Getting started
Whether your student is in middle school or a senior in high school, this site will help you determine what steps you need to take as a parent to prepare your student for applying and getting in to the college of your student's choice.
Paying for college
Even though the cost of attending a college or university may seem like an extraordinary amount now, the benefits of receiving a college degree far outweigh any fear you should have of not being able to pay for it.
Financial Aid
The United States government takes the stance that parents have the primary responsibility to pay for their dependent children’s education. However, there are ways for your student to receive financial assistance to pay for his or her college education. Students apply for this assistance by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application should be filed for each academic year the student will be enrolling in classes. Wayne State’s priority deadline for filing the FAFSA each year is Feb. 15 for incoming students.
Wayne State is committed to making a world-class education available for all its students. Our tuition rate offers tremendous value — it’s the lowest of any research university in the state. Each year, Wayne State awards more than $275 million in financial aid to our students, and 79 percent of our undergraduate students receive some form of assistance. No matter what your circumstances, we can help you meet the financial challenges of higher education today. Find out about Wayne State’s financial aid program.
There are four types of financial aid a student can receive:
- Grants: Gift assistance received on the basis of financial need. This type of aid does not require repayment.
- Scholarships: Gift assistance received on the basis of academic achievement or other special abilities. This type of aid does not require repayment. Financial need may be a factor on some awards.
- Loans: Money that must be repaid in the future, usually following graduation or when you cease to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis. Need- and non-need-based loans are available.
- Employment: A work-study program of on- or off-campus jobs that involves a direct exchange of money (at least the federal hourly minimum wage) for work performed. Work-study is awarded on the basis of financial need.
There are several external Web sites that are great resources for you in designing your financial plan. Utilizing College Board and/or ACT will give you additional information.
Scholarships
Wayne State awards a few different types of scholarships from merit-based to need-based requirements. Scholarships are given as gifts to assist in paying for college and students are not required to repay these gifts. However, many scholarships will have requirements a student must fulfill in order to continue to receive the money awarded. Be mindful that colleges and universities vary in their scholarship deadlines and have different requirements. Start this process early in order to prepare and take the time you and your student need to research and fill out scholarship applications. Wayne State’s private scholarship application becomes available Nov. 1 and our deadline for general university-wide scholarships is Jan. 31 of your student’s senior year (and for current students thereafter).
Learn more about the types of scholarships Wayne State has to offer incoming freshmen, transfer and current students.
Tuition Chart (PDF)
Campus resources
There are many offices on campus designed with student services in mind. Whether students are looking for a tutor to assist with Organic Chemistry or need help finding a job, Wayne State’s professional staff can support students’ personal, professional and academic goals.
Academic Success Center
University Advising
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
Career Services
Campus safety
Living on campus
Students with disabilities
Visit with us
Schedule a guided tour of campus or come down and visit with us during one of our on-campus programs. Our tour guides will fill you in on all of the great things Wayne State has been doing and will be doing in the future while they discuss their own experiences as current students.
Walking tours of campus are offered at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays. Before or after the tour, you and your student will have the opportunity to speak with an undergraduate admission counselor regarding the application process.
After the tour, grab lunch or a snack at any one of our on-campus eateries or a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Explore Barnes and Noble and pick up your very own Wayne State t-shirt, sweatshirt or bumper sticker. Make your reservation up to one month in advance. Get directions or parking information and a map of campus.
Our admission counselors travel to high schools and events in the Detroit area and beyond. Check our recruitment schedule for the time and date of their next stop!
K-12 Summer Programs
Get active this summer with any one of Wayne State’s engaging programs for K-12 students. From basketball camp to building a computer to acting on a world-renowned stage, you can choose the summer program that’s right for your emerging superstar.