Financial Aid FAQ

PNWU’s federal school code is G41305.

The first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Be sure to list PNWU as your school choice (our federal school code is G41305). Your FAFSA information will then be electronically transmitted to PNWU. We will review the information and then post your aid eligibility, including federal student loans and instructions on how to accept/decline/reduce the student loans to the Financial Aid Portal.

Yes! The FAFSA must be completed every year if you wish to receive a financial aid award notice and be offered federal student loans. The FAFSA may be completed beginning October 1 for the following academic year.

Although not required, we strongly recommend that you include parents’ information for scholarship purposes. Including parents’ information has no impact whatsoever on your dependency status, your loan eligibility, or the amount of federal loans you will be offered.

We usually have our system upgraded for the new year in January, then import all new FAFSAs and start posting aid notices to the Financial Aid Portal in April. 

You must be a US citizen or an eligible non-citizen (possessing Permanent Resident card I-551, an I-551C, or an I-94 with eligible designations). You are NOT eligible if you have an F1 or F2 student visa, J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, or G-series visa. 

Yes. Most federal student loans have loan fees that are a percentage of the total loan amount. The loan fee is deducted proportionately from each loan disbursement you receive while enrolled in school. This means the money you receive will be less than the amount you actually borrow. You’re responsible for repaying the entire amount you borrowed and not just the amount you received. Please visit this Federal Student Aid site for current loan fees.

Please visit this Federal Student Aid site for current interest rates.

We begin posting aid eligibility on the Financial Aid Portal in April, for applicants who filed their FAFSA between October 1 and April 1. FAFSAs received after April 1 will be processed throughout the spring and summer. If you have filed your FAFSA but do not see your aid eligibility within six weeks before classes begin, please contact the Financial Aid Office, finaid@pnwu.edu.

We offer a combination of loans (unsubsidized loan and the Graduate PLUS Loan) to pay your tuition in full and cover your PNWU estimated living expenses for the academic year. PNWU’s estimated living expenses are based on reasonable living expenses for our area.  Note that summer living expenses are not included as you are not in school during summer term.

Other expenses that cannot be covered by your financial aid (per federal regulations) include items such as the personal purchase of study guides in addition to those provided to you by PNWU, taking the USMLE exam, credit card payments, car payments, veterinary/pet costs, spouse expenses, purchasing gifts, etc.  Only cost related to you and your degree requirements is an allowable expense.

We offer a combination of loans (unsubsidized loan and the Graduate PLUS Loan) to pay your tuition in full and cover your PNWU estimated living expenses for the academic year. PNWU’s estimated living expenses are based on reasonable living expenses for our area.  Note that summer living expenses are not included when you are not in enrolled at least half-time.

No. We strongly encourage you to take a close look at your household budget and only borrow what you need. You can decline or reduce any amount of the loans offered on the Financial Aid Portal. Please keep in mind that any loan amount you decline at first can still be accessed later in the academic year if you find that you need more funds.

Begin by checking out the PNWU scholarship page and also registering your profile at The WashBoard to receive notices of potential scholarship matches. Students are also encouraged to conduct their own online scholarship searches, and to check with their local civic, religious, fraternal, and community organizations, personal donors, and free scholarship search engines.  As the Financial Aid Office receives scholarship information from various organizations periodically throughout the academic year, our office notifies students of these opportunities via email. Scholarships are also advertised in the weekly Student Government newsletter. Remember to NEVER pay for a scholarship search!

Yes, you must notify the Financial Aid Office if you are receiving any aid from an outside source. We will review the outside aid to determine if the total amount received exceeds the student’s budget. Adjustments to the student’s federal loans may be required. 

If you have completed all required items prior to the term beginning, funds from your loans will be electronically deposited to your bank account by the first day of the fall term and the first day of the spring term. The tuition and fees are deducted from these funds; the remainder is released to you for your living expenses.  

You may return unwanted loan funds within 14 days of disbursement.  Contact the Financial Aid Office immediately if you want to return funds by emailing finaid@pnwu.edu. We will return the funds on your behalf so that no fees or interest is charged.

If you decide to return excess funds more than 14 days after disbursement, you will need to contact your loan servicer directly for instructions on how to make a payment on your loan. 

You can request a loan increase by submitting a Budget Revision Request. If you have any questions or need assistance, please email finaid@pnwu.edu.

Stop by the Financial Aid Office to discuss your situation or send an email to finaid@pnwu.edu.  

Stop by the Financial Aid Office to discuss your situation or send an email to finaid@pnwu.edu.

The MPN is a legally binding contract the student must sign. It is an agreement to repay federal student loan money you will borrow. The MPN also describes your rights and responsibilities as a student loan borrower. You can view more information and complete your MPN here.

Yes. You can choose to accept a lesser amount than your full financial aid eligibility offered (i.e., if you only want to accept enough to cover tuition and fees); simply reduce the amount offered on the Financial Aid Portal when accepting the loan(s). However, if you want to borrow a higher amount you will need to speak with the Financial Aid Office first, or email finaid@pnwu.edu.

The only issue when you apply is allowing enough time for your FAFSA to be processed at PNWU so your tuition is paid by the first day of fall semester and for you to receive funds for your living expenses in a timely manner. Students who complete the FAFSA late or fail to complete all required steps may be charged a late fee for paying tuition after the first day of class.

According to federal student aid guidelines, purchasing non-required study materials is not an “allowable expense” for increasing federal student loans.  Materials to help you study for board exams, in addition to the board prep question banks, are provided to you by PNWU.

However, students who are struggling academically and are not testing well could possibly qualify for adding the cost of additional study materials to their student loans.  These unique situations require confirmation by faculty or a PNWU learning specialist and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.