Skip to main content
WVU Home

Decide

For the parents and families who attended our 2024 Decide WVU presentations, thank you! Here you can find the helpful information, tips and tricks, and websites shared during the presentations.

For more information on Decide WVU, visit the Decide WVU Day website. Also see our special Parents webpage that addresses financial aid topics that parents and families often have questions on.

Follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram. We post scholarship opportunities and important reminders that can help you and your student stay on track for financial aid, scholarships, billing, and more!

Page Navigation

What Is the WVU Hub?

Your connection to:

  • Student accounts and billing
  • Financial aid (including scholarships)
  • Federal Work-Study employment
  • Registrar and academic records

How Will You Hear from Us?

Emails regarding these topics are sent from the WVU Hub to students’ WVU MIX emails. Students can set it up on their mobile devices. It is crucial that students pay attention to notices from the WVU Hub because they could be about financial aid or a balance due.

Students should check their WVU MyAccount and Financial Aid Information regularly via their WVU Portal to view the most up-to-date information.

Return to Top of Page

How do you apply for financial aid?

Financial Aid is a Process

Students should:

  1. Start planning as early as possible.
  2. Fill out necessary applications.
  3. Monitor their MIX email account for notifications of additional requirements and/or financial aid offers.
  4. Review financial aid offer.
  5. Continue searching and applying for other financial aid.
  6. Accept financial aid and complete aid requirements (if any).

Return to Top of Page

Preparing for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

What is the FAFSA?

The FAFSA is required every year a student is enrolled in college to determine students' aid eligibility for:

  • Federal Grants
  • Federal Work-Study
  • Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans

The application is also required for most state financial aid and may be required for institutional and/or private/external aid.

Return to Top of Page

FSA IDs

Your FSA ID is your username and password created to access federal student aid online systems which:

  • Must be created up to three days prior to starting the FAFSA.
  • Serves as legal signature for online applications.

All contributors should create their own FSA ID.

FSA ID Tips:

  • Contributors without an Social Security Number (SSN) can create an FSA ID.
  • Contributors who have an SSN must ensure their name and social security number match exactly as they appear on the social security card.
  • Each person must use their own email and/or phone number.

Return to Top of Page

Gathering Information

Before completing the FAFSA, the student and all other contributors will need:

  • Their FSA ID.
  • Social Security Number (SSN) or Alien Registration Number (for non-U.S. citizens).
  • 2022 Federal income tax returns (Form 1040), W-2s, and/or other records of money earned.
  • Records of 2022 untaxed income (e.g. child support received).
  • Current cash, savings, and checking account balances.
  • Current records of net worth of business or farm, investments, and assets (not including the home in which you live).

Return to Top of Page

Common FAFSA Errors

  • Submitting FAFSA for the wrong aid year (use 2024-2025 FAFSA for fall 2024, spring 2025, and summer 2025).
  • Contributors not consenting to transfer tax information from the IRS.
  • Entering incorrect information when creating an FSA ID.
  • Not listing high school information.
  • Sending the FAFSA to the wrong school.
  • Incorrectly answering “Yes” to a dependency status questions.
  • Not checking the WVU Portal and WVU MIX emails after submitting the FAFSA and/or ignoring requests for documentation.

Return to Top of Page

FAFSA Simplification

Impact of FAFSA Simplification

Due to the delayed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) release and changes to the financial aid process by the Department of Education, our processes are delayed for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  • The Department of Education announced in late January 2024 that FAFSA data would not be available to schools until the first half of March.
  • Implementation and testing of new processes and policies could not begin until FAFSA data became available.

Full financial aid offers for 2024-2025 are not yet available. We are working diligently to make them available as soon as possible. Students should regularly check their MIX email for notifications from us.

Return to Top of Page

FAFSA Assistance

We can assist with initial FAFSA completion, but WVU does not currently have access to view or update 2024-2025 FAFSA information.

Students having issues making changes to their FAFSA, please contact the Department of Education for assistance or visit the Federal Student Aid website for help articles for common errors. At this time, the WVU Hub can only answer general financial aid questions.

If your financial situation has drastically changed from the 2022 tax information reported on the FAFSA, you can complete an SAI appeal. Keep an eye on our FAFSA Simplification webpage for when these appeals open.

