Step by Step:
How to Apply for Financial Aid

• Complete CWI Application online »
• Pay $25 application fee online (by phone: 208-562-3000, by mail or in person at any One Stop Student Services location)
• Request official transcripts (High School, College or GED) be sent to:  One Stop, 5500 East Opportunity Drive, Nampa, ID  83687
• CWI will also accept faxed high school transcripts as official if:
  • The faxed transcript is complete with a school cover letter and/or printed on letterhead directly from the high school
  • Clearly marked as "official" on the transcript
  • Has an official school signature/stamp on the transcript

You will receive an acceptance letter from CWI once you have completed all of the “Steps to Apply”. Please allow at least 48 hours for processing. If you have not received your letter and have completed the apply steps, please contact One Stop Student Services »

Federal student aid programs such as grants, work-study, or student loans, can make CWI an even better value!  Please complete the FAFSA online as soon as possible - the Federal Financial Aid application process can take several weeks.  Be sure to obtain a Federal PIN that can be used to sign your FAFSA electronically as well as access your FAFSA later if you need to make corrections.

CWI Federal School Code: E01695

Your FAFSA application will be processed by the U.S. Department of Education shortly after you submit it. You will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) once your FAFSA has been processed and an electronic copy will be forwarded to CWI. Please review your SAR carefully and correct any item that is inaccurate. 

Submit Requested Documents — CWI One Stop Student Services will contact you (usually by email) shortly after your FAFSA has been processed (about the same time you receive your SAR). You will most likely be asked to submit additional information in order to complete the financial aid application process. The information requested is usually required by the U.S. Department of Education to clarify, resolve, or assist CWI staff in preparing a financial aid award package just for you. Be sure to respond to any request for information as soon as possible!

Receive Your Award Notification — Shortly after you submit all of the information requested to complete the financial aid application process, CWI One Stop Student Services will finalize the review of your application materials required by the U.S. Department of Education and gather all the aid resources you qualify for together. You will receive an Award Notification with detailed information about the financial aid awards you are eligible for.

Accept, Reduce, Decline Your Awards — Be sure to review and follow the instructions on your Award Notification carefully. Your financial aid “package” may include a combination of grants, scholarships, student employment, and student loans. CWI offers the lowest tuition and fee cost in Southwest Idaho and we encourage you to reduce or decline any financial aid (especially student loans) that you don’t need to pay for direct educational expenses such as tuition, fees, books, etc.

Complete Your Loan Entrance Counseling — If you are a first-time student loan borrower, we want to make sure you have all the information you need to make good decisions about student loans now and in the future. You are required to complete a student loan entrance counseling session before your student loan funds can be distributed to you.

Complete Your Student Loan Master Promissory Note — Some types of financial aid, student loans specifically, require additional documentation before they can be distributed to you. If you will be a student loan borrower at CWI, you are required to complete a student loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) with the lender of your choice.

Receive Your Funds — Once your Award notification has been signed and returned, and your student loan counseling and MPN are complete (if applicable) your financial aid awards are ready to be disbursed to you. CWI follows a predetermined disbursement schedule that is coordinated with the academic calendar. Your financial aid awards will be distributed to your CWI student account each semester according to the disbursement schedule.  Your financial aid awards will pay for your CWI charges (tuition & fees, etc.) first and any excess will be refunded to you.

Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress — The U.S. Department of Education requires all students applying for or receiving federal student aid to maintain satisfactory academic progress.  In short, you have to get good grades and take classes that help you make progress toward a degree or certificate.  Please review the CWI standards for satisfactory academic progress carefully and contact CWI One Stop Student Services if you have questions!