Paying for College

Financial Aid

wou.edu/finaid
Director, Kella Helyer
finaid@wou.edu
503-838-8475 | Toll free: 877-877-1593

WOU provides a strong financial aid and scholarship program that annually administers more than $54 million for eligible students. Financial aid is based on the philosophy that the responsibility for financing a student’s education rests primarily with the student and student’s family.

For detailed information about the financial aid application process and aid programs, go to wou.edu/finaid.

Applying for Aid

To be considered for federal and state financial aid at WOU, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are encouraged to submit their FAFSAs annually as soon after October 1 as possible as some funds are limited and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The FAFSA is completed online at fafsa.gov.

Financial aid programs

WOU participates in numerous federal, state and institutional programs including:

Student Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees entitle the student to: regular instruction; use of the library; laboratory equipment, materials and gymnasium; medical attention and advice at the Student Health Center; and other services maintained by the university for the benefit of students. No reduction of fees is made to students who choose not to use these services.

A regularly enrolled, full-time undergraduate student takes a minimum 12 credit-hour course load. A regularly enrolled, full-time graduate student takes a minimum of nine credit hours.

Tuition is charged on a per-credit basis. Estimated annual costs other than tuition and fees for a full-time, undergraduate student living away from home, on- or off-campus, for the 2017-18 academic year are as follows:

Western Tuition Choice

Effective for new undergraduate students (freshmen and transfer), WOU offers a choice in tuition plans. WOU is unique among American universities in offering students and their families a choice in tuition plans. The Western Tuition Choice gives new students the choice of tuition plans that meet their needs best.

When registering for the first time, new undergraduate students who are either Oregon residents or participants in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) will be required to select one of the following two options. The choice cannot be changed, so students are encouraged to analyze both options carefully before registering for courses.

Tradtional Plan: Students will save tuition expenses in the first two years of their studies at WOU with this plan. Pending final approval from the WOU Board of Trustees, WOU students from Oregon will pay $171 per credit plus fees for 2017-18. Tuition will increase annually under this plan.

Tuition Promise: Students pay a higher starting tuition than the Traditional Plan, but their tuition rate will not increase for a four-year period. For Oregon residents, tuition will be $199 per credit (plus fees), with a guarantee of no increase in the tuition rate for four years.

Student fees, which are set by the student government, will likely increase annually for both choices. Students in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) will pay 150 percent of the resident rate for each of the plans. All undergraduate students are advised to take 45 credits per year in order to graduate in four years. Oregon students choosing the Tuition Promise will pay more than $1,290 more in 2017-18 than students who choose the WOU Traditional Plan. WUE students selecting the Tuition Promise can expect to pay approximately $1,890 more in tuition than WUE students selecting the Traditional Plan.

Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholars Program

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Scholars Program offers qualified students from participating Western states the opportunity to enroll at WOU at a special reduced tuition level of 150 percent of resident tuition. Students from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and residents of the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are eligible to apply for the discounted tuition.

All undergraduate academic programs at WOU are available under the WUE Scholars Program. If you are a resident of one of the participating states and would like to apply for the WUE Scholars Program, you must submit an application for admission and be admitted to the university under standard admission procedures.