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!