Return to Top of Page

Common Types of Financial Aid Students May See in Their Offers

Common Types of Aid

Financial assistance can come from a variety of sources and can be classified as either self-help aid or gift aid:

  • Federal
  • State
  • Institutional
  • Departmental

Gift Aid

Self-Help Aid

Return to Top of Page

Common Types of Aid: Scholarships

  • "Gift aid" - usually does not need to be repaid
  • Most scholarships are offered based on academic merit
  • Students are automatically reviewed for institutional scholarships based on GPA and test scores, if submitting test scores. Visit our Scholarships webpage for more information on scholarships for incoming students.
  • The Promise Scholarship is awarded to WV residents only. It is based on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information and Promise application. The deadline has been extended to September 1 for the 2024-2025 academic year. Students must meet Promise eligibility requirements and the submission deadline of September 1 for the 2024-2025 aid year.

Return to Top of Page

Common Types of Aid: Other Scholarships

There are various other scholarships students can research and pursue in addition to the institutional scholarships for which they are automatically reviewed. These include departmental and external scholarships (from local providers or other third-parties).

Potential Sources

Departmental scholarships are those based on the student's program of study and available from the student's department or college. Some departments offer first-time freshmen scholarships, and others offer to upper-level students. Some are automatically reviewed, while others may require an application. Please check your program's website for more information on eligibility and application requirements. Students can find information to help guide them to the appropriate websites on our Departmental or College Scholarships webpage.

Local scholarships are those you may find in your local area. Some potential resources to explore are:

  • High school counselors
  • Businesses
  • Alumni associations
  • Libraries
  • Churches
  • Nonprofit organizations

Scholarship search engines are another way to research and pursue external scholarship opportunities.

Return to Top of Page

Common Types of Aid: Grants

Return to Top of Page

Common Types of Aid: Federal Work-Study

Part-time Student Employment

  • Working up to 28 hours/week is shown to improve time management and GPA
  • Amount is earned through paychecks and can help with indirect costs such as personal, transportation, and supplies (does not apply directly as payment toward WVU charges)
  • Some students are offered Federal Work-Study based on financial need from their FAFSA, but students do not need to have work-study to apply for part-time jobs on and off campus

Return to Top of Page

Common Types of Aid: Loans

  • Borrowed aid that must be repaid with interest
  • Borrowed from the federal government or private lenders
  • Federal student loans up to $5,500 may be offered to freshmen based on FAFSA information
    • Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
    • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
  • Students/parents are not required to take loans, but if a student needs them to achieve their educational goals, they are an option to consider. However, only borrow what you need.

Return to Top of Page

WVU MyAccount & Payment

WVU MyAccount

Students can access their WVU MyAccount via their WVU Portal to:

  • View billing details.
  • Access official On Demand Statements.
  • Make payments.
  • Authorize parents or guests to view charges or make online payments.

For step-by-step instructions and how-to videos, visit our Tutorials webpage.

Return to Top of Page

Monthly Payment Plan

Students can break semester charges into as many as five smaller payments. The earlier you sign up, the longer you can spread out your payments.

  • Can help reduce borrowing through loans
  • It’s all online! You can enroll, manage your account, and make payments 24/7.
  • Students should monitor their MIX email accounts for more information as it becomes available

Visit our Tuition Payment Plan webpage for deadlines, to sign up, and for more information.

Return to Top of Page

What Other Options Do Students Have if aid Does Not Cover Their Balance Owed?

Other Funding Options: College Savings Plan, Third-Party Sponsors, Veterans

  • If you have a college savings plan such as a 529 or prepaid college plan, please contact your plan manager for instructions on how to send funds.
  • Third-party sponsors are entities that pay institutional charges for a student. Examples include Vocational Rehabilitation, military, employers, etc. Students may qualify for assistance through these entities and should contact them for eligibility requirements and application instructions.
  • If you are receiving Veterans benefits, start your certification process online by going to the Center for Veteran, Military and Family Programs website and selecting the benefit to access the instructions and documents needed.

Return to Top of Page

Other Funding Options: Credit-Based Loans

There are credit-based loan options for both students and parents, requiring an application with the federal government or private lender.

