graduate Financial Aid Award Process
PennWest California informs you of the types and amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive through our process for financial aid award notification.
Here's how the awarding process works for various types of undergraduate students:
- First-time graduate students: If you are beginning at PennWest California in the fall term, a financial aid award letter will be mailed to your permanent address in late November/early December.
- Returning graduate students in good academic standing: You will receive your financial aid award letter in November/December.
- Remaining graduate students: You will receive your award once Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is checked in early June, after the grade submission deadline. To check, visit VIP.
- Graduate students who apply for summer financial aid: You will begin receiving financial aid award notifications in late November/early December via VIP.
Online Access to Financial Aid
PennWest California encourages you to continually monitor your financial aid award(s) on VIP. You can find the most current information regarding your awards and any changes that may have been made to them.
Your financial aid award package will be listed under the Financial Aid tab after you log in to VIP. Click on Award Summary and on 2017-2018 Award Year to see how much you have been awarded for the year. The aid is already accepted for you, so there is nothing you need to do to accept the awards through the school.
Important: If you wish to adjust or cancel an award, you must fill out the Student Loan Adjustment Form, found in the Financial Aid Forms list, and send it to the Financial Aid Office.
If you log in to your account and don't see an award package, check the Requirements tab to learn if you need to submit additional documents. You must complete your file before PennWest California will process your financial aid award(s).
Financial Aid Award Policy
All awards to graduate students are based on full-time enrollment (9 credits). If you attend less than full time, your financial aid award package will be adjusted based on your credits enrolled. If you attend less than half time (5 credits for graduate students), you will not be eligible for any state aid nor for most federal aid, including student loans.
All graduate students are eligible for up to a maximum of $20,500 in unsubsidized student loans depending on the cost of their program.
- Financial aid is awarded on a rolling basis until the end of the academic year.
- The FAFSA and any other institutional forms must be submitted before financial aid can be awarded. Awards for incoming graduate students are estimated until all documents are submitted and registration finalized.
- After the fall and spring term add/drop period and disbursement, financial aid is not adjusted upward or downward unless the student fully withdraws from the term.
Important: PennWest California reserves the right to adjust a student's financial aid award package at any time if additional information is received that changes the student's original eligibility. A student's aid package may be adjusted due to a change in registration, grade level, verification or state/federal legislation.