If you received an award or scholarship, as noted in your admission letter, you probably have questions. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions.
How was I selected to receive an award/scholarship?
In choosing students to receive awards and scholarships, the Admission Committee considers a number of factors including the individual’s potential to impact the Wheaton community. Some of the qualities considered include co-curricular accomplishments, community impact, leadership, intellectual inquiry, academic prowess, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and global experiences, among others. While many of our applicants present compelling qualities, our limited scholarships and awards are extended based on the strength of each candidate within the context of our applicant pool.
Will I receive my award/scholarship each year?
Yes. Fifty percent of your annual award or scholarship will be applied each fall or spring semester that you are a full-time student at Wheaton, up to a maximum of eight semesters. If you are enrolled less than full time in any semester, your award or scholarship will be prorated. If you are enrolled in only one class for a semester, you will not receive the scholarship for that term.If you complete your degree requirements in fewer than eight semesters, you will forfeit any remaining scholarship eligibility. You must remain in good academic and social standing to continue receiving the award or scholarship.
How does this fit into my financial aid package?
Your award or scholarship both acknowledges your talents as an applicant and is intended to help make attending Wheaton possible. Students with financial need greater than the amount of the award or scholarship may be considered for additional need-based resources.
How do we calculate how much we will have to pay, based on my financial aid package?
Using your financial aid package and the 2024–2025 Payment Worksheet available on the Forms and Resources page, you can calculate your billed charges minus financial aid. Do not deduct Federal Work-Study from billed charges, as students are paid for their hours worked on a bi-weekly basis. If you would like to use an educational loan to cover a portion or all of your family contribution, you should begin the application process in June. At that time, we will provide detailed instructions regarding financing options and procedures.
When are payments due?
In mid June you will receive an email from SFS to notify you that your fall semester billing statement is available on line through the Nelnet portal. This statement will itemize tuition, fees, room and board charges, and health insurance charges for the fall semester and note any credits (reductions to what you owe) for anticipated financial aid or other payments—for example, your enrollment deposit. The 2024–2025 Payment Worksheet available on the Forms and Resources page will allow you to calculate the final amount due, deducting any forms of aid that have been awarded but are not yet credited to your account. See the Financial Aid Process and Deadlines page for deadline information.
Can my award/scholarship be applied to a study abroad program?
Awards and scholarships at Wheaton may be used for study abroad programs that are affiliated with the college (i.e. where fees are paid directly to Wheaton). Contact Wheaton’s Center for Global Education or visit globaled.wheatoncollege.edu for a current list. If you choose to attend a non-affiliated domestic or study abroad program, you will forfeit your award or scholarship for that period.
How can I use my stipend, if I received one?
Wheaton’s top merit scholarships come with a stipend to be used in the summer following sophomore or junior year. The staff of the Filene Center for Academic Advising and Career Services will work with you to obtain an unpaid and non-credit-bearing, out-of-class experience (and use your stipend as payment), or you can create a position of your own that would otherwise not have been a paid opportunity. This experience may be an internship, research project, student-faculty collaboration, professional development opportunity or community service endeavor.
What happens if I am on an approved leave of absence?
Students who have taken an official leave of absence to attend college elsewhere and earn transferable credit will forfeit their award or scholarship for that period. If you are considering a leave of absence for any reason, you should contact SFS to determine the impact of that leave on your award or scholarship.
What happens if my GPA compromises my academic standing?
If you are placed on academic probation, your progress will be reviewed and you may continue to benefit from your award or scholarship on a probationary basis for the following academic year. Wheaton expects you to improve your GPA in order to renew the award or scholarship after your probation. If you are not successful, your award or scholarship may be canceled. Extraordinary circumstances will always be considered.
My award/scholarship is contingent upon remaining in good academic and social standing. What does “social standing” mean?
Wheaton College students abide by an Honor Code and are expected to be both good students and good citizens. Should a student make a poor choice that results in a sanction from our Student/Faculty Judiciary Board, the student’s award or scholarship renewal could be considered.