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Through a variety of financial aid programs, Webster makes every effort to meet the demonstrated financial need of accepted degree-seeking students who wish to attend the University on at least a half-time basis. Eligible students are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, permanent residents, refugees, or those who reside permanently in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (Documentation of applicable immigration status is required if the applicant is not a U.S. citizen.) Approximately 72 percent of Webster’s eligible undergraduates attending the St. Louis campus receive assistance through financial aid programs administered by the University.
Financial aid applicants are considered for aid from every program for which they are eligible, including:
- Grants and scholarships — awards that do not require repayment or service.
- Long-term loans — awards that require repayment, including principal and interest, over a period of several years after completion of study at the University.
- Work-study — awards that require the student to work part-time during the academic year.
Eligible students are offered aid in the form of “financial aid packages.” The types and amounts of aid in each package vary according to the student’s total educational costs, his or her ability to pay for those costs from family and personal resources, his or her academic achievements, and the types of aid for which the student is eligible.
Students and parents are encouraged to contact the Office of Financial Aid if they have questions about financial aid or need assistance in completing financial aid forms. Phone 314-968-6992 or 1-800-WU-FINAD.
Application Checklist for Financial Aid Consideration
- Apply for admission to the University and be accepted as a degree-seeking student.
- Submit a completed Webster University Financial Aid Application to the Financial Aid Office at the University. Priority is given to completed applications received by March 30.
- File a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid by March 30. List Webster University, Title IV School Code 002521, 470 E. Lockwood Ave., St. Louis, Missouri, as the first school choice. This will insure receipt of information from the Department of Education. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid may be obtained from the Webster University Financial Aid Office or from a high school guidance office, or online.
- Apply for any state grant program for which the student may be eligible. Missouri residents must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and send it to the Federal Student Aid Programs by March 30.
- A degree-seeking student currently enrolled in or returning to the University must complete steps 2 through 4 by March 30 to receive priority consideration for student aid..
How Financial Need is Determined
A dependent student’s ability to pay for college is determined from income and asset information collected on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This information describes the financial circumstances of the student and his or her family.
From this information, a federal processor approved by the U.S. Department of Education calculates the amount the student and his or her family can reasonably afford to pay toward college costs. The calculated amount is called the Expected Family Contribution.
This family contribution is subtracted from the estimated cost for the student to attend Webster. The estimated cost includes tuition and fees, living expenses, books, and travel expenses. When the Expected Family Contribution is less than the estimated cost of attending the University, the student has demonstrated financial need and is considered for all financial aid programs for which he or she is eligible.
Webster also enrolls students who do not depend on their parents for financial support and who qualify as self-supporting students according to federal guidelines. For self-supporting students the Expected Family Contribution is determined on the basis of each individual’s income and asset information and those of a spouse if the applicant is married.
In constructing an individual’s financial aid package, the University determines the student’s eligibility for gift and self-help assistance. The Federal Pell Grant is considered and included first. Remaining gift eligibility is met through Federal Supplemental Educational Grant (SEOG), Webster University Grant, Missouri Student Grant, and any other outside scholarships the student may bring with him or her.
The University attempts to meet the student’s self-help eligibility through the Student Employment Program which includes Federal Work-Study and Webster University Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loans, and Federal Stafford Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized). The University may recommend the Federal PLUS Loan to meet any remaining need.
To be eligible to receive a financial aid award from programs administered by the University, a student must be:
- Enrolled as a degree-seeking student on at least a half-time basis.* Webster University Grant/Scholarship requires enrollment of 13 or more credit hours per semester.
- A U.S. citizen, U.S. national, permanent resident, a refugee, or those who reside permanently in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (Docu-mentation of applicable immigration status is required if the applicant is not a U.S. citizen.)
- Able to demonstrate financial need according to each financial aid program’s guidelines.
- Maintaining satisfactory academic progress in study toward a degree or certificate, if the student is currently enrolled at Webster.
- In good standing on loan repayments or on any loan received for educational purposes to attend any institution of higher education.
