Admissions Office

Western State Colorado University
600 N. Adams Street
Gunnison, CO 81231

(800) 876-5309
Fax: (970) 943-2363
admissions@western.edu

Financing Your Education

Types of Financial Aid

There are two basic types of financial aid: need-based and non need-based.

Your eligibility for either depends upon your status as a new freshman, transfer student or current student, and the state in which you reside.

Need-Based Aid

Need-based financial aid generally consists of :

• Grants and other awards that do not have to be repaid
• Part-time employment, known as Work Study, which gives you the opportunity to offset college and living expenses by working.
• Federal loans which must be repaid with interest

In order to apply for need-based assistance, you must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Non-Need-Based Aid

Non-need-based financial assistance includes:

• Merit-based scholarships
• Other awards based on your individual circumstances, such as the state in which you reside.

The application process for non-need-based aid varies with the particular scholarship or award.

Code of Conduct

The Western State Colorado University Financial Aid Office has adopted and will follow the Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Financial Aid Professionals as created by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

The WSCU Financial Aid Office is dedicated to providing outstanding customer service to our students and their families with the appropriate level of professionalism and
commitment to ethical standards.

Campus Policies and Student Right to Know

The Student Right-To-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 ( the Clery Act) requires all colleges and universities participating in Federal Student Aid Programs to disclose information about graduation and retention rates, Pell grant recipients and crime statistics on or near their respective campuses.

• WSCU Financial Aid, Retention and Graduation Rates - National Center for Educational Statistics
• WSCU Annual Security & Fire Report - Clery Act