Parent PLUS Loan

  • Lender is the federal government
  • Interest fixed – 8.05% for 2023-2024 (2024-2025 rates not yet available)
  • For parents of dependent undergraduates
  • Loan is in the parent’s name
  • Apply starting in May on the Federal Student Aid website

For more information about Parent PLUS Loans, visit our Federal Parent PLUS Loan webpage.

Private Loan

  • Interest varies by lender
  • Borrower could be a student or parent
  • Student usually needs a cosigner
  • Apply starting in May
  • Loans will not be certified until after the student registers at New Student Orientation (NSO)

For more information on comparing private lenders, visit our Private Loans webpage.

Return to Top of Page

Residency and Reduced Tuition Rate

  • Residency Classification and Reclassification are determined by the Office of Admissions.
  • Some out-of-state students may qualify for reduced tuition rates through special programs. Visit the Cost and Aid website for more information on Reduced Tuition programs. Students receiving veterans benefits can visit the WVU Veterans Benefits webpage for details on how benefits may affect tuition rates.
  • If a student’s residency status changes after a scholarship offer has been made – or they are switched from paying non-resident tuition and fees to resident tuition and fees – the original award will no longer be valid.

Return to Top of Page

Student Aid Index (SAI) Appeal

Student Aid Index Appeal

If your financial circumstances have changed or the FAFSA is not accurately reflecting certain elements, the WVU Hub can make adjustments for specific circumstances. Please note that completing this appeal does not necessarily mean more aid. Here are a few criteria to keep in mind if you are considering submitting an SAI Appeal:

  • If your EFC is “-1500”, it can’t get any lower than that.
  • If your income drops from $450,000 to $350,000, that probably will not have enough of an impact to qualify for changes to financial aid.

Visit our FAFSA Simplification webpage for when these appeals open for the 2024-2025 aid year.

Return to Top of Page

Special Circumstances for Appeal

If you have experienced extenuating circumstances outside of your control, you may qualify to submit an SAI Appeal and have your SAI and financial aid eligibility reevaluated. Some examples of circumstances that may qualify you for an appeal are:

  • Loss of employment or reduction in income
  • Separation or divorce
  • Parent or spouse death
  • Loss or reduction of child support
  • One-time income reported on taxes
  • Medical or dental expenses paid out-of-pocket (must be documented paid expenses)

Visit our EFC/SAI Calculation Appeal webpage for more information on the appeal process.

Return to Top of Page

What's Next?

Fall 2024 Timeline

Now through May

  • Continue applying for scholarships.
    • Students who meet the admission deadline will be considered for scholarships (or increases to scholarships if applicable) based on submission of new transcripts or ACT/SAT scores if the information is updated on their WVU student record by June 1, 2024.
  • Update your scores for institutional scholarships.
    • Test scores are automatically processed when sent to WVU.
    • High school GPA changes require students to submit official transcripts and submit the GPA Update Request Form.
  • If you have not completed the FAFSA, please submit it as soon as possible on the Federal Student Aid website.
  • Review outstanding financial aid tasks and resolve them. You can view financial aid requirements in the WVU Portal.
  • Students should regularly check their MIX email for updates.

Return to Top of Page

Follow Us on Social Media!

Follow us on social media for important deadlines and reminders, scholarship opportunities, and budgeting tips that can help you and your student stay on track for financial aid, scholarships, billing, and more!

Return to Top of Page

Contact Us

We are here to help! Contact us by phone or online assistance when you have questions about billing, financial aid, and Federal Work-Study.

  • Online Assistance
  • @WVUHub on X, Facebook, and Instagram
  • Phone: 304-293-1988
  • Fax: 304-293-4890
  • Mailing: P.O. Box 6004, Morgantown, WV 26506
  • Location: Evansdale Crossing, 2nd Floor, 62 Morrill Way, Morgantown, WV

Campus Locations

Morgantown
Evansdale Crossing (second floor)
62 Morrill Way
Morgantown, WV 26506

Beckley
609 South Kanawha Street
Beckley, WV 25601

Keyser
Administration Building (Room 101)
101 Fort Avenue
Keyser, WV 26726

Return to Top of Page

© 2024 West Virginia University. WVU is an EEO/Affirmative Action employer — Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran. Last updated on April 12, 2024.