Amongst the roughly 13,000 University of West Florida students, approximately 70% rely on financial aid support to obtain their degrees. Currently the standard tuition at UWF for a student living on campus is $25,000 a year. Tuition is roughly $35,000 for those who come from other states or countries.
That begs the question-how is this paid for?
It has become increasingly difficult to find ways to pay for a college education. Luckily for UWF students, the University has awarded over $110 million in loans, grants, and scholarships in just one academic year in 2021, with awards steadily increasing every semester.
The University offers many different types of aid: Bright Futures, scholarships, grants, loans, student work-study and Argo 30 Guarantee program.
“Financial aid at UWF helps me by giving me the confidence to go to class without worrying if I’m going to be able to pay tuition,” says junior Jordan Fairhurst. “With the aid I’ve obtained, I’m able to support myself and my education without burning out.”
To get an idea of what you’ll pay out of pocket, you’ll need to first fill out the FAFSA, a staple for every college student. The FAFSA will determine your direct costs and allow the university to determine if/how they will award you aid.
UWF determines your financial aid offer based on the following criteria: grade level classification, state of residency, enrollment status and housing arrangements. Then UWF will add any scholarships if applicable and send you your financial aid offer via the financial aid tab in MyUWF.
If you qualify for a Federal Pell Grant, UWF takes extra steps to guarantee a debt-free degree with its Argo 30 program. The Argo 30 program is the University’s pledge to cover tuition and fees for low-income students up to 30 credit hours each academic year. Approximately 35%-40% of undergraduate students at UWF qualify for this aid granted annually.
Through CashNet in MyUWF students can see their outstanding balances and even set up payment plans. CashNet provides a detailed list of all your outstanding balances so you can review and ensure your aid and balances are correct.
Questions will come about when dealing with finances. The University provides ample opportunity to discuss aid with staff. Financial Aid Fridays take place about four times a semester. Staff in Argo Central are available to answer any questions about the process of obtaining aid.
Additional resources for financial aid can be found through UWF’s website or in the Louis Maygarden Center for Financial Literacy. In this center students can be assisted with one-on-one meetings, workshops, speaker series and seminars related to financial literacy.
UWF’s financial aid office is open Monday to Friday from 8:15 a.m.to 4:45 p.m. in building 18 and available through email at [email protected].
