Wayne State University

AIM HIGHER

How Financial Aid is Determined

The Financial Aid Office determines your awards from the information that you supplied to the Federal Processor on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).


Need-Based Aid

Need-based aid includes some University scholarships, College Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loans, and the subsidized portion of the Federal Stafford Loan.


To determine your financial need, the Law School Financial Aid Office subtracts the amount of your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) from the estimated cost of attendance (COA) for law students.

The formula below determines your financial need:

Estimated Cost of Attendance (Tuition, Books, Room & Board, etc.)
- Expected Family Contribution
= Financial Need

Non-need-based Aid

Non-need-based aid includes some University scholarships, the unsubsidized portion of the Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans, Private Educational Loans, and other resources.

To determine your eligibility for non-need-based aid, the Law School Financial Aid Office subtracts the amount of any need-based aid from the estimated cost of attendance (COA) for law students. The sum of all aid from all sources cannot exceed your estimated cost of attendance. 

The formula below determines your eligibility for non-need-based aid:

Estimated Cost of Attendance (Tuition, Books, Room & Board, etc.)
- Need-based aid
= Eligibility for Non-need-based aid
 

Award Determination

To determine the types and amounts of awards for which you may be eligible, the Financial Aid Office considers the following:
 

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

The information you indicated on the FAFSA and Federal methodology determine your EFC and the types of aid programs for which you are eligible. Using a need analysis formula set by Congress, the U.S. Department of Education uses the information you report on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to calculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This number represents the amount that you are expected to contribute toward your education. It is calculated from student income and asset information. Allowances are made for household size, number of family members in college, and an asset protection based on your age. The school uses the EFC to determine how much federal student aid you may be eligible to receive. There are opportunities to borrow funds to help pay for the EFC.

Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance represents an estimate of what it costs to attend for an academic year. These costs include tuition and fees, books and supplies, plus an allowance for housing expenses, transportation, health care costs, and personal expenses.

Actual tuition, fees are published each year (generally after August 1) and are subject to Board of Governor approval. To learn more about tuition and fees, visit the WSU Tuition and Fees Web site at http://sdcl.wayne.edu/RegistrarWeb/Tuition/geninfo.
 

Books and supply costs will vary by credit hours, and classes you have selected. Although books and supplies are included in your estimated cost of attendance, you will initially purchase your books from your own resources. If your financial aid pays all of your charges on the university bill, any excess will be refunded to you to cover the cost of books and other living expenses.


Your housing costs will vary based on the living arrangements that you select. The Office of Student Financial Aid uses an estimate based on a survey of students and housing options in the area. Students living on their own will have a higher estimate than students living with at home with parents. 

These estimates represent an allowance for other expenses you may incur while attending school.

Estimated COA Budgets

With documentation, your estimated cost may be increased to allow for school related expenses such as:
 

Please contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss possible adjustments to your Cost of Attendance and/or financial aid award.

Other Resources

The receipt of other resources may affect your eligibility for educational loans. When the financial aid office is notified that the student has received other resources, need-based aid may be reduced or canceled according to federal regulations and policies. If the aid has already been paid to the student's account when the notification of other resources is received, the paid aid may be reduced or canceled before the other resources are applied. Other resources include the following: