Apply for Financial Aid
Financial is processed throughout the year in the order that files are completed. Apply early! Late applications are less likely to have their aid offer finalized prior to the start of the quarter.
Steps to Apply
Financial Aid applicants should apply for admission to Shoreline Community College to receive their ctcLink ID number. It’s simple, fast and free!
If you need assistance, come to the Enrollment Services Office on campus for great individual attention. For more information, check out Enrollment Services.
The dates listed below indicate when a valid FAFSA/WASFA and all additional forms required to complete your financial aid file should be submitted to the Shoreline Financial Aid Office. Students who do not meet the listed completion dates should plan to pay for all tuition and fees until your eligibility is determined. A payment plan option is available on the How to Pay Tuition page.
2023 - 2024 Award Year Recommended File Completion Dates
- Summer 2023
- April 3, 2023
- Fall 2023
- July 3, 2023
- Winter 2024
- September 27, 2023
- Spring 2024
- January 8, 2024
2024 - 2025 Award Year Recommended File Completion Dates
- Summer 2024
- April 8, 2024
- Fall 2024
- July 1, 2024
- Winter 2025
- TBD September 2024
- Spring 2025
- TBD January 2025
Please Note: If you have completed a FAFSA application outside of these completion dates, you may be eligible for a financial aid payment deferral. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.
Get help with the FAFSA or WASFA
Students can e-mail financialaid@shoreline.edu directly to receive help with the FAFSA or WASFA applications. In the subject line of your email, please include “Help Completing a FAFSA or WASFA”.
Students can also reach out to the Benefits Hub where they can walk you through the FAFSA/WASFA application. Learn more and reach out to the Benefits Hub
Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) for the appropriate academic year online. Do not complete both.
The availability of the 2024-25 FAFSA and WASFA have been delayed until December 2023. The U.S. Department of Education and Washington Student Achievement Council have not announced official dates yet - check back here for updates. Note: the December date is for the 2024-25 year only. The FAFSA and WASFA for future years should be available on October 1.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Apply Early: Generally, the FAFSA opens up each year on October 1st for applications for the next school year. You must complete the FAFSA once each year.
- Use the FAFSA to apply for federal and state aid, which includes loans.
- U.S. Citizens, U.S. Permanent Residents and other eligible non-citizens complete the FAFSA.
- When completing the FAFSA, include Shoreline Community College's school code: 003791
- New FAFSA applicants should create a FSA ID username and password. The FSA ID and password allows you to sign into your FAFSA application electronically. Please note that this FSA ID is different from your ctcLink ID. To retrieve your FSA ID and password, please visit the student aid webpage.
- After submitting your FAFSA, you receive a response from Federal Student Aid, which includes a summary of your application. Review this carefully to make sure it is accurate. You may make corrections if needed.
Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA)
Washington State offers financial aid programs to students who are not eligible for federal financial aid due to their immigration status, federal loan default or other reason they are unable to complete the FAFSA.
- Apply Early: Generally, the WASFA opens up each year on October 1st for applications for the next school year. You must complete the WASFA once each year.
- Use the WASFA to apply for state aid if you cannot complete the FAFSA.
- Select Shoreline Community College as your school.
- Before submitting, review your application carefully to make sure it is accurate. You may make corrections if needed.
Learn how to check your financial aid status in ctcLink
If additional documents are required to complete your financial aid file, the Financial Aid Office notifies you through your preferred email account designated in ctcLink and posts the requirements within your ctcLink account. Check out the Financial Aid Forms page to access copies of these additional documents.
The Financial Aid Office sends all communication through your preferred email address designated within ctcLink. Be sure to check your email often for updates about your financial aid.
Students receiving financial aid are required to select a program of study that leads to an eligible degree or certificate at Shoreline Community College.
- You must tell us your program plan before you can receive financial aid.
- We only process aid for students enrolled in an eligible program plan. Ineligible program plans include, but are not limited to, "Undeclared", "Non-award Seeking" and certificates under 24 credits.
- Students who indicate prerequisite work (program plans ending in PRQ) may have limited funding available. Please speak with the financial aid office about aid options.
- To choose or correct your program plan, submit a Program Plan Update to Enrollment Services.
- You are responsible for only taking classes needed to complete your program plan.
- If you take classes not required for your program completion, your aid is adjusted and you risk exhausting your financial aid before you are finished with your program.
The Financial Aid Office strongly encourages all financial aid recipients to meet with an academic advisor.
The Advising Center is located in the FOSS (5000) Building, Room 5229. Appointments can be made by emailing advising@shoreline.edu or calling (206) 546-4559.
Shoreline Community College offers Federal Student Loan funds through the Federal Direct Lending Program. The Federal Student Aid website provides detailed information about taking out a student loan as well as useful tools to help you manage your student loan, determine how much you can/should borrow, repayment information, and up to date interest rates.
If you would like to apply, complete the following steps:
- Complete and submit the Shoreline Community College Direct Loan Request Form
- Log on to studentaid.gov using your FSA ID and password (This is the username and password that you created to sign your FAFSA application electronically. If you do not have a FSA ID and password, you can create a login on the studentaid.gov page.)
- Click on the "Complete Aid Process" heading and complete the two prompted steps.
- Complete Entrance Counseling for Subsidized/Unsubsidized Undergraduate Loans - required if this is your first time taking out a Direct Loan at Shoreline Community College.
- Complete theMaster Promissory Note (MPN) for Undergraduates.
Shoreline Community College will be notified after these steps are completed. For any questions regarding this process, please contact Financial Aid.
Summer aid is added once registration begins and your enrollment is confirmed. If you intend to enroll summer, please register as early as possible. If you met the recommended summer file completion deadline, you are held in your classes until aid is determined.
Please note there is a delay in disbursing funds for Summer Quarter. We cannot pay tuition or disburse a refund to you until after the start of the fiscal year which is July 1. Because of this, your funds for books, supplies or other expenses are not disbursed until July 1 or later.