Financial Aid FAQ

Western New England's School Code is 002226.

There are no special applications to complete. The Admissions Office will review your credentials and determine your eligibility for merit aid when they review you for admission. See Merit Scholarships for more information on freshman and transfer students merit scholarships.

Merit scholarships are awarded to incoming freshman and transfer students and are renewed each year the required academic criteria are met. There are no merit scholarships available for upperclassmen who did not receive one as an incoming student.

The financial aid office has a limited amount of resources to distribute as equitably as possible to our financial aid applicants. We meet a percentage of a student’s need with grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. Most families supplement their award with resources such as Plus loans, alternative loans, or payment plans.

Yes. Financial aid is not automatic and must be reapplied for each year. The FAFSA is due by the priority deadline of May 1 for returning students.

If the parents are divorced or separated, answer the questions about the parent who provides the greater portion of the student’s financial support, even if the student does not live with them. If both parents provided an exactly equal amount of financial support during the past 12 months, or if they don’t support the student financially, answer the questions about the parent with the greater income and assets. If this parent is remarried as of today, answer the questions about that parent and the stepparent.

Each year, the Department of Education selects certain FAFSA filers to be verified. Before financial aid can be disbursed, the Verification Form must be completed and returned. In this process, we will be comparing information from your FAFSA and with the information provided on the Verification Form and other requested documentation.

A month or two before the bill is due is a good time to decide which loan is right for you. Remember that your lender will divide the amount borrowed into 2 equal disbursements, one for fall, and one for spring. It is important to borrow enough to cover the entire year.

See Calculating the Amount to Finance for help.

Go to External Scholarships to see a list of online sites that can help answer financing questions and provide information about obtaining scholarships beyond what you receive from the University.

Yes. Generally, your financial aid will remain the same for the study abroad semester as long as the program is through the Study Abroad Program at Western New England University.

International students who are not U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens cannot receive federal grants or loans. Only private student loans are available for the international student, and you must use a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen as a cosigner on the loan. International students are eligible for the same merit scholarships as domestic students. 

Merit Scholarships

Financial aid funds are disbursed to your Student Account. Most aid is disbursed evenly between Fall and Spring Semesters. Disbursements occur after each semester's Add/Drop period ends.

If your Student Account shows a credit balance for the semester from pending or disbursed financial aid or a private loan that has been secured, you may obtain a Bookstore Voucher. The voucher can be obtained at the University Bookstore for books and supplies. The bookstore is provided with student’s credit balance data. Your account will be updated in the following days. Please note, enrollment status and financial aid file completion can impact eligibility.