Applying for Financial Aid

Follow these steps to apply for financial aid to attend Wake Tech:

Get an FSA ID

The FSA ID is used to log in to Federal Student Aid’s online systems, fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and sign legal documents electronically. Parents of dependent students will also need an FSA ID to sign the FAFSA.

See how to create an FSA ID

Complete the FAFSA

The FAFSA must be completed each academic year to receive federal or state aid, most institutional aid and most scholarships. There are two ways to complete a FAFSA:

To request a paper copy or to get help with login issues, call 800-4-FED-AID or 319-337-5665. Hearing-impaired individuals can call the TTY line at 800-730-8913.

Between October 1 and June 30, the FAFSA will be available for two separate award years. It is important to select the appropriate one to avoid delays.

Enrollment period
FAFSA to complete
Required tax information
Fall 2022 - Summer 2023
2022-23
2020
Fall 2023 - Summer 2024
2023-24
2021

The following information is needed to complete the form:

  • Social Security number
  • Parents' Social Security number(s) for dependent students
  • 2021 federal tax returns, W-2s and other documents, including information for a spouse, if you're married, and parents, if you're a dependent.
  • Records of untaxed income, such as child support received, interest income and non-education benefits for veterans, for you and your spouse and, if you're a dependent, your parents
  • Driver's license, if applicable
  • Alien Registration number, for non-U.S. citizens
Do I need my parents' information?
Which parent's information
do I include on FAFSA?

Wake Tech’s school code for the FAFSA is 004844.

You can sign and submit the FAFSA either by using your FSA ID or by printing out and mailing a signature page.

To ensure aid is available to pay tuition, fees and books, the FAFSA and any required paperwork should be submitted by the following priority deadlines:

If you plan to enroll:
Complete the FAFSA by:
Submit paperwork to Wake Tech by:
Fall Semester
June 1
July 1
Spring Semester
October 1
November 1
Summer Term
April 1
May 1

If you miss a priority deadline, submit the FAFSA anyway – you still may be eligible for financial aid, although there might be less money available. You also should make other arrangements to pay for tuition, fees and books if aid is not offered before the registration payment is due.

Tuition and costs
Tuition Payment Plan

Once your FAFSA has been processed and it is determined that you qualify for financial aid, you will be reimbursed during the semester. If you are not offered any aid, you are responsible for all charges.

The Federal Processing Center should provide an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) within one to three weeks. You can check the status of your application online by logging into your account or by calling 800-433-3243.

Apply to Wake Tech

Contact the Admissions Office with questions about completing your application.

Submit high school and college transcripts

Request your official transcript from any high schools you attended or your high school equivalency, as well as any previous colleges. Transcripts may be sent electronically to [email protected] or mailed to:

Wake Tech Admissions
9101 Fayetteville Road
Raleigh, NC 27603-5696

Students must have a valid high school diploma or equivalency diploma to be eligible for financial aid. A diploma will be considered invalid if there is reason to believe that limited coursework was required and/or a fee was charged by the agency that issued the diploma.

The following schools allow students to pay a fee and receive their high school diploma within as little as a few days of minimal instruction:

  • Adison High
  • Atlantic International Institute
  • Beach High School (Soquel, Calif.)
  • Belford High School
  • Buffville High School
  • Columbia North High School with Capital Network
  • Continental Academy
  • Cornerstone Christian
  • Enterprise Online High School
  • First Coast Academy
  • Jefferson Online High
  • John Adams Virtual
  • Justice Fellowship International College
  • Lincoln Academy
  • Marwin High School
  • Nations High School
  • Pacific High School
  • PennFord High School
  • Southeastern High Online Florida
  • West Madison Falls High School
  • Winford High School
  • Woodfield High School

Confirm your program of study

Once your high school transcript has been turned in, check your WebAdvisor account to confirm your program of study. You must be accepted into an eligible program of study to receive financial aid.

Discuss any special circumstances with a Financial Aid specialist

Let the Financial Aid Office know if you want to seek aid as an independent student, if your family income has changed substantially from what was noted on the FAFSA or any other issues that could affect your aid package. Special forms need to be filed in these instances.

What's next?

Your completed FAFSA will take about three to five business days before it is received in the Financial Aid Office.

Check Self-Service and Wake Tech email: All official correspondence from the Financial Aid Office, such as requests for additional documentation to complete your financial aid application and notification of your aid offer, will be posted to Self-Service or emailed to your Wake Tech email address – so check both regularly.

Verification: The Federal Processing Center chooses 30% of all financial aid applications to verify to ensure information is accurate. The process is random, so don't worry that you've done anything wrong if you receive this notice. Wake Tech also has the authority to select applicants for verification if there is a conflict of information, meaning the college can request verification documentation, which may include tax returns, W2s and records verifying untaxed income. Please do not submit documentation until it is requested.

Check status: By checking Self-Service, you will be able to view all documents the Financial Aid Office has requested and see when each has been received. An "Action Needed" or "Incomplete" notice means you need to submit more information, while a "Waived" notation means no further action is needed.

Processing financial aid applications at Wake Tech usually takes four weeks from the date documents are submitted. If corrections are required, it may take another five to seven days before the correction is processed and reviewed and the Financial Aid Office posts the final offer in Self-Service.

Receiving an offer: Congratulations! You have been awarded financial aid to attend Wake Tech. Check out what do to once you have your offer.

Financial Aid checklist

 
Complete your FAFSA by June 1 for Fall semester, October 1 for Spring semester and April 1 for Summer term. Wake Tech’s school code is 004844
**NOTE: The confirmation page from FAFSA is not a financial aid offer.**
 
Activate and monitor your Wake Tech email and Financial Aid account in Self-Service to find out when your FAFSA is received and if additional documentation or information is required.
 
If you are selected for the verification process, you will receive a list of required documents by email. Submit them to the Financial Aid Office promptly and allow two to four weeks for processing.
 
Continue to review your list of documents in Self-Service under "Financial Aid" and "Required Documents."
 
You will be notified by email if you are offered financial aid. You may then view your offer in Self-Service - Financial Aid under "My Offers."
 
Accept the Financial Aid Terms and Conditions. A link is emailed to all students, or you can complete this by logging in to Self-Service under "Financial Aid."
 
All eligible students will be offered Direct Stafford Loans. You must accept or reject the offered loans electronically. You may also choose to reduce your loan amount. Students who accept loans must complete the online loan requirements.
Log in to Self-Service under "Financial Aid" and complete the Master Promissory Note and entrance counseling.
 
Purchase (charge) books in the bookstore during the posted dates once the above requirements have been met. Simply swipe your student ID card in the bookstore.
 
Look for your Bank Mobile Refund Selection Kit, which will be sent by mail in a green envelope, as well as by email. Once you receive it, go to BankMobile to set up your refund preference. This is a one-time requirement, but you may change your preference at any time.
 
Familiarize yourself with Wake Tech's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.
 

Remember the eligibility guidelines:

  • You must be accepted into an eligible program of study to receive financial aid.
  • Financial aid covers only classes required for your eligible program of study.
  • To receive a loan, you must be enrolled in at least six credit hours of coursework at the time of disbursement.
  • For students enrolled in a "mini-mester" course, funds are not disbursed until classes begin and enrollment is verified.

 

Emails from the Financial Aid Office may require immediate action, so monitor your email carefully.