Parent Guide

As a parent of a University of Washington Tacoma student, you will already have invested significant time and resources in preparing your son or daughter for college life. The following sections are designed to answer basic questions you may have while preparing your student for college and beyond. Check out our Explore Aid Types page to start your search for resources and information.

This guide is designed to help inform parents of University of Washington Tacoma students.​

Planning & Estimating

If your student is preparing to go to college now, studentaid.gov is a great place to start. Learn how to estimate college costs, save for your student's future educational needs, and maximize eligibility for financial aid.  For an estimate of how much aid your student might receive at University of Washington Tacoma, visit the Net Price Calculator page. Visit our UW Tacoma Scholarships  page to help your student apply for outside scholarships.  Application deadlines for outside scholarships are often much earlier than school deadlines for applying for financial aid, so be sure to start your search as soon as you apply to colleges.
 

Family Contribution

Completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in assessing your family's ability to pay for college. Parent and student income and assets are used to determine the amount of your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) toward college cost. The EFC consists of a Parent Contribution and a Student Contribution toward cost of attendance.

Your EFC is an index number that college financial aid staff use to determine how much financial aid you would receive if you were to attend their school. The information you report on your FAFSA, including specific tax information and family income, is used to calculate your EFC.

For more information on Expected Family Contribution, visit: https://studentaid.gov/complete-aid-process/how-calculated. 

Appealing the Contribution

University of Washington Tacoma does not negotiate financial aid awards in response to offers from other schools. However, we will consider a change to the family contribution. If your financial circumstances have changed since you completed the FAFSA or the WASFA application, let us know about any changes by contacting our office.