How does WGU handle FAFSA disbursements with their competency-based model?

My brother graduated from WGU last year! Their financial aid is definitely different from traditional colleges because of their competency-based model. Instead of credit hours, they use "competency units" and charge a flat rate per 6-month term (around $3,800-$4,530 depending on the program). FAFSA disbursements happen at the beginning of each term, and you need to maintain "satisfactory academic progress" by completing a minimum number of units each term to keep getting aid. The cool thing is if you accelerate and finish courses faster, you can take more classes without paying extra tuition. My brother finished his entire degree in 2.5 years instead of 4, which saved him like $8k in loans.

i go to wgu right NOW actually lol. the financial aid is werid af. they disburse half ur aid at the begining of the term and the other half at the MIDPOINT of the term. so u get pell grants or loans in 2 chunks. theres this thing called "satisfactory academic progress" where u gotta complete like 67% of the courses you attempt or they can take away ur aid. NOT saying its a bad school, i love it but just know its different

I worked in financial aid at a traditional university before switching to WGU as a student. Here's what you need to know: 1. FAFSA application process is identical - same forms, same deadlines 2. Disbursements come in two parts per term (beginning and midpoint) 3. SAI (Student Aid Index) calculations work the same way 4. The big difference is Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements - at WGU you must complete at least 4 competency units per term (usually 1-2 classes minimum) 5. If your cousin has a high EFC ($8,500), she'll likely only qualify for unsubsidized loans, not subsidized or Pell 6. WGU does accept all standard federal aid: Pell, SEOG, Direct Loans, PLUS loans The competency-based model can actually save money if you accelerate through courses faster. I finished 22 units in my first term when the minimum was 12.

AVOID WGU!!!! My daughter tried it and they messed up her financial aid completely. Her disbursements were delayed for MONTHS and we had to pay out of pocket while waiting. Then they said she didn't meet their "pace requirement" even though she was working hard on the courses. Total nightmare trying to get anyone on the phone too - literally spent 3 hours on hold once!!

I've been at WGU for 3 terms now and had some issues reaching their financial aid department when I needed to make changes to my loan amounts. After trying for days and sitting on hold forever, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in just 10 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. It was super helpful when I needed to talk to someone about my FAFSA verification issues. As for how WGU handles financial aid specifically, everyone above is correct - they do two disbursements per term, and you need to complete at least 4 competency units (but they recommend 12) to maintain satisfactory academic progress. The cool thing is their tuition is flat-rate, so the faster you complete courses, the more value you get.

To add some important details for your cousin about WGU and FAFSA: 1. WGU's terms don't align with traditional semesters - they have monthly start dates, so timing the FAFSA application correctly is key 2. Since your cousin's EFC is around $8,500, she'll likely only qualify for Direct Unsubsidized Loans (up to $12,500/year for independent students or $7,500 for dependent) 3. WGU has some institutional scholarships ($2,000-$3,000) that could help offset costs 4. The "competency-based" model means financial aid is tied to demonstration of skills, not just time spent in class 5. Students need to complete at least 66.67% of attempted units to maintain aid eligibility 6. Because WGU operates on 6-month terms rather than semesters, the annual loan limits work a bit differently - students can access their full annual loan limit across two terms One thing to be aware of: while accelerating through WGU can save money, it can occasionally cause SAP issues if courses are attempted but not completed within the term. Always communicate with financial aid before making changes to course load.

my wife went to WGU last yr... FAFSA works the same but the tricky part is their terms. they do these 6-month terms instead of semestrs, so each term counts as half the academic year for aid. so if her EFC is $8500 that means $4250 per term applied to her aid eligibility. the good thing with WGU is the flat-rate tuition (about $4000/term for most programs) so once you take enough classes to cover that amount, any additional classes in the same term are basically free. my wife ended up finishing her bachelor's in 2.5 years instead of 4 and saved like $12k

Also FYI - WGU doesn't participate in the CSS Profile, only the FAFSA. So at least that's one less financial aid form to worry about! But they do randomly select students for verification, which is a HUGE headache (my daughter got picked). Make sure your cousin has all her tax docs ready to upload if they ask.

btw one more thing i forgot to mention. since wgu is all online they have waaaaay less fees than normal colleges. no gym fees or campus fees or any of that bs. just tuition + books (which are included!!) so the financial aid goes further

Just wanted to add that WGU also has a really helpful financial aid team specifically for prospective students. Your cousin should definitely schedule a call with an enrollment counselor who can walk through her specific financial situation and explain exactly how her aid would work with their terms. They can also help her understand the transfer credit process, which could potentially save her even more money by reducing the number of courses she needs to take. I found their pre-enrollment support way better than their ongoing student support (unfortunately), so definitely take advantage of it while she's still deciding!

