Financial Literacy

What is Washington College Grant?

The Washington College Grant (WCG) helps eligible Washington residents from low- and middle-income families pay for college, career training, and participating apprenticeships. Students of all ages may qualify.

How to access Washington College Grant?

Complete the yearly Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Washington Application for Student Financial Aid (WASFA) to be considered for WCG and other financial aid. Need help? Visit the Welcome Center or attend a financial aid application workshop.

WCG-Connect

You may be considered for WCG without completing a FAFSA or WASFA if you qualify for one of these approved programs:

• Aged, Blind, or Disabled (ABD)
• Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) Referral Program
• Pregnant Women Assistance (PWA)
• Economic Security for All (EcSA)

We still encourage you to complete the FAFSA or WASFA. You may qualify for additional financial aid beyond WCG. If you would like to apply for WCG-Connect, please request a letter of approval from your program's case manager to submit to our Welcome Center. 

How to Submit FAFSAHow to Submit WASFA

Already Receiving Washington College Grant? Here’s How to Maintain Your Eligibility

1. Apply for financial aid each year. Complete your FAFSA or WASFA annually to be considered for continued funding. If you receive WCG through WCG-Connect, contact Financial Aid about your renewal requirements.

2. Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. Review the academic standards you must maintain to remain eligible for financial aid.

   Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

3. Understand how schedule changes may affect your grant. Before dropping classes or withdrawing, contact Financial Aid to understand how the change could affect your eligibility and whether you may need to repay funds.

   State Grant Aid Repayment Policy

4. Know your grant usage limit. WCG is available for up to the equivalent of six years of full-time enrollment (~18 quarters or 12 semesters). WCG funding received at other colleges counts toward this limit and transferring does not restart your eligibility. Contact Financial Aid to learn how much eligibility you have remaining and how part-time enrollment affects your usage.

Explore Scholarship Opportunities

Scholarships help you pay for college and may consider financial need, academic achievement, community involvement, your program of study, or personal circumstances.

Visit our scholarships webpage to explore even more opportunities and find application support; or begin with these three resources.

OC Scholarships webpage

Olympic College Foundation Scholarships

Apply for multiple scholarships through one online application. Scholarships support OC students with a variety of backgrounds, financial circumstances, and educational goals.

The Foundation offers two application cycles:

• Spring cycle: Typically January–April, providing funding for the following academic year starting summer quarter.
• Fall cycle: Typically July–September, providing funding for winter and spring quarters of the current academic year.

How to apply: Create an AwardSpring account, complete the application, and review your matching scholarships for any additional requirements. Check the Foundation website for current dates.

Foundation Scholarships

WashBoard Scholarship Matcher

WashBoard is a free scholarship matching tool that connects Washington students with scholarship providers. Create one profile to discover opportunities that fit your background, interests, and educational goals.

How to apply: Create your profile, review your matches, and follow each scholarship provider’s application instructions and deadlines.

Find Scholarships on WashBoard

Washington State Opportunity Scholarship

Pursuing a career in health care, science, technology, engineering, math, or the trades? Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS) supports eligible Washington residents through several scholarship pathways.

For OC students, options include the Career & Technical Scholarship for eligible associate degrees, certificates, and apprenticeships, and the Baccalaureate Scholarship for eligible bachelor’s degrees.

How to apply: Explore the pathways, check your program’s eligibility, and follow the application instructions for the scholarship that fits your goals.

Explore WSOS Eligibility & Apply

Earn While You Learn with Work-Study

Work-study is state or federal financial aid based on financial need. Eligible students work in approved positions, gain experience, and earn a paycheck to help cover educational and living expenses.

How to Get Started

1. Complete the FAFSA or WASFA so that Olympic College can review your financial aid eligibility.
2. Contact the Career Center once your financial aid package is finalized to confirm your work-study eligibility and access available positions.
3. Apply for work-study jobs through Handshake, Olympic College's online job board.

Work-study depends on available funding, and eligibility does not guarantee a job. Learn more about our Work-Study process and Frequently Asked Questions by visiting the below site.

Learn more about Work-Study

WorkFirst Work-Study

Students receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) who participate in WorkFirst may also qualify for WorkFirst Work-Study. Contact the WorkFirst team to learn about eligibility, required referrals, and available opportunities.

Connect with the WorkFirst Team

Borrow Wisely & Understand Repayment

Student loans can help cover educational expenses, but they must be repaid with interest. Understanding your options and repayment responsibilities can help you make informed borrowing decisions.

At Olympic College, loans are not automatically included in your financial aid package. If you are considering borrowing, visit our Student Loans webpage for loan options, eligibility requirements, application instructions, and more.

Start with our official loan information, then explore the resources below to learn how much to borrow and what repayment could look like.

Olympic College Student Loans Webpage

How Much Should I Borrow?

Start with your actual expenses and available resources:

1. Estimate your costs: Include tuition, fees, books, supplies, housing, food, transportation, and other necessary expenses.
2. Subtract grants, scholarships, and other assistance available to cover those costs.
3. Subtract savings and income you can realistically contribute, including anticipated work-study earnings.

The remaining amount is your estimated funding gap, not an amount you must borrow. Review your budget and ask Financial Aid about other support before deciding.

