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Financial Aid - Loans

Wenatchee Valley College participates in the William D. Ford Direct Student Loan Program.  All Federal Direct Loans require that the FAFSA be completed.   

Click on the buttons below for information on student and parent loans.  Additional information on Federal  Direct Loans can be found at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/  and http://www.studentloans.gov/

Wenatchee Valley College contracts with Student Connections for loan default assistance.  You can contact Student Connections, or your loan servicer, for information on how COVID-19 and the CARES Act impacts your student loans.

Student Connections COVID-19 and CARES Information

The Direct Loan program offers long-term loans, which will allow students to postpone paying for a portion of their school expenses until after they graduate or leave school. Repayment begins six months after completion or withdrawal from the program. Wenatchee Valley College participates in the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program (subsidized and unsubsidized).

  • Direct Subsidized  Loans are need-based. A student's eligibility to borrow is based on financial need as determined by the federal government who pays interest on the loan while the student is in school.

  • Direct Unsubsidized  Loans do not require a student to show financial need; however, the cost of the student's education must exceed any other financial aid offered. The student, not the federal government, is responsible to pay all interest that accrues on this loan.

  • Direct Parent Loan program-(PLUS)  PLUS Loans are for parents borrowing on behalf of a dependent child. Interest rates are variable with a cap of 8.5%. Borrowers pay up to 1% in loan guarantee fees and 3% in loan origination fees. A parent may only borrow up to the cost of their student's education, as determined by the college, less any financial aid or other assistance the student may receive. The borrower has the option of beginning repayment on the PLUS loan either 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed or waiting until six months after the dependent student on whose behalf the parent borrowed ceases to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis.

    • Parent borrowers must:
      • Be borrowing on behalf of a dependent undergraduate student
      • Be either a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National or eligible non-citizen
      • Not be in default on any education loan or owe a refund on any education grant
      • Not have an adverse credit history as defined by the U.S. Department of Education

    • Dependent students must:
      • Be either a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National or eligible non-citizen
      • Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment at least half-time in a degree or certificate program at an eligible school
      • Not be in default on any student loan or owe a refund on any education grant

Loan recipients must maintain 6 or more credits to maintain eligibility for the Direct Loan. If a student's enrollment drops below six credits during a quarter, the college is required by the U.S. Department of Education to cancel the student's loan. The student is no longer eligible to receive any further funds from the original loan application. The student must be re-approved for the receipt of further loan aid.

First-time student loan borrowers will experience a 30 day delay in the release of their student loan check. The college is required to hold loan checks 30 days into the quarter to ensure the student is making satisfactory academic progress. First-time borrowers are required to go through loan entrance counseling when applying for the Federal Direct Loan and loan exit counseling upon leaving Wenatchee Valley College or graduating. Students must complete and submit to the financial aid office a student loan application in order to apply for a student loan