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To determine your financial need, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. The FAFSA is used to calculate your eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid. You may complete the FAFSA online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

The FAFSA is available online starting October 1 each year. Students must create an FSA ID to begin. If the student is dependent, a parent or contributor must also create an FSA ID to sign the form.

Submitting the FAFSA annually ensures you are considered for the maximum amount of aid available.

The FAFSA is a form completed each year by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine eligibility for financial aid. At Wentworth, the FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for all need-based financial aid.

To be eligible for any of the Federal Aid programs a student must:

• Be admitted to an eligible program 
• Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Not owe a refund on a grant or be in default status on any federal student loan
  Not have borrowed more than the annual aggregate loan limits
• Have financial need as determined by the federal formulas and need analysis guidelines
• Be enrolled at least half time (6 credits) for Federal loans per semester
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Financial aid is based on this formula:

Cost of Attendance – Student Aid Index (SAI) = Financial Need  

The Student Aid Index (SAI) is a number that colleges use to determine your eligibility for financial aid. It is calculated based on the information you and your family provide on the FAFSA.

Your SAI helps schools understand your financial situation and how much aid you may qualify for.

Charges that are added directly to the student’s E-Bill, such as

• Tuition
• Housing
• Food
• Comprehensive Fee

Indirect costs are expenses you may have while attending college that do not appear on your E-Bill. These costs can vary depending on whether you live on campus or commute from home, and may include:

• Books and supplies
• Transportation and personal expenses
• Health insurance

These figures include both direct costs—such as tuition, room, and board/meal plans—and indirect costs like travel, books, and personal expenses. Your total cost will vary depending on whether you live on campus or commute from home.

For the most up to date cost information, visit our Tuition and Costs website.

At the discretion of the Institute, tuition and fees are subject to change at any time.

Watch this video for a step-by-step guide on how to view and accept your financial aid!

Federal Direct PLUS Loans are designed to help cover the gap between your educational expenses (Cost of Attendance) and your financial aid. These loans are available to parents of dependent undergraduate students.

Federal Loans can be either: 

• Subsidized: the government pays interest while you are in school. 
• Unsubsidized: you are responsible for all interest, though payments can be deferred until after graduation. 

These loans have annual and total (aggregate) limits. First-time borrowers may lose eligibility if they have already received loans totaling 150% of their current academic program.  

Federal student loans include a loan origination fee, which is a small percentage of the loan amount. This fee is deducted from your loan before it is disbursed, so you receive slightly less than the full amount borrowed.
The fee amount depends on the type of loan and is set by the U.S. Department of Education. To learn more about the federal loan fees and interest rates visit: [not provided]

The Master Promissory Note (MPN) is a legal document in which you promise to repay your loan(s) and any interest or fees to the U.S. Department of Education. It also explains the terms and conditions of your loan(s).
You can use a single Direct Loan MPN to borrow additional loans for up to 10 years.
Complete your Direct Loan MPN here: https://studentaid.gov/mpn/

First-time Federal Direct Loan borrowers at Wentworth must complete an Entrance Counseling session before any loan funds can be disbursed. 

Complete your Entrance Counseling here: https://studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling/

If federal and family resources are not enough to cover educational expenses, you may consider an alternative (private) student loan. It’s strongly recommended that you use all federal loan options first—such as Federal Direct Loans or Federal PLUS Loans—because their terms are often more favorable than private loans. Private loan programs vary by lender, so check carefully to find the loan that best meets your needs.   Visit www.elmselect.com to compare and explore private student loan options that may fit your needs. All loans, except Federal Direct Loans, require credit approval. This video provides additional details on the topic!  

The Federal Work-Study program offers eligible students the opportunity to work on Wentworth’s campus during the academic year. Participation is based on financial need, and your total work-study award will be listed on your financial aid offer.

Students are paid bi-weekly for the hours they work. While you may be offered work-study, it is your responsibility to find and secure an on-campus position. A comprehensive WIT Work [sentence cuts off here]

Study follows the same guidelines and policies as Federal Work Study and is need-based.

Please refer to the website for more detailed guidance.

Scholarship Universe is an outside scholarship search, match, and application tool that all Wentworth students can utilize.

Students log in using their Wentworth username and password to create a profile and start matching to scholarships.

