To receive aid from any of the federal student aid programs administered by Walden University’s Office of Financial Aid, the student must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen;
- Have a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent such as General Educational Development (GED) certificate or completed a high school education in an approved homeschool setting;
- Enroll in an eligible program as a regular student seeking a degree or certificate;
- Enroll at least halftime to be eligible for Direct Loan program funds;
- Register (or have registered) with Selective Service, if required;
- Have a valid Social Security number (with the exception of students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau);
- Meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards;
- Not be in default on a federal student loan nor owe money (overpayment) on a federal student grant; and
- Not exceed the lifetime aggregates or annual loan limits without documentation that the debt has been reaffirmed.
Be advised that a federal or state conviction for any offense involving the possession or sale of illegal drugs, during a period of enrollment for which a student is receiving Title IV financial aid, will affect your eligibility for federal student aid.
Changes in Eligibility
Federal financial aid is awarded based on an estimate of your eligibility. The Office of Financial Aid may have to cancel or reduce your financial aid before or after disbursement based on new information that becomes available after the time of awarding or disbursement. Learn more.
Maintaining Eligibility
In addition to meeting the general requirements for applying for federal financial aid, you must uphold certain requirements to maintain eligibility for federal aid according to Walden University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards. Learn more.
Enrollment Requirements
Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, you must meet certain enrollment requirements to receive and maintain federal financial aid. Review the requirements.
Returning Financial Aid
If you withdraw, drop, or do not complete all of the courses you are scheduled to attend, you may have disbursed funds returned to the federal government—a process known as Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4). Learn more.
Do you have questions about financial aid? If you haven’t yet applied to Walden, please contact an enrollment specialist at 855-646-5286 in the United States. If you are a current student, please contact a financial aid advisor at finaid@mail.waldenu.edu or call 1-800-WALDENU (1-800-925-3368).
