Manage Your Private Scholarships

Receiving Private Scholarships

You’ve been awarded a private scholarship - congratulations! Here’s the fastest way to get your scholarship money into your WWU student account:

Step 1: Notify the University

You will need to notify the University of any private scholarships that you will be receiving. In order to fulfill this requirement, please submit the scholarship notification form.

Step 2: Contact Your Donor

We ask that private donors mail their checks to:

Western Washington University
University Cashier
516 High Street, Old Main 110
Bellingham, WA 98225-9004

Scholarship checks should be made payable to Western Washington University. 

Private donors should provide the following information with mailed checks: 

  • Student’s name and Western ID (in the check memo)
  • Name of the Scholarship
  • Student's total award for the year (if there are multiple checks sent or just one)
  • Contact name and return address for your organization

If a donor requests verification of your enrollment at Western, our office can provide a Proof of Enrollment letter after you have registered for classes. If your donor requests information regarding your financial aid award, our office can provide a Financial Needs Analysis upon request.

Private Scholarships and Financial Aid

All scholarships are considered to be part of a student's financial aid and may prompt a revision of their financial aid package.

Scholarships are first applied directly to any current charges on a student’s WWU account. After all University charges have been paid, any excess funds will be refunded to the student. Students’ tuition, fees, room, and board are all billed quarterly. Scholarships are generally divided and disbursed equally across fall, winter, and spring quarters unless otherwise specified by the scholarship organization. 

Private Scholarships and Enrollment

Scholarships will only disburse for students who are enrolled full-time (12 credits for undergraduate students, 8 credits for graduate students). Private scholarship organizations may provide permission for less than full-time enrollment by including authorization in the materials mailed with the scholarship check or by emailing the Scholarship Center at scholarshipcenter@wwu.edu. 

Donor approval emails must include the following: 

  • Student first name and last name
  • Student ID (W#)
  • Name of the scholarship
  • Exact credit amount approved for disbursement (ex. 10 credits)

If you have any questions about disbursement of your private scholarships, please contact the Scholarship Center.