Scholarships are open to incoming first-year students, returning students and graduate students and all scholarships are vetted and approved by Scholarship Universe.
 

Wentworth’s Financial Wellness Program (Leopard Cents) provides students with resources and tools to help them manage costs and make confident financial decisions—from their first year through graduation and beyond. As Wentworth prepares you academically, we also prepare you financially, equipping you with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed choices and successfully manage your financial life.

Access short videos and practical, step by step tips to guide you through the financial aid process.

Wentworth is partnered with ECMC Solutions to provide student loan counseling and support to borrowers as they navigate federal student loan repayment. Contact ECMC Solutions by phone at 1-877-331-3262, or visit their website to make an appointment, connect through email, or web chat with a student loan counselor. The team at ECMC also offers a free webinar series to support borrowers as they navigate repayment.

We strongly encourage online web check payments through the student’s E Bill. This method is fast, secure, and avoids mail or processing delays. There are no service fees for online web check payments.

We accept online web checks, debit card, and credit card payments. Please note that credit card payments include a convenience fee, and cash payments are not accepted.

More information on e-Bill payments

Through the student’s E Bill portal, families have the option to enroll in an interest free, semester based monthly payment plan. These plans allow students and families to divide the semester’s balance into either four- or three-monthly installments, making it easier to manage educational expenses over time.

Enrollment requires a debit card, credit card, or ACH (Automated Clearing House) checking or savings account, along with a $40 non-refundable enrollment fee. Once enrolled, payments are automatically scheduled according to the plan’s timeline, helping families stay on track throughout the semester.

A schedule of enrollment and detailed information are available here, including semester specific enrollment dates, installment options, and plan requirements.

Siblings who are enrolled concurrently in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at Wentworth can apply for a sibling discount. The sibling discount is applied each semester to tuition only. If a sibling withdraws from a semester where the sibling discount is applied, the sibling discount will be removed from each of the students’ E-Bills and may result in a balance due.

A tuition discount of 10% per student is applied to the first and second siblings enrolled concurrently. A tuition discount of 20% is applied to the third and additional siblings who are enrolled concurrently. 
 

A college savings plan, also known as a 529 plan, is a way for parents and students to pay for education expenses. Please contact your college savings plan administrator with questions about how to submit a college savings plan payment to Wentworth.  Your plan administrator can inform you if your college savings plan funds payment can be sent electronically to Wentworth or if a paper check must be mailed.

It is important to request college savings plan funds thirty days prior to each semester's due dates of August 1 for the fall semester, December 1 for the spring semester, and April 1 for the summer semesters.  Funds can be requested online through your college savings plan portal by selecting the electronic funds transfer (EFT) option or by contacting your plan administrator. Credit balances due to overpayments are refunded to the student.  We do not hold credit balances for future semesters.  

A returned payment fee will be charged to students’ E-Bills when a payment is returned by the bank or financial institution. If two or more payments are returned (not honored) by the bank or financial institution, Wentworth will no longer accept paper or online web check payments on behalf of your account. Future payments must be made with a money order, bank certified check or credit card. 

Becoming an Authorized User is an important step in staying informed about your student’s E Bill. Authorized users can view the student’s E Bill, check payment history, save payment methods for future use, and receive payment confirmations by email. Access can be requested by the anticipated authorized user, or the student can add an authorized user directly through the link in their E Bill portal. 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records at all schools receiving federal funding.

If a parent, guardian, or bill payer wants to discuss the student’s E Bill, financial aid, or any part of their academic record, the student must first complete the FERPA authorization form in their LeopardWeb account. This form specifies what information Wentworth is permitted to share and with whom.

Important: FERPA permissions are separate from Authorized User access to the E Bill.
 

Tuition insurance is available through GradGuard. You can opt in each semester through the link provided on your E Bill, or you may contact GradGuard directly to enroll. Enrollment must be completed before the first day of the semester.

Tuition insurance can protect up to 100% of your family’s education investment if a student needs to withdraw for medical reasons. Because most colleges and universities do not offer full refunds, GradGuard Tuition Insurance helps safeguard your investment by providing reimbursement when a student cannot complete an academic term due to an unforeseen accident, injury, or other covered circumstances.

Wentworth’s proration policy outlines how tuition and fees are adjusted when a student withdraws or reduces their course load during a semester. Because charges and financial aid eligibility can change based on the timing of withdrawal, the proration policy helps students and families understand how costs may be recalculated.

