Eligibility
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Eligibility Criteria
You, the student, must meet certain criteria to be eligible or maintain eligibility for Federal Student Aid:
- Provide a valid Social Security number (SSN) when filing the FAFSA (exception if the student is from the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau)
- If required, register for selective service for state financial aid assistance
- Be a U.S. citizen or national, a U.S. permanent resident or other eligible noncitizen, or a citizen of the Freely Associated States
- Enroll in an eligible program. Must be degree-seeking or pursuing a teacher licensure/endorsement program
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress each academic year
- Meet enrollment requirements
- Not in default on a Federal Student Aid Loan or owe an overpayment on a Federal Student Aid grant or loan and have not made a repayment arrangement for the default or overpayment
- Have financial need for some types of aid programs
- Eligibility is limited for students who are incarcerated depending on the type of institution
- Eligibility is limited for students who were incarcerated but are now subject to an involuntary civil commitment
Enrollment Requirements
The chart below lists the number of credit hours used to define your enrollment status for a given term.
Your Award Notice displays your awards based upon full-time enrollment. If you enroll less than full-time, the amount of financial aid that credits to your account may be less. Visit our Receiving Your Aid page for more information.
Enrollment Status by Semester
|
Enrollment Status |
Undergraduate Students |
Graduate Students |
|---|---|---|
|
Full-time |
12 or more undergraduate credit hours |
6 or more graduate credit hours |
|
Three-fourths time |
9 to 11 undergraduate credit hours |
n/a |
|
Half-time |
6 to 8 undergraduate credit hours |
3 to 5 graduate credit hours |
|
Less than half-time |
1 to 5 undergraduate credit hours |
1 to 2 graduate credit hours |
Exclusions
Certificate Programs
Wright State University is not permitted to offer federal or state financial aid for students enrolled only in a certificate program.
Courses that Count Toward Your Degree
You are only eligible to receive financial aid for courses required for degree completion. If your degree program requires you to take courses outside your program, ask your academic advisor or program director to contact Enrollment Services for more information.
Limitations
Licensure Programs
Undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a licensure or endorsement from the State may be eligible to receive federal student aid provided they are enrolled in a financial aid eligible program. To be eligible for federal student aid, the program must meet the following criteria:
- Initial teaching license
- Renewal of teaching license required by the state where the student currently has their teaching license
- Teaching license earned in one state but needs a different license for another state
- Additional teaching license that is required by the State for the student to teach in a different subject area
Licensure programs that lead to an education-related occupation other than a teacher are not eligible for federal financial aid. This includes programs that prepare students to become principals, superintendents or other administrators, counselors, librarians, nurses or other health professions, or other types of nonteaching professionals in an elementary or secondary school classroom. This also includes licensure programs that students may choose to complete for professional advancement or recognition in the teaching field, but are not required by the State to receive or maintain a teaching license.
Typically, students pursuing licensure or endorsement who apply for federal student aid are only eligible to receive Federal Direct Loans based on undergraduate annual and aggregate loan limits.
Second Bachelor’s Degree
If a student has earned a bachelor’s degree and intends to enroll at Wright State for a second bachelor’s degree, federal financial aid options are limited to Federal Direct Student Loan programs (subsidized and unsubsidized) at the undergraduate level. Annual loan levels range from $5,500 to $12,500. Aggregate loan limits also apply, and students will be held to the undergraduate aggregate loan limits of $31,000 for dependent students or $57,500 for independent students. Aggregate loan limits include loans previously borrowed as an undergraduate student. To be eligible for a loan, the student must file a FAFSA, be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours) each semester in degree-applicable coursework, and complete all loan requirements. Dependency status also is key to determining the Direct Student Loan amounts the student may be eligible for. To learn about dependency status, please refer to our Dependency Status webpage.
Graduate Level Coursework
Students pursuing a graduate or doctoral degree (excluding Boonshoft School of Medicine and School of Professional Psychology) are limited in federal financial aid to Federal Direct Student Loan programs (unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS). Graduate level students may borrow up to $20,500 in the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program per academic year and up to the cost of attendance in the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan program. Borrowers will be held to the graduate aggregate loan limit of $138,500 for the Direct Unsubsidized Loan program. Acceptance of the Graduate PLUS Loan is conditional based upon a credit check. To be eligible for a loan, the student must file a FAFSA, be enrolled at least half-time (3 credit hours) each semester, and complete all loan requirements.
