Washington Student Loans And Financial Aid Programs

Washington has several private student loan and financial aid programs that can help you pay for college. If you're going to be attending college in Washington, you need to be looking to take advantage of these programs.

These programs are designed to help make college more affordable - so that you can get the education you need. These programs can include scholarships, grants, and student loans.

Don't forget that there are Federal student loan programs available as well. You can find out more on how to get a Federal student loan here.

There is also a specific order of operations to pay for college that we recommend students follow. These programs specific to the State of Washington can help you to avoid borrowing more money than you need to. 

Washington Student Loan Programs

Washington has an interesting low interest loan program called the Washington Aerospace Loan Program. The Aerospace Loan Program (ALP) provides low-interest loans to Washington students who have been accepted into the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center Program located at the Everett-based campus. The Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center (WATRC) was created to help meet the demand for skilled entry-level aerospace workers in Washington. 

Students can receive up to $2,500 for the first CORE training module and up to $3,200 for the second training module. Recipients have up to four years to repay their loans after completion of their program. Learn more here.

However, there are still Federal student loans available to students who attend college in Washington. 

If you're just looking for private student loan options, we recommend:

• Credible - Like the Kayak of student loans, they help you shop around and compare options. Try Credible here.
• College Ave - One of the best private student loan lenders. Get A Quote At College Ave Here.

Check out our complete guide to finding the best student loans here.

Washington Scholarship Programs

Washington has several scholarships available to students who want to attend college in the state.

College Bound Scholarship

The College Bound Scholarship program is an early commitment of state financial aid to eligible students who sign up in middle school and fulfill the scholarship pledge.

Learn more about the College Bound Scholarship.

Washington State Opportunity Scholarship

The Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS) was created in 2011 to address unfilled seats in the high-demand sectors that drive our economy like aerospace, engineering, technology and health care as well as rising tuition costs at Washington colleges and universities. 

This program supports Washington students from low- and middle-income households to attain bachelor’s degrees in high-demand fields including science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and health care through scholarships of up to $22,500 as well as professional development, skills-building workshops and genuine industry exposure to help increase the rate at which students enter our state's workforce.

Learn more about the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship.

Washington Grant Programs

Washington also has a grant program to provide need based financial aid to Washington residents.

Grants are one of the best forms of financial aid because, in most circumstances, you don't have to pay the money back.

Washington College Grant

The Washington College Grant program (formerly the State Need Grant) helps the state’s lowest-income undergraduate students pursue degrees, hone skills, or retrain for new careers. Students can use the grants at eligible institutions in Washington.

Washington College Grant amounts vary by the type of school you attend. The maximum award is $11,705 per year.

You can learn more about the Washington College Grant.

Teacher Grant Program

Two new grant programs to help support students enrolled in teacher preparation programs were established during the 2016 legislative session. The Teacher Shortage Conditional Grant provides financial support to preparation program candidates who commit to teaching in specified shortage areas. The Student Teaching Residency Grant supports teacher preparation program candidates during their student teaching phase.

Learn about the Teacher Grant Program.

Other Options

If you already have student loans and are looking for options as a Washington resident, check out our Washington Student Loan Forgiveness Program page. That page has all the different options available to Washington residents to potentially get some of your student loan debt forgiven.

You might also look at refinancing your student loans and saving money in interest while also potentially lowering your payment. Check out our guide on the Best Places To Refinance Your Student Loans.

If you're looking to save for college in Washington, check out our Washington 529 Plan and College Savings Guide.

Finally, check out the other student loan and financial aid programs by state.