How to Apply for Financial Aid
Whitman’s financial aid packages may include both merit and need-based aid. To apply for need-based aid, submit the required financial aid application forms by our application deadlines.
All students who apply to Whitman are considered for merit scholarships–no separate application is required. You’ll be notified about both merit and need-based awards in your financial aid offer, which we’ll send at the same time as your admission decision.
If you don’t want to wait to find out what your financial aid offer will be, Whitman’s Early Financial Aid Guarantee allows you to find out exactly what your financial aid will be, before you even apply!
Financial Aid Forms and Deadlines
Our financial aid deadlines are the same as our deadlines for admission—Nov. 15 for Early Decision I, Jan. 10 for Early Decision II, and Jan. 15 for Regular Decision. For transfer students, the deadlines are Nov. 1 (spring transfer) and Mar. 1 (fall transfer). However, we encourage you to complete your CSS Profile and FAFSA as early as possible so that we’ll have plenty of time to answer all of your questions and create the best possible package for you.
The CSS Profile is open for applications starting Oct 1. If your family adjusted gross income is less than $100,000 or you qualify for a SAT fee waiver, you can get your CSS Profile fee waived.
The FAFSA is typically available on October 1, but the launch of the 2025-26 FAFSA was delayed this year and it was not widely available until mid-November. Because of this delayed timeline, for Early Decision I applicants and for students who take advantage of Whitman's Early Financial Aid Guarantee, Whitman will provide initial financial aid offers to students from the U.S. based on the information provided on the CSS Profile. These offers will provide a breakdown of total scholarships and grants, total loans, and total work expectation, allowing admitted students to understand their bottom line net cost to attend Whitman.
While we will not be able to include specific information regarding federal and state aid in the initial offer for Early Decision I applicants, after you confirm your enrollment at Whitman, we will update your financial aid offer using the FAFSA to specify the exact details of your federal and state aid. For example, if you qualify for a federal Pell grant and a Washington College Grant, those amounts will be a component of the total need-based scholarship and grants offered on your initial offer, with Whitman need-based scholarship covering the remainder. You can rest assured that the only thing that will change in your financial aid offer will be the specific makeup of your aid, not the bottom line amounts.
For Early Decision II and Regular Decision applicants, Whitman wil provide financial aid offers that include the specific breakdown of federal and state funding.
Complete your FAFSA (school code 003803)
Complete your CSS Profile (school code 4951)
Need help completing the CSS Profile or FAFSA? Here are a few resources we recommend:
- College Board’s CSS Profile Overview
- Federal Student Aid Tips for Filling out the FAFSA
- The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid
We know the financial aid process can be confusing and intimidating. We’re here for you and happy to help you through it. Please call us at 509-527-5178 or email us with your questions.
The Financial Aid Office has been a very useful resource in my life and the staff is very helpful. They have made my financial aid process a lot easier, and made my transition to Whitman a lot easier as well. They do a great job to make sure you are on top of all the information you need to get done and how to do it. They also give you a better understanding of what you are filling out as well why you have to do it.
Miguel Baza, Junior
In order to make the financial aid process as straightforward as possible, Whitman’s uses our own financial aid form for international students–the Whitman International Student Financial Aid Application (WISFAA) This form, filled out one time through the application portal, allows you to indicate exactly how much funding you have available for your Whitman education. Because Whitman meets 100% of demonstrated need for international students, you can be assured that Whitman will provide financial assistance to cover any costs beyond what you are able to pay.
There is no fee associated with this application. If you have any questions as you are completing the WISFAA, please contact international@whitman.edu.
Only students seeking need-based aid should complete the WISFAA. International applicants seeking only merit aid do not need to fill out the WISFAA or any financial aid form.
For more information regarding financial aid for international students and how requesting financial aid affects the admission process, review this information about International Applicant Financial Aid.
The financial aid application process for undocumented students and DACA students is identical to the process for U.S. citizens and permanent residents except that there is no need to complete the FAFSA. Washington residents should complete the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) to determine whether they are eligible for Washington state aid.
Undocumented and DACA students must complete the CSS Profile (and WASFA, if applicable) by their admission application deadline (Nov. 15 for Early Decision I, Jan. 1 for Early Decision II, and Jan. 15 for Regular Decision) to be considered for financial aid.
We meet full need for all DACA and undocumented students who are admitted to Whitman using private grant aid from the college.
The financial aid application process for transfer applicants is identical to the process for first-year applicants except for the deadlines.
The admission and financial aid deadline for spring transfer students is Nov. 15. For fall transfer students, it’s March 1.
Whitman uses the federal government's criteria to determine whether a student is independent.
The financial aid application process for independent students is identical to the process for first-year applicants except that there is no need to complete the CSS Profile. Only the FAFSA is required.