As someone who just started at WGU this term, I can confirm everything people are saying about their financial aid process. One thing that really helped me was understanding that WGU's "competency units" are different from credit hours - each course is usually worth 3-4 CUs, and you need to complete at least 12 CUs per term to stay on track for graduation (though the minimum for financial aid is just 4 CUs). The flat-rate tuition is honestly amazing if you're motivated to accelerate. I'm planning to finish 18 CUs this term, which would normally cost thousands more at a traditional school. Your cousin should definitely look into their scholarship opportunities too - I got a $2,000 new student scholarship that helped offset some costs. The application process for their institutional aid is pretty straightforward and separate from FAFSA. One heads up though - make sure she understands the "term commitment" aspect. Unlike traditional schools where you can drop classes, at WGU you're committed to completing whatever courses you start in a term or it affects your SAP. But overall, it's been a great experience so far!

Just to add another perspective - I'm currently in my second term at WGU and the financial aid process has been pretty smooth overall. One thing that really helped me was setting up automatic payments through their student portal, which gave me a small discount on my tuition. For your cousin's situation with the $8,500 EFC, she should definitely still complete the FAFSA because she'll qualify for unsubsidized federal loans. Since she's 24, she'll be considered independent which means higher loan limits ($12,500/year vs $7,500 for dependent students). The competency-based model is perfect for people who can self-motivate. I accelerated through my first term and completed 15 CUs when I only needed 12 minimum. The key is being realistic about your schedule - I work full-time and found that dedicating 15-20 hours per week to coursework kept me on a good pace without burning out. Also, WGU's financial aid office has gotten better with response times recently. I had to call about a loan adjustment last month and only waited about 15 minutes to speak with someone. Way better than the horror stories I'd heard from earlier years!

I'm a WGU student who just finished my first year and wanted to share some insights about financial aid timing that might help your cousin. One thing I learned the hard way is that WGU's monthly start dates can actually work in your favor for FAFSA timing. Since traditional schools start in August/September and January, there's often less competition for certain types of aid when you start at WGU in off-peak months like March or October. Also, regarding her $8,500 EFC - she should definitely look into WGU's payment plans even if she gets loans. They offer interest-free payment plans that let you spread the term cost over multiple months, which can help with cash flow if loan disbursements are delayed for any reason. One more tip: WGU has a "Course of Study" that gets locked in when you enroll, but you can work with your program mentor to optimize which courses you tackle first based on your existing knowledge. This can help you accelerate early in your program when motivation is highest, potentially saving money on future terms. The faster you complete your degree, the less you'll need to borrow overall. The competency-based model really does reward people who come in with existing knowledge and skills - sounds like it could be perfect for your cousin!

As a newcomer here, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually considering WGU myself for their IT program and had many of the same questions about how FAFSA works with their unique model. Reading through everyone's experiences, it seems like the key takeaways are: 1) FAFSA application process is the same, but disbursements happen twice per 6-month term, 2) the flat-rate tuition structure can actually save money if you accelerate, and 3) their SAP requirements are stricter since you can't just drop courses without affecting your aid eligibility. One thing I'm still curious about - does anyone know if WGU's competency-based credits transfer well to other schools if you ever need to switch? I want to make sure I'm not boxing myself in academically while trying to save money on tuition. Also, for those who accelerated through courses, did you feel like you retained the knowledge as well as you would have in a traditional semester-long format, or does the faster pace sometimes lead to less retention? Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for getting real-world insights that you just can't find in official school materials!

