other employee benefits. A two-year commitment is required. If you would like to receive more information and application materials, please contact Human Resources, 630.752.5060. For questions about the position, please contact the Dean of Residence Life, 630.752.5427.

Graduate Assistantships in Student Development (GA)

Student Development Graduate Assistantships (GA) are part-time, one to two year professional positions that work alongside various departments within the Student Development Division. There are GA positions in the Office of Christian Outreach, Office of Multicultural Development, International Student Programs, Student Activities, and Learning and Accessibility Services. GA positions provide graduate students the opportunity to both earn an income and gain career experience specific to the field in which they work. Students are paid from a stipend and work roughly 20 hours a week during the academic year.

Graduate Academic Assistantships

A limited number of assistantships are available to graduate students who desire to work in a specific department of the Graduate School. The duties include clerical work, test grading, classroom or research assistance, and so forth. Pay is on an hourly basis up to ten hours per week. Second year students are given preference.

Canadian Student Loans

It is recommended that Canadian students check with cooperating banks in their home province for further information on government loans. Limited grant funds are available to students with need.

Denominational Sources

Some churches, organizations, and mission boards have scholarships and/or loan programs for member students who are preparing for full-time Christian ministries. For further information contact the appropriate organizational office.

Veterans Benefits

The Post 9/11 GI Bill® and other programs provide financial educational assistance to veterans and their families. Further information can be secured from your local U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs office or the Web site at http://www.gibill.va.gov/.

Wheaton College students eligible for VA Benefits should contact Student Financial Services to discuss the process for certifying students to receive benefits. Students eligible to receive veterans' benefits should submit their VA Certificate of Eligibility to Student Financial Services to certify enrollment to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In order to receive full-time VA benefits, undergraduate students must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours during both quads, and graduate students must carry a minimum of 8 credit hours. All courses in which a student is enrolled must meet program requirements in order for the hours to be certified.

NOTE: Eligibility for Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits by a dependent undergraduate student may impact  Wheaton institutional aid. Undergraduate students receiving 100% benefit rate Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits are eligible for a match from the Yellow Ribbon program to cover remaining tuition costs. The Yellow Ribbon Award will supersede any other Wheaton College institutional scholarships or grants.

Students attending Wheaton College are not eligible to receive the Illinois Veterans Grant, which is available only for students enrolled in Illinois public colleges and universities.

Compliance with 38 USC 3679(e) - VA Pending Payment Compliance

Beginning August 1, 2019, and despite any policy to the contrary, this educational institution will not take any of the four following actions toward any student using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while their payment from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is pending to the educational institution:

  • Prevent their enrollment
  • Assess a late penalty fee
  • Require they secure alternative or additional funding
  • Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

  • Produce the VA’s Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class
  • Provide written request to be certified
  • Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies (see our VA School Certifying Official for all requirements).

International Students

Advance Payment Requirements

Included in the undergraduate international student application is information about payment requirements, and a Certification of Finance form to be completed requiring confirmation of funding available to pay for personal, and family costs if applicable, for the entire time of enrollment. Undergraduate intentional students are subject to the standard timing for billing and payment due dates.

For graduate international students, the Certification of Finance form will be sent from the Graduate Admissions Office after the student has been accepted.

For graduate students, before an I-20 can be issued, Student Financial Services must receive the deposit amount indicated on the Certification of Finances Form by June 1 (for fall enrollment) prior to enrollment. For graduate school spring enrollment, the deadline is November 1, and for summer enrollment, this deadline is May 1.

The student shall pay the remainder of any billed costs by the regular due date prior to the start of the term. The student will be personally responsible for all books, personal, and miscellaneous expenses that will be incurred. The tuition money received from new students by June 1 will be held by Student Financial Services and applied to the student’s bill at the appropriate time. Funds needed for the student’s books, food and housing (if not provided by the College), and personal/miscellaneous expenses will be the responsibility of the student to provide. If the family will accompany the student, or plans to come at a later time, the Certification of Finance form must be completed certifying their financial support and accompanied by signed documentation. Payment for any billed costs will need to be sent in advance of issuing the I-20.

For international students who are Billy Graham scholarship recipients, the remaining balance due for their entire study programs will be required to be documented by the Certification of Finances Form by June 1 prior to fall enrollment. After the total amount of the budget is met, the Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) will be issued. Families who come later will need to have all costs documented in advance before an I-20 can be issued for them.

The student will not be allowed to enroll in subsequent terms until the billed costs for the next term are paid by the first day of that term. Failure to do so will result in the cancellation of the student’s enrollment at Wheaton.

If the student has a financial guarantor, at no time will the College directly approach the guarantor for funds. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure his guarantors have solid commitments and are capable of fulfilling them.

Student Employment

All on-campus student positions are posted on the student career site at Wheaton Career Site Careers (oraclecloud.com).

Undergraduate and graduate students with demonstrated financial need as determined by the FAFSA may be eligible for the Federal Work-Study program. Students who are eligible are expected to find a Federal Work-Study position and submit paperwork by a certain date. All information can be found online.