After you submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the U.S. Department of Education will send your information to the Western Iowa Tech Financial Aid Office. From there, our Student Financial Services team will process your application to find the best combination of scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans to help you pay for college.
We’ll send you a packet of information with all the details about your financial aid award by postal mail and to your Western Iowa Tech student email address. You’ll also have access to your info packet online through the student portal: Log in to MyWIT, then go to Finances > My Financial Aid.
Read it ASAP! It’s your responsibility to review all the information provided - make sure to write down the important deadlines listed in the Aid Lock Dates. We want you to understand the expectations and obligations, and you should feel comfortable with your decisions.
Inside Your Packet: Awards, Dates & Rules
All early financial aid offers are made on the assumption that you will attend Western Iowa Tech full time for fall and spring semesters.
- Actual offer amounts (grants and loans) will be adjusted to your enrollment status as appropriate.
- If you enroll for less than full-time, some of your aid will be adjusted to coincide with you enrollment and charges.
The amount listed on your offer notice is the annual offer amount. To determine the semester amount, divide the total by two. Credit hours associated with Testing Out or Audit do not count toward determining your enrollment status.
- Full time: 12 or more credit hours
- Three quarter time: 9-11 credit hours
- Half time: 6-8 credit hours
- Less than half time: 5 credit hours or less
Grants and scholarships will be directly credited to your charges as scheduled.
All About Work-Study Jobs
All About Student Loans
If you were offered or are interested in work-study employment, see the Work-Study Program section below. If you plan to borrow a student loan, refer to the Loan Information sepagection.
For financial aid purposes, your official enrollment status is determined by the number of credit hours you’re enrolled in on the aid census date. Adding coursework after the census date will not increase your aid.
Aid Census Dates
- Fall 2025 is September 9, 2025
- Spring 2026 is January 26, 2026
- Summer 2026 is June 2, 2026
Additional Information about Aid Lock Dates
- The award year normally begins with the fall semester and ends after the summer semester.
- You must be participating in classes each semester for which aid is received.
- Offers are subject to change based on fund availability, and/or adjustments made to your financial need.
- Any changes in enrollment status before or during the award year must be reported to the Financial Aid Office. These changes could affect the amount of assistance you may receive.
- Failure to participate in a class for which aid was offered will result in a reduction of grant aid and possibly affect loan eligibility. This may result in a balance owed to the college.
- If you receive any other sources of assistance not listed on the offer notice, you must notify the Financial Aid Office immediately. Adjustment of offer amounts may be needed according to governing regulations.
- In the event state funds are insufficient to pay the full amount of each approved grant, the Iowa College Student Aid Commission has the authority to administratively reduce the offer to an amount less than the statutory maximum.
- If you will not be attending Western Iowa Tech Community College, please contact the Financial Aid Office to cancel your awards. You can drop online or by contacting the Registration Center to cancel your registration (712.274.6404) before the start of the semester to avoid charges.
- Federal regulations require you to make satisfactory academic progress in your course of study to continue receiving financial aid funds. The aid listed on the offer notice may be canceled if you fail to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards as published in the college catalog.
- If you must repeat a course to receive a passing grade, you can attempt it two times using financial aid. For a third attempt, the credit hours may not count toward your enrollment status and aid eligibility.
- If you make false statements or misrepresentations in conjunction with your FAFSA application for financial assistance, under provisions of the United States Criminal Code. You may be subject to a fine, imprisonment, or both.
Once you have registered, you are responsible for related tuition, fees, and other expenses (books, supplies, housing, and meal plan). Payment using grants, processed student loans, or the TouchNet plan is due on the first day of class. Failure to make payment or payment arrangements will result in de-enrollment from classes and/or removal from college housing.
Pay Your Bill in Full
You may pay your full balance in person, by phone, or online.
- To pay online, go to MyWIT > Finances > My Account.
- Pay with cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover at any Western Iowa Tech campus.
Set Up a Payment Plan
Western Iowa Tech has a tuition payment plan option to accommodate the financial needs of students. This is not a loan program - you will have no debt, no interest or finance charges will be assessed, and there will be no credit check. There is a non-refundable fee of $30 per semester to enroll in the TouchNet payment plan.
- Sign up for your payment plan at MyWIT > Finances > Student Payment Center.
- TouchNet accepts automatic bank payments from checking or savings accounts, or by credit or debit card.
If you have questions about paying your bill, connect with the Western Iowa Tech Student Accounts office at studentaccounts@witcc.edu or 712.317.3281.
You can find your expected costs at Cost of College and Housing. There may be additional course fees depending on your registration. Enrollment for less than 12 credit hours will decrease your charges, but it may also decrease your aid eligibility.
Be sure to consider books, supplies, tools, housing, meal plans and other living expenses when calculating your costs. Additional materials, tools or equipment will vary depending upon your program of study. The Estimated Program Costs on each program page can help you plan for these costs. Talk to your admissions advisor for details and options.
You will need to plan for payment of books and supplies from your personal funds unless you have excess grant or loan funds in your student account. If so, you may be able to charge books at the Western Iowa Tech bookstore ten days before the semester starts.
The federal Work-Study Program offers you opportunities for part-time employment on or off campus with community service agencies. Wages are paid through federal funds. You must demonstrate financial need to qualify.
The work-study amount on your award offer indicates your eligibility for employment through the program but is not a guarantee of employment.
If you are hired for an on-campus job, you will be paid the last day of the month for the hours worked in the previous pay period. The pay period cut-off is the 15th of each month.
More About Work-Study at Western Iowa Tech- Most State of Iowa grants are only available for the fall and spring semesters.
- Summer students must be enrolled half-time (6 credits) to be eligible for student loans.
- Refer to your award offer for loan amounts available.
- Contact the Financial Aid Office when you register for summer classes to determine what aid you may be eligible for.
If you receive federal financial assistance, your financial aid may be adjusted based on your date of official or unofficial withdrawal.
What Happens If I Withdraw from School?
Institutional Refund Policy
Federal and state regulations require students who receive financial aid to maintain satisfactory academic progress. These standards apply to recipients of federal, state, and institutional programs administered by the Western Iowa Tech Financial Aid Office. Scholarships awarded by Western Iowa Tech from institutional or foundation resources are governed by criteria specific to those awards.
Academic progress is evaluated for all Western Iowa Tech students at the end of each semester during the regular academic year. Students attending summer sessions are evaluated at the end of the second session.
