Federal Financial Aid Eligibility

To receive aid from any of the federal student aid programs administered by Walden University’s Office of Financial Aid, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen
• Have a high school diploma or a GED certificate
• Enroll in an eligible program as a regular student seeking a degree or certificate
• Register (or have registered) with the Selective Service if required
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Meet satisfactory academic progress standards
• Not be in default on any federal student loan nor owe an overpayment on a federal student grant
• Have not exceeded the lifetime aggregate or annual loan limits without documentation that the debt has been reaffirmed
• Be advised that a conviction for any offense, during a period of enrollment for which a student is receiving Title IV financial aid, under any federal or state law involving the possession or sale of illegal drugs will result in the loss of eligibility for any Title IV grant, loan, or work assistance

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 aid, you must uphold certain requirements to maintain eligibility for federal aid according to the 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 are no longer eligible for federal financial aid, you may be responsible for returning a portion of an award to the federal aid program—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 advisor at 1-866-492-5336 in the United States. If you are a current student, please contact a financial aid advisor at finaid@waldenu.edu or call 1-800-WALDENU (1-800-925-3368).