First-Year Students | Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Here are the steps to follow to apply for financial aid at WPI:

1. Complete your CSS Profile using WPI’s College Board school code 3969. (What is the CSS Profile?)

2. Complete your FAFSA form using WPI’s federal school code 002233. (What is the FAFSA?)

In order to provide you with a financial aid review and potential award offer, it's critical you meet all deadlines.

For more information about financial aid you may receive at WPI, please check out the following PDF:

Understanding Your Financial Aid (10.67 MB)

WPI Financial Aid Filing Deadlines

	CSS Profile Application	FAFSA	Notification Date
Early Decision Round 1 Applicants	Due December 1, 2024	Due December 15, 2024	Mid December
Early Action Round 1 Applicants	Due December 1, 2024	Due January 1, 2025	Late January
Early Decision Round 2 Applicants	Due February 1, 2025	Due February 1, 2025	Mid February
Early Action Round 2 Applicants	Due February 1, 2025	Due February 1, 2025	Late February
Regular Decision Applicants	Due March 1, 2025	Due March 1, 2025	Late March

First-year international applicants seeking aid must file the CSS Profile by their admissions deadline. More information for first-year international applicants can be found here.

Please note that while the 2025-2026 FAFSA is now open, WPI will not be able to load the 2025-2026 FAFSA data until mid-December. It may show in the student portal as "Not Received" until we are able to load this data.

Note: These deadlines are firm. CSS Profile, Noncustodial CSS Profile, or FAFSA applications received after these deadlines above will not be guaranteed WPI need-based financial aid. Students interested in financial aid should complete both required applications by the deadlines.

WPI does not use the CSS Profile's IDOC tool - If additional documents are required for your financial aid application, our office will reach out to you using the email you provided in your application.

Financial Aid decisions are typically released within one to two weeks of an admissions decision. When aid decisions are available, the student will receive an email notification and then log into their student financial aid portal to view that decision.

Completing your FAFSA is important because it offers several potential ways to finance your education, including federal grants and loans. Federal student aid is the best way to pay for college for several reasons. First, you may qualify for grants, which is money the government gives you that you don’t need to repay. Any loans you accept, you will have to repay, but they have lower interest rates and repayment doesn’t begin until you graduate or otherwise stop going to school. Also, if you qualify for a subsidized loan, the interest doesn’t begin accruing until you leave school. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to accept any of the aid offered, but filing the FAFSA is always a smart first step!

International students should not complete the FAFSA, as you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to qualify for federal funding. You may find it helpful, however, to look for funding sources in your home country via www.edupass.org. International students seeking financial aid are required to file the CSS Profile by the admissions deadline (November 1, January 5, or February 1). International students can learn more about WPI’s need-based financial aid here.

If your parents are divorced, separated, or were never married, both biological parents will need to complete a CSS Profile application. Each parent will complete their own individual CSS Profile based on their household's information.