To be considered for any type of federal, state or need-based financial aid, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®). Be sure to include Wake Tech's school code (004844) on the application.

Apply as soon as possible for the academic year you are planning to attend.

You can apply starting October 1 for the subsequent academic year, all the way through June 30 at the end of the current academic year. However, eligibility for some state grants require that you apply as soon as possible – prior to the Fall semester you will be attending. Also, the Financial Aid Office requires that your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) be processed and all requested documentation turned in by July 1 to defer tuition and fees for Fall semester pre-registration.

There are four main types of financial aid:

• Scholarships
• Grants
• Loans
• Work-Study jobs

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) determines a student's eligibility for any forms of financial aid.

Yes. Financial need is determined for each academic year. You will need to submit a new Free Application for Federal Student Aid or renewal FAFSA^® every year for the upcoming academic year.

In order to receive financial aid of any kind, you must be enrolled in an eligible program. Only a limited number of diploma and certificate programs are eligible for financial aid. Special studies students are not eligible.

To be considered a full-time student and receive the maximum amount of financial aid you are entitled to receive, you must be enrolled at least 12 credit hours. You may still be eligible to receive financial aid if you are enrolled less than full time, but your financial aid offer will be reduced accordingly, making you ineligible to receive any financial aid in some cases.

No. Federal regulations prohibit Wake Tech from offering financial aid for classes that do not count toward a student's degree or certificate. Most Wake Tech programs require elective credits; courses that apply to your remaining electives or other academic requirements can be used to determine your financial aid eligibility.

For students using federal financial aid, this means that, while you can take courses outside of your academic requirements, financial aid eligibility determinations cannot include the courses that do not apply. This may result in your financial aid offer being reduced.

Your financial aid offer is applied directly to your tuition bill. If your offer amount is reduced, your tuition charges may still be fully covered. Every student's situation is unique, so pay attention to the emails you receive in your Wake Tech student email account and Self-Service and work with both Advising and Financial Aid to make the best decisions for you.

First, speak with your academic advisor. Your advisor will ensure that your academic program plan – the degree or certificate you're pursuing – is entered in the system correctly and that it matches your goals. Your advisor will identify the classes that are required for your degree or certificate and can help you decide which classes are best to meet those requirements.

You also should speak with the Financial Aid Office to see how taking a class outside of your requirements will affect your financial aid package. Some students will not have any impact to their offers, while others will see their aid packages reduced.

Regardless of your method of payment, be aware that taking courses that don't apply to your degree or certificate can result in longer time to graduation and a higher cost. Speak with your advisor to see if there's a similar course you can take that will apply to your academic requirements.

All students have access to their academic plan in Self-Service. Your academic plan shows the classes that are required to earn your certificate or degree, including how your previous coursework applies to requirements and the classes you still need to complete. Taking classes that do not apply to these requirements may result in your financial aid offer being reduced.

You will receive a message sent each term to your Wake Tech student email if you register for any course that falls outside of your academic requirements.

You can always register for any classes that you want! However, federal regulations prohibit Wake Tech from using courses that fall outside of your academic requirements to determine your aid eligibility. This means that you may have to pay out of pocket for some or all of your tuition if your classes do not apply to your program requirements.

To determine if your financial aid package will be adjusted based on your registration, speak with the Financial Aid Office immediately.

Your financial aid package is dependent on many factors, one of which is how many credits you're taking that apply to your academic requirements. For the most complete information about your financial aid package, speak with the Financial Aid Office.

If you have specific questions concerning your bill, contact the Cashier's Office.

It depends. Once you complete the requirements for your Wake Tech degree or certificate, federal financial aid will not cover additional courses that you might need for your transfer destination. You may still want to complete additional courses at Wake Tech, but you will be responsible to pay for them.

Careful planning with your advisor early on can maximize your financial aid eligibility and ensure that you take classes that apply to both your Wake Tech requirements and the requirements of your intended transfer destination.

Yes. The federal government considers these preparatory classes for successful completion of college level courses. However, financial aid will pay for a maximum of 30 credit hours of remedial courses.

Speak with the Financial Aid Office for details on how remedial coursework can affect your financial aid offer.

The best way to maximize your financial aid eligibility is by taking classes that are required for your academic program. You can check how the classes you registered for are applying to your requirements by reviewing your degree audit.

You can find your academic plan by navigating to Academic Plan in Self-Service. If you have any questions about which classes are required for your degree or certificate, speak with your academic advisor.

Check with the Financial Aid Office if you have questions about how your financial aid offer may be adjusted based on your enrollment.

Upon being offered financial aid, you are eligible to charge your tuition, fees and books against your financial aid. Once all charges have been deducted from your offer amount and your attendance has been verified, any excess monies will be sent to you based on the preference selected through BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution powered by BMTX Inc. If you have not received instructions from BankMobile Disbursements, email the Cashier's Office at [email protected].

It is critical that your correct address is on file in the Registrar's Office.

If a student's or his or her parents' financial situation has drastically changed since filing the prior, prior year's tax return, which is used to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®), the student should contact a Financial Aid specialist. There are provisions in which this may be taken into consideration and a change in eligibility could occur.

The federal government will consider you an independent student if you meet one of the following guidelines:

• 24 years of age or older
• Married
• Enrolled in a graduate degree program
• Have legal dependents other than a spouse whom you support more than 50%
• Orphan or ward of the court
• Veteran

In all other cases, you will have to provide your parents' income information.

The federal government randomly selects approximately 30% of all aid recipients for verification. This means the Financial Aid Office must verify the information submitted on a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) by collecting tax returns and other documents to confirm the accuracy of the information.

Officials will email any student going through the verification process to inform them of what is needed. Students should submit all documents promptly to avoid delays in processing their applications.