Financial Aid

As the primary beneficiary of the investment in your college education, we believe that you and your family are ultimately responsible for financing your education. 

Understandably, many families cannot afford the entire cost of college. Financial aid, therefore, is available to help fill the gap between what you and your family are expected to provide and what it will cost to attend Willamette University. We believe that our generous merit and need based scholarship programs, combined with student loans and part time employment, can make a Willamette University education affordable.

Willamette's financial aid process is merit-driven. The quality of a student's academic record influences the amount of scholarship and grant money that is included in his or her financial award. This means that strong students will receive scholarship recognition from us whether or not they qualify for need-based financial aid. The quality of one's high school or college curriculum, grades in college preparatory subjects and test scores will have the greatest effect on the amount of merit-based institutional dollars awarded.

For Undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need, the percentage of need that is met with "gift-aid" (scholarships and grants from all sources) will also reflect the students' academic standing within our admitted applicant pool. In other words, the stronger the student, the greater the award is likely to be.

Although Willamette has a significant financial aid budget, we are not able to fully meet 100% of the demonstrated financial need of all admitted students. As mentioned above, our scholarship resources are directed toward the strongest students in our applicant pool. 

Determining Financial Need – Undergraduate Students

Willamette uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as the primary financial aid application. The FAFSA uses a federal formula that calculates the Student Aid Index (SAI) for each applicant. When Willamette receives your FAFSA information we not only learn about your SAI, we learn about your eligibility for government and University need-based funds. The SAI is calculated by considering a family's financial strength, including income and assets. Graduate students do not qualify for need-based financial aid.

Need-Based Financial Aid Awards – Undergraduate Students

In addition to merit-based scholarships, many undergraduate students are eligible for additional need-based funds from University, federal or state sources. 

Willamette uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aids (FAFSA) to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) for each applicant and to determine eligibility for government and University need-based funds. Here's a look at some of the Willamette University, state and federal sources of need-based aid:

Willamette University Grant: Awarded by Willamette University to students who demonstrate academic potential, and financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Federal Pell Grant: Awarded by the federal government to students with the lowest Student Aid Index (SAI). 

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant: Awarded to students with exceptional financial need—that is, those with the lowest family contributions who also receive Federal Pell Grants.

Oregon Opportunity Grant: Awarded to residents of Oregon based on the SAI and FAFSA filing date.

The Merit-Based Scholarships

Willamette University awards a number of merit-based scholarships each year to the entering students who have academic records of the highest merit.

The application materials requested to make the admission decision are the same materials used to make these merit-based decisions. A separate application form is not necessary.

Scholarship determination is made on the strength of an applicant's academic achievements, weighing such factors as GPA, strength of the curriculum, and test scores.

While significant co-curricular and extracurricular accomplishments are also considered as part of the overall decision, it is primarily the applicant's academic merit that determines scholarship eligibility. 

In addition to the strictly academic scholarships mentioned above, Willamette also offers some scholarships to Undergraduate students in particular areas of co-curricular talent or involvement. Competitive Scholarships, which are offered in the areas of music, theatre,  debate, and other academic pursuits, require auditions and/or special recommendation in order to be considered.

Renewal – Need-based Aid (Undergraduates only)

To renew need-based financial assistance (including institutional grants) in subsequent academic years, a student must submit the FAFSA. Federal and state awards are contingent upon the availability of governmental funding. Willamette University does not guarantee replacement of governmental aid.

First-year undergraduate students entering Willamette are eligible for eight semesters of need-based financial aid and eight semesters of merit-based aid, as long as the student maintains full-time student status (minimum 12 credits each semester) and makes satisfactory academic progress as determined by the Office of Financial Aid. In the rare instance of special circumstances that make an additional semester of need-based financial aid necessary for a student to graduate, the students may appeal for one additional semester of need-based funding.

Undergraduate students transferring to Willamette will be notified by the University regarding the number of semesters of merit and need-based aid eligibility once the Office of the Registrar has evaluated which credits will transfer.

Renewal – Merit-based Aid

The amount of a student's merit-based scholarship award will be renewed annually as long as the appropriate GPA and enrollment requirements are met, and the student does not exceed the maximum number of semesters of eligibility.