How to Apply for Federal Financial Aid for Current RWU Students
Financial aid helps pay for college, and returning students must submit a new financial aid application (FAFSA) each academic year. Financial aid can come in the form of grants (free money you don't pay back), loans (money you borrow and pay back later), and work-study (a part-time campus job). You apply for all of these in one place: the FAFSA. To be eligible for any financial aid, a student must be enrolled in a degree or eligible program and be a U.S. Citizen or Eligible Non-citizen.
Your Steps
Apply Early
The FAFSA opens onOctober 1 each year to apply for financial aid for the following academic year. Since funding for various programs can be limited, we recommend you submit your FAFSA before January 15.
Create Your FSA ID
An FSA ID is the username and password you use to sign into the federal student aid website. It also counts as your legal signature on the form.
To create one, you'll need:
- Your social security number (if you have one)
- Your own email address
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) need to sign the FAFSA, too, for undergraduate students (unless you're legally independent). They must also create their own separate FSA ID, even if they don't have a social security number.Where to go:
Gather What You Need
Before you start the form, pull these together:
- Your tax return from two years ago (for example, for the 2025–26 school year, use your 2023 taxes)
- If you're a dependent student, your parents' tax return too
- If taxes aren't filed yet, you can use estimated numbers and update later
- RWU's school code: 003410
Not sure if you're a dependent? Most students under 24 who aren't married, veterans, or supporting their own children are considered dependents for financial aid purposes.Complete the FAFSA
Go to and fill out the form. Make sure you're completing it for the right school year.
Enter RWU's school code so your information is sent to us automatically.
Check Your Confirmation
After you submit, the federal government will email you a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS). Read it carefully.
The summary will tell you:
- Whether anything is missing or needs to be fixed
- Whether you've reached your lifetime limit for Pell Grants or federal loans
- What corrections, if any, need to be made
It takes about 2-3 weeks for RWU to receive your information after you submit.Watch for Your Aid Offer
Once you've registered for classes in a new school year, our financial aid office will review your FAFSA and send you an award letter. This letter tells you exactly how much aid you're being offered and what types.
We may reach out if we need anything else from you first.
Note: The FAFSA does not include scholarships. RWU merit scholarships renew annually, automatically as long as the renewal criteria is met. To apply for additional scholarships, current students may visit the Financial Aid scholarships page.