Work-study is earned through a paycheck; an award is not money available upfront. Avoid counting the same earnings twice.

Learn More: How Much Should I Borrow?

Understand Your Repayment Responsibility

You are responsible for repaying your loans even if you do not finish your program or find employment after leaving school.

For Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, repayment generally begins after a six-month grace period following graduation, leaving school, or dropping below half-time enrollment. PLUS and private loan repayment schedules differ.

Before borrowing, compare expected earnings in your career with your anticipated monthly payment and other living expenses.

What Could Monthly Payments Look Like?

These examples assume a fixed 6% annual interest rate and repayment over 10 years.

These are illustrations, not current loan-rate quotes or personalized estimates. Your payment depends on your balance, interest rate, and repayment plan.

Estimate Your Payments with Federal Student Aid’s Loan Simulator

Having Trouble Making Payments?

Contact your loan servicer—the company that manages your loan payments—as soon as you anticipate difficulty. Ask about available repayment options and temporary relief.

Missing payments can damage your credit. Federal loan default can also lead to collection costs, loss of eligibility for additional federal student aid, wage garnishment, and withholding of tax refunds or certain federal benefits.

Find Your Federal Loans & Servicer

Learn About Federal Loan Default & Getting Help

Student Loan Advocacy through WSAC

Start with a Simple Budget

A budget helps you see what money is coming in, what expenses you need to cover, and where you may need additional support. You do not need perfect numbers to get started—estimates are okay.

Start with these three steps:

1. Add up your available money. Include your income, financial aid refunds available for living expenses, and other support you can count on.
2. Estimate your monthly expenses. Include housing, utilities, food, transportation, childcare, health costs, school expenses, and debt payments.
3. Compare the totals. See what remains or identify a gap. Adjust where possible and explore support when your resources do not cover your needs.

Try an online tool: Enter your income and expenses into Freddie Mac’s budget worksheet to see your monthly totals. Skip categories that do not apply to you.

Calculate Your Monthly Budget

Prefer a simple worksheet? Use this downloadable budget worksheet to organize your income and expenses.

Download a Budget Worksheet

Make Your Money Last Through the Quarter

If you receive a financial aid refund, plan for how long it needs to last. Set aside money for upcoming school expenses, then divide the remaining amount across the months or weeks before your next expected payment.

A budget gap does not mean you have failed. You may need additional resources, rather than simply fewer expenses. Contact OC’s Resource Center to explore available support.

Want help putting your plan together? Check out our upcoming workshops for more guidance.

Understand Credit & Manage Debt

Credit lets you borrow money with an agreement to repay it. Debt is the money you owe. Understanding interest, fees, and payment terms can help you make informed decisions and keep borrowing costs manageable.

• Know the full cost. Before borrowing or using a credit card, review the annual percentage rate (APR), fees, payment amount, and repayment timeline.
• Plan for payments. Include debt payments in your budget and track due dates. Making payments on time helps protect your credit history.
• Understand minimum payments. Paying only the minimum on a credit card can extend repayment and increase the interest you pay.
• Review your credit reports. Check for unfamiliar accounts or errors, and follow the reporting agency’s instructions to dispute inaccurate information.
• Ask for help early. If payments become difficult, contact your lender about available options or connect with a nonprofit credit counselor.

You do not have to navigate debt alone. American Financial Solutions offers free online lessons on credit reports, borrowing, and debt repayment strategies.

Explore Credit & Debt Education

Explore Careers & Expected Earnings

Your education is an investment in your future. Understanding living costs and potential earnings can help you connect your educational goals with your financial needs.

Start with the tools below, then connect with OC’s Career Center or WorkSource for personalized career guidance.

1. Estimate the Income Your Household Needs

How much income would help cover your household’s basic needs? The Self-Sufficiency Calculator provides estimated living costs based on the location and household information available in the tool.

Use the results as a starting point for understanding expenses while you are in school and setting income goals for life after graduation. Compare the estimate with your actual budget—your costs and available support may differ.

Explore the Self-Sufficiency Calculator

2. Research Wages for Careers That Interest You

Use CareerOneStop’s Salary Finder to explore wages across a wide range of occupations. Search for a job title and the location where you hope to work, then review the wage range.

As you explore, remember:

• Location matters. Pay can differ between communities.
• Median pay is the midpoint, not a guaranteed starting salary.
• Actual offers vary by employer, experience, credentials, and work schedule.

Compare several related occupations to see how different career paths could support your goals.

Explore Career Wages on CareerOneStop

3. Compare Potential Earnings with Your Budget

Return to your monthly budget and ask: Would this career’s potential earnings cover my expected expenses?

For a realistic comparison:

• Compare estimated take-home pay after taxes and deductions with monthly expenses.
• Account for expected work hours, transportation, childcare, and future student loan payments.
• Consider how your expenses and available benefits or assistance may change after graduation.

If the numbers do not align, use that information to explore your options with support. You may discover related occupations, additional credentials, or a longer-term pathway toward your income goals.

Review Your Monthly Budget

Connect with Career Planning Support

Olympic College Career Center offers personalized career guidance, job search resources, and support connecting education to employment.

Connect with our Career Center

WorkSource offers employment and training resources. Contact your local center to explore available services and support for your next steps.

Find Your Local WorkSource Center