Paying for College
Find ways to help fund your college education
We encourage you to research all of your options for paying for college to discover what are the best options for you. You can apply for federal, state, and institutional financial aid, scholarships, private loans, and/or find a job that works with your academic schedule.
Step 1
Review the estimated costs to attend UW-Eau Claire including tuition, fees, housing, books and other expected expenses.
Step 2
If you applied for and received financial aid, compare the total aid you have been awarded to the cost of attendance. Your financial aid package may include unsubsidized or subsidized loans, grants, scholarships, and work study. Make sure you understand each of the options available to you when deciding how much of your loans to accept. Keep in mind that your work study award is the opportunity to earn income over the semester. Consequently, it is best used to cover living expenses throughout the semester, rather than to meet the university bill due at the beginning of the semester.
Step 3
If your award package won't cover your cost of attendance, you can explore other possibilities for resources. Some of your options include applying for additional scholarships or looking for part-time employment. An additional option is to look at alternative loans. We encourage you to use alternative loans only if your financial aid does not cover your costs and you don’t have other resources. Some of the common alternative loans you may apply for include:
- Parent PLUS loan
- SELF loan (for MN residents)
- Private loans at your local financial institution
Step 4
The UW-Eau Claire Financial Aid Office has established an appeal process to allow for a possible recalculation of financial need based on special or unusual circumstances.
The student must complete a current year FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) before an appeal will be reviewed.