Apply for Financial Aid

At Western Piedmont Community College, only one application is required to apply for financial aid. It is commonly referred to as the “FAFSA.”

WPCC Federal School Code: 002982

To apply for financial aid:

• Submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The application opens Oct 1 each year.
• Be sure to enter our school code (002982) so that we receive your FAFSA information.
• All students must reapply for aid every year.
• You can apply for financial aid before you are admitted, but we cannot tell you what you are eligible for until you are admitted

Priority Deadline for submitting your FAFSA:  June 1st each year

Submitting the FAFSA by the June 1st Priority deadline allows enough time for aid to be processed and awarded before fall tuition/fee charges are due.

WPCC students with completed financial aid files will receive an email notice regarding their award offer letter beginning June 1st each academic year.

WPCC continues to process and notify students of financial aid award eligibility as FAFSA information is received throughout the entire academic year (even after the Priority Deadline of June 1st).

Please be aware that award amounts are not final until your FAFSA has been reviewed and processed by the Financial Aid Office and you have received an award notification from the college you are attending.

I’ve completed the FAFSA, now what?

1. After completing the FAFSA, you should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Department of Education either by mail or email. You should check the SAR for any discrepancies or errors. If you find anything that needs to be corrected, you can make those changes on the paper SAR and mail it to the Central Processing Center, or you can log into your FAFSA at  fafsa.gov and make corrections online. You can always check the status of your submitted FAFSA at fafsa.gov.
2. Many FAFSAs are selected for a process called verification. Not every file is selected. However, if your file is selected for verification, WPCC must collect documentation to check the accuracy of your FAFSA information. The Financial Aid Office will send an email to your WPCC email account to inform you of the documentation you must provide in order to finalize your financial aid file. Your financial aid will not be processed until all required documents have been received and verification has been completed.
3. WPCC students can also view the status of their financial aid file, and any documents needed, through Pioneer Pass under the Financial Aid Checklist
4. Once all required documentation has been received and processed, you will receive an award notification email through your WPCC email account.
5. Changes to Your Family’s Financial Situation
   If you or your family’s financial situation has changed significantly from what is reflected on your federal income tax return (for example, if you’ve lost a job or otherwise experienced a drop in income), you may be eligible to have your financial aid adjusted. Complete the FAFSA questions as instructed on the application (including the transfer of tax return and income information), submit your FAFSA form, then contact the school you plan to attend to discuss how your current financial situation has changed. Note that the school’s decision is final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education.