*A student enrolled for at least 6 credit hours but fewer than 12 credit hours in a semester with at least one semester course is considered enrolled half-time for that semester.
If, in a single term, a student is enrolled in at least 3 credit hours but fewer than 6 credit hours, the student is enrolled half-time for that term. A student enrolled for fewer than 6 credit hours in a semester with at least one semester course is enrolled less than half-time for the semester.
Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid
All students receiving any type of federal, state, or institutional financial aid are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of their degree. “I” (Incomplete) and “W” (Withdrawal) grades do not reflect satisfactorily completed courses. Repeated courses as well as academic credits transferred from another school are included in the evaluation of a student’s compliance with this policy. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 and complete enough credit hours each term to finish their degree program within 150% of the normal time frame.
Maximum Time Frame
In order to complete their degree program within 150% of the normal time frame, students must successfully complete at least 67% of all coursework attempted. This is calculated by dividing the cumulative number of credit hours earned by the cumulative number of credit hours the student has attempted (including transfer credit hours and repeated coursework).
Evaluation
Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated at the conclusion of the Spring term each year. A student’s entire academic record will be evaluated including any coursework transferred from another school. In order to meet the minimum progress standards students need to have both a minimum GPA of 2.0 and a 67% completion rate of all coursework attempted. Students who fail to meet either of these criteria are ineligible to receive any further financial aid unless an appeal is filed and approved.
Appeal
Students who are not eligible for financial aid because of a failure to meet the minimum standards of this Satisfactory Academic Progress policy may appeal for continued eligibility. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee and include any pertinent supporting documentation. Valid appeals must include an explanation of why the student failed to satisfy the requirements of this policy and also identify what has changed that will allow him or her to do so in future terms. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final and will be communicated to the student in a timely manner.
Probation
Students whose eligibility to continue receiving financial aid has been extended as the result of an approved Satisfactory Academic Progress policy appeal will be placed on financial aid probation for the following session (Summer, Fall, or Spring). Students in this probationary status must complete all subsequent coursework attempted. This probationary period will last for one session after which the student must satisfy the minimum requirements of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. There is no provision for multiple, subsequent appeals. The Appeals Committee may place students on an “academic plan” in the event that more than one session of coursework would be needed to achieve compliance with this policy. Students who fail to achieve any objective (GPA/course completion) outlined in the academic plan are ineligible to receive further financial aid.
The Appeals Committee may place students on an academic plan in the event that more than one session of coursework would be needed to achieve compliance with this policy. Students that fail to achieve any objective (GPA/course completion) outlined in the academic plan are ineligible to receive further financial aid.
Re-establishment of Financial Aid Eligibility
Students who are ineligible to receive financial aid due to their failure to comply with the requirements of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy may re-establish their eligibility. To do so, they must raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 or higher and their completion percentage to 67% or higher.
Additional Information
For the student's added protection against identity theft, student loans cannot be applied to a student's account until an official transcript has been received by the Office of Admission. Failure to submit a transcript will impact both the student bill and any loan refund the student might expect.
Additional information regarding financial aid programs, eligibility requirements, and deadline dates may be found in the Financial Aid Handbook, which is available in the Financial Aid Office. Information is also available online at online at the Financial Aid Information website.
Veterans' Educational Benefits
Webster University courses of study are approved for veterans' educational benefits in compliance with prescribed regulations by special approval agencies in each state and for each foreign country where the University offers programs. Nondegree students are not eligible for VA educational benefits.
The regional VA office will be notified of the date on which a student officially ceases attendance if veterans' educational benefits apply. Except under extenuating circumstances, students receiving VA benefits who withdraw from a course must be reported to the VA offices as making unsatisfactory progress.
Records of progress are kept by the institution on both veteran and non-veteran students. Progress records are furnished to all students at the end of each scheduled term. The policy and regulations regarding student standards of progress for graduation are detailed in the section titled Undergraduate Grading Policy. Additional information may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar at the St. Louis home campus.
