Don’t let money be a barrier to your education. Take advantage of federal and state dollars – and get a little extra help from Waubonsee in the form of our Success Scholarship. It is designed to make sure the financial aid application process pays off for every eligible student!

Get the Money You Need to Succeed

Waubonsee knows that everyone can use at least a little bit of help when it comes to paying for college tuition, fees and/or course materials. The Waubonsee Success Scholarship guarantees that all eligible students receive something, with some qualifying students getting all their educational costs covered.

3 Factors that Determine Your Success Scholarship Award Amount:

Checkmark icon
  • Your financial need, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) OR Alternative Application
     
  • Any other dollars or resources you are using to help cover your costs.
    All of those other dollars — federal aid, state grants, veterans benefits, gift assistance, other scholarships, and employer benefits — will be used to pay down your costs first.
     
  • The amount of credit hours you’re enrolling in (to help determine course material award)
Who is Eligible

New and returning Waubonsee students must meet the following criteria to be eligible to receive a Waubonsee Success Scholarship:

  • Be an in-district student or receive an out-of-district waiver. Learn more about residency requirements.
  • Take at least 6 financial aid eligible credit hours (excluding any repeat courses that are not eligible for financial aid).
  • Be pursuing a financial aid approved degree or certificate and NOT have already earned a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree. Note that a certificate program must be at least 16 total credit hours to be eligible.
  • Complete the financial aid process, including submitting a FAFSA OR Alternative Application and finishing all other process steps (also see How to Apply). 
  • Have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of $6,655 or less.
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress status to maintain eligibility.
    • Eligible – NEW, PASS, MAX-W, and MAX-A
    • NOT Eligible – WARN, FAIL, FAIL-A, MAX, MAX-D, DENIED, P-APPL, and FAAP-A
Using the Scholarship/Aid to Register and Pay for Courses

Waubonsee's Financial Aid Office will communicate with you at key points throughout the financial aid application, completion and awarding process.

You will be notified, usually through email from financialaid@waubonsee.edu, (to the email address given at the time your x-number was created via FAFSA application or New Student Application form if a new student; OR if a returning student, to your Waubonsee student email address) at the following points:

  • once Waubonsee is in receipt of your submitted FAFSA or Alternative Application
  • if additional action is needed on your part to keep the process going
  • once you have aid that is being offered

Any grants or scholarships offered to you will be automatically accepted. For loans and other awards, you can choose to accept or decline them.

No matter what, to make sure your aid can be used hold your course registration, you MUST agree to Terms and Conditions. All this can be done via the Financial Aid page on mywcc.

Students who demonstrate high financial need

As a student with high financial need, you will likely receive a variety of federal and state aid money, which is great! Once we look at those monies, and any other resources you can use to help pay (gift assistance, other scholarships, etc.), you may then qualify for:

  • Success Scholarship to cover any remaining tuition and fee costs
     
  • Up to $250 additional per semester to help pay for course materials, based on your credit hours (see chart below)

Waubonsee Success Scholarship - Course Materials Chart
Credit Hours
(per semester) 		Course Materials Credit
(per semester) 		Max Annual Award
12+ $250 $500
9-11 $187 $375
6-8 $125 $250 

Note that any unused materials credit expires at the end of each semester and does not roll over to the next.

How to Apply

Follow these easy steps:

Step 1: Register for your classes! 

Step 1: Apply for our Deferred Payment Plan and pay just $25 to hold your courses until your aid comes through. (The $25 fee is nonrefundable.)

Step 2: Complete the FAFSA or Alternative Application

Step 3: Complete the financial aid process

Get Help!

We know the process can seem difficult, but remember that it is free, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Plus, we’re here to help with individual appointments (in-person or virtual) to walk you through it.  

Questions?

Help

Have questions about the aid process or the Success Scholarship? Reach out! 

Waubonsee Financial Aid Office 
(630) 466-5774
financialaid@waubonsee.edu