As someone who's been researching WGU for my own educational goals, this thread has been incredibly informative! I wanted to add a perspective from someone who's currently working in financial aid at a traditional university while considering the switch to WGU's model. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that WGU participates in the National Student Clearinghouse, which means your enrollment status gets reported properly for loan deferment purposes if you have existing student loans. This is crucial for people who might have previous student debt. Also, regarding the competency-based model and FAFSA - the Department of Education has specific regulations for how schools like WGU must track "academic engagement" to maintain Title IV eligibility. This is why their SAP requirements are so strict about completing minimum competency units. It's not just about WGU's internal policies, but federal compliance. For your cousin with the $8,500 EFC, she should definitely complete the FAFSA even though she won't get Pell Grant funding. The unsubsidized loan limits for independent students are quite generous ($12,500/year), and WGU's flat-rate tuition model means she could potentially complete her degree faster and borrow less overall. One last tip - if she's considering multiple schools, she should compare the total cost of completion, not just per-term costs. WGU's acceleration potential could make it significantly cheaper than traditional programs even if the per-term cost seems similar.

As someone who just completed my first term at WGU and went through the entire FAFSA process, I wanted to share a few additional insights that might help your cousin make her decision. One thing that really surprised me was how responsive WGU's financial aid office has become - I know there were horror stories in the past, but I had to contact them twice during my enrollment process and both times got connected to a real person within 20 minutes. They were also really helpful in explaining how the two-disbursement system works and what to expect. For someone with an $8,500 EFC like your cousin, I'd definitely recommend she also look into WGU's employer partnerships. Many companies have tuition assistance programs that work well with WGU's competency-based model since you can accelerate through material you already know from work experience. Even if her current employer doesn't have a formal partnership, it's worth asking HR about tuition reimbursement - the flat-rate structure makes it easier for employers to budget for. Also, since she's 24 and will be considered independent for FAFSA purposes, she should definitely apply even though her EFC seems high. The unsubsidized loan limits for independent students are much higher, and WGU's model could help her minimize the total amount she needs to borrow if she can accelerate through her program. One last tip - if she decides to move forward, I'd recommend starting in a month that gives her the most time to prepare. The six-month terms are intense if you want to accelerate, so having everything organized beforehand makes a huge difference!

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread! As someone who's been on the fence about applying to WGU for their nursing program, reading through everyone's real experiences with the FAFSA process has answered so many questions I didn't even know I had. The breakdown of how their competency-based model works with federal aid is exactly what I needed to understand. It sounds like the key is really being strategic about course sequencing and realistic about your ability to accelerate while maintaining quality learning. The fact that you work on one course at a time rather than juggling multiple classes actually appeals to me since I learn better with focused attention. I'm particularly interested in the employer partnership angle that @Tyrone Johnson mentioned. I work at a hospital that has tuition assistance, but I wasn't sure how it would work with WGU's unique term structure. Sounds like it's worth having that conversation with HR before I apply. One question for current students - how do you balance the desire to accelerate (to save money) with making sure you're actually mastering the material? I don't want to rush through just to finish faster if it means I'm not adequately prepared for my career. Any tips for finding that sweet spot between efficiency and thoroughness?

As someone who just started researching WGU for my own educational goals, this thread has been absolutely invaluable! The detailed breakdown of how FAFSA works with their competency-based model is exactly what I needed to understand before making my decision. What really stands out to me is how the flat-rate tuition structure could actually make education more affordable if you're motivated to accelerate. The fact that your cousin is 24 and will be considered independent for FAFSA purposes is a huge advantage - those higher loan limits combined with WGU's model could really work in her favor. I'm also impressed by how many current students have shared positive experiences with the financial aid process, especially the recent improvements in customer service response times. It sounds like WGU has addressed many of the issues that were problems in earlier years. One thing I'd add for your cousin's consideration - since she's been working in her field, she should definitely take advantage of WGU's prior learning assessment opportunities. Many students don't realize they can potentially test out of courses based on work experience, which could save both time and money. Combined with the accelerated course completion that others have mentioned, she could potentially finish much faster than a traditional 4-year program. The employer partnership angle is brilliant too - even if her company doesn't have a formal WGU partnership, the predictable flat-rate structure makes it easier for employers to budget tuition assistance. Definitely worth that HR conversation!