Any conduct that is detrimental to the school and/or other students will result in the termination of VA educational benefits.
Webster University funds the Webster University Scholarship Program through the University’s annual operating budget. In 2008-2009 the University awarded and disbursed over $9,000,000 through this program to more than 2,200 new and returning undergraduate students who attend the home campus in St. Louis, Missouri.
The following are application guidelines:
- Applicants are seeking their first baccalaureate degree.
- Applicants have a minimum cumulative grade average of B or better (as calculated by Webster University) on all prior work attempted in high school and/or college.
- Applicants are accepted to the University as a degree-seeking student by April 1 (freshmen) or June 1 (transfers). The deadline for international students is March 1. Some scholarships require a separate application and have deadlines as early as February 15. Please consult the Scholarship page at explore.webster.edu for more information.
- Applicants must enroll as full-time students and take 13 or more credit hours in each semester. (A limited number of scholarships for part-time students are offered. Please contact the Coordinator of Scholarships at 314-246-8723 for specific information and application processes.)
To be considered for Webster University scholarship funds, the following items must be submitted:
- Completed admission application.
- Essay or résumé.
- Secondary or postsecondary transcripts.
- ACT or SAT composite scores (freshmen only).
- List of activities.
- Recommendation (freshmen only).
Some scholarships require a separate application form, which may be obtained in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or online at http://www.webster.edu/admissions. The University’s decision is communicated in writing, normally within two weeks of committee review.
The selection process for scholarship candidates is competitive, and scholarship funds are awarded by the University without regard to financial need. Scholarship awards to new students in 2008-2009 ranged from $5,000 to full tuition. Awards apply only to fall and spring semester tuition charges at Webster.
Applicants who are accepted or submit required credentials after the scholarship application deadline are considered only if funds remain. Scholarship funds are only applied to tuition costs.
Need-based financial assistance is also available to U.S. citizens and others who meet eligibility guidelines. Financial assistance application forms for new students may be obtained at explore.webster.edu or from the Office of Financial Aid. Phone 314-246-7671 or 1-800-WU-FINAD.
Scholarship decisions are based on the University's evaluation of an applicant's previous academic background. The review process is:
Academic Scholarships — Freshmen
Freshman applicants will be considered for scholarship based upon the applicant’s academic grades in high school, class rank in high school, and SAT or ACT composite scores. The applicant’s essay, résumé of school/community activities, and letters of recommendation are also considered in the awarding of academic scholarships.
Academic Scholarships—Transfers
Transfer applicants who have successfully completed at least 30 credit hours will be considered for scholarship based on the cumulative post-secondary grade point average (GPA).
An applicant who has successfully completed fewer than 30 credit hours must also submit a high school transcript. Scholarship decisions for these students are normally based on the cumulative postsecondary GPA and the high school transcript.
A scholarship applicant receives written notification of the University’s decision. A student who is awarded a Webster University scholarship receives a contract that details the amount, eligibility requirements for the disbursement of funds, and the conditions for renewal. Webster University scholarships apply to tuition only at the University and are not linked to a student’s major area of study.
Webster University scholarships are renewable if the recipient makes satisfactory academic progress as defined in the scholarship contract, maintains continuous enrollment in a minimum of 13 credit hours each semester at Webster, and has not exceeded 128 total credit hours. Student records are checked at the end of each semester to determine whether the recipient has achieved satisfactory academic progress for renewal.
Scholarship funds donated to Webster University for specific needs and purposes are awarded to eligible students by the University’s Scholarship Committee. These funds carry special eligibility requirements and conditions. (Unless otherwise specified, all scholarships are for study at the St. Louis campus.)
For a complete list of scholarships please see the Webster University Scholarship Guide. The guide includes items such as award amounts, special conditions, selection process, and renewal information. The guide is updated annually and is available through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or Financial Aid. For further information contact the Coordinator of Scholarships at 314-246-8723.
470 East Lockwood Avenue