Reviewing this policy is especially important if a student is considering a schedule change, taking a leave of absence, or withdrawing from the university. It provides guidance on how refunds, adjustments, and federal regulations are applied so families can make informed decisions.
 

A returned payment fee will be charged to students’ E-Bills when a payment is returned by the bank or financial institution. If two or more payments are returned (not honored) by the bank or financial institution, Wentworth will no longer accept paper or online web check payments on behalf of your account. Future payments must be made with a money order, bank certified check or credit card.

A hold is either informational for you to take an action or prohibits you from performing an action like registering or dropping of classes, participating in moving into the residence halls, or viewing grades.

A balance due hold is placed on a student’s E Bill whenever there is an outstanding balance. This hold prevents the student from moving into campus housing, registering for classes, and viewing grades until the balance is resolved.

If the balance is due to outstanding financial aid requirements, a hold will also be applied and will remain in place until those requirements are completed. The best way to avoid a hold is to complete all financial aid tasks promptly and ensure the E Bill is paid by the semester’s due date.

Once the E Bill shows a zero balance, the hold is automatically removed—typically within fifteen minutes.

The E-Bill must be paid in full, on a payment plan, and/or covered by pending financial aid funds or certified loan funds by each semester’s due date or a hold and late payment fees may be assessed until the balance is paid in full and/or covered by pending funds.  

Avoid holds and late payment fees by ensuring financial aid requirements are competed in a timely manner, accepting your financial aid funds, applying for an alternative or PLUS loan, and/or enrolling in a payment plan that covers your E-Bill balance thirty days prior to each semester’s due dates.  

Mailed payments, including college savings plan payments, must be received and credited to the E-Bill prior to each semester’s due dates. We strongly encourage the use of online web check payments to avoid holds and late payment fees.

If your E-Bill reflects a balance after the semester’s due dates of August 1, December 1, and April, a $250.00 Late Payment Fee will be applied. Students can submit the Late Payment Fee Appeal Form which is available through the twenty first day of the due date month. The appeal will be reviewed and the appeal granted if the E-Bill reflects a zero balance by the twenty first day of the due date month. 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires all students—undergraduate, graduate, and COOP—who are enrolled in three quarter time or more each semester to be covered by either the student health insurance plan or a comparable alternate health insurance plan. Students who already have qualifying coverage may submit an online waiver form to opt out of the student plan.

The Center for Wellness oversees all student health insurance matters. More information about Student Health Insurance.

Most students who are enrolled in degree seeking courses for academic credit during a calendar year can generate their 1098 T form directly through the Quick Link in the E Bill portal. Wentworth also partners with TRA Maximus to process 1098 T forms. Through this service, students have electronic access to their tax form on the TRA Maximus website at tra.maximus.com.

To issue a 1098 T, Student Financial Services must have the student’s Social Security Number (SSN) or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) on file. Students can securely submit this information using the W 9S form. The completed form must be submitted by January 15 for the previous tax/calendar year to ensure accurate reporting.

This video provides additional information about 1098 T forms and can help students and families better understand how the form is generated, what it includes, and how it may be used for tax purposes. 
 

A refund of a credit balance, or overpayment, is issued to the student after the add/drop period ends for each semester or whenever a credit balance appears on the account. Wentworth does not hold credit balances on a student’s E Bill for future semesters; all eligible refunds are processed once the balance is confirmed.

Direct deposit is the safest and fastest way for students to receive a refund of a credit balance. Paper refund checks can be delayed in the mail, misplaced, or become stale dated if not cashed promptly, so direct deposit helps ensure timely and secure delivery of funds.

Wentworth partners with Nelnet Campus Commerce to process both student and parent refunds. Students must activate their refund account in the Nelnet system by following these steps:

• Log into LeopardWeb
• Select the “Student” tab
• Click “Manage Your Refund Preferences”
• You will be redirected to the Nelnet site to complete your profile and enroll in direct deposit

Credit card refunds are returned to the original card used for payment if the refund occurs within 90 days of the transaction.

Institutional and federal financial aid disburses to a student’s E Bill approximately 10 days after the add/drop period each semester, provided all financial aid requirements are complete. Typically, a credit balance will not appear until all aid has disbursed and all requirements have been satisfied.