International Student Financial Aid
Tuition and Fees
As a private institution, Westminster University maintains the same tuition rates for domestic and international students. International first-year and transfer students coming to Westminster to pursue an undergraduate program pay undergraduate tuition and fees. International students coming to Westminster to pursue a graduate program pay graduate tuition and fees. Graduate programs are individually priced.
Cost of Attendance Breakdown
The following cost of attendance information can help you get a better picture of your full cost of attendance for visa purposes:
Undergraduate cost of attendance is based on a 12-16 credit hour semester for a student living on campus. Cost of attendance can vary individually as your personal cost of attendance will change if you have an academic scholarship or grant money awarded to you. When you apply for a student visa, you are required to prove sufficient funding to cover the cost of attendance for 1 year by showing acceptable financial documents (checking and savings account bank statements, scholarship letters, or approved loan documents). If you need help determining your cost of attendance for your visa application, email the International Admissions Office (international@westminsteru.edu).
Graduate cost of attendance varies individually as tuition and fees will be dependent upon which program you are enrolled in and how many credit hours you are taking. You can view the current per credit hour cost for the program you will be enrolling in to determine your tuition and fees cost. International students are required to take 7 credits per semester to maintain full-time status for student visa requirements. Food and housing, transportation, and personal expenses charges are estimates and actual amounts will vary depending on your lifestyle, housing situation, etc.
When you apply for a student visa, you are required to prove sufficient funding to cover the cost of attendance for 1 year by showing acceptable financial documents (checking and savings account bank statements, scholarship letters, or approved loan documents). If you need help determining your personal cost of attendance for your visa application, email the International Admissions Office (international@westminsteru.edu).
Financial Aid
Westminster offers international students some of the same financial aid programs that are offered to U.S. citizens. These programs are intended to help qualified students attend Westminster regardless of where they come from.
Westminster does not offer any full-cost scholarships or grants and there is no combination of Westminster scholarships and Griffin Grant that will cover your total cost of attendance. You may seek external scholarships, private loans, and non-U.S. governmental loan opportunities to cover costs that any Westminster awarded financial aid does not. You will be eligible to work a maximum of 20 hours per week on campus which can also help you cover educational costs. If you are a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or if you have dual citizenship in the U.S. you can also seek federal U.S. loans.
Griffin Grant
The need-based Griffin Grant provides additional funding to students who demonstrate financial need through the completion of the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile from the College Board. The results of the CSS Profile are used to determine eligibility for this grant. After you have been admitted, you can discuss questions about the CSS Profile and Griffin Grant with your admissions counselor.
To complete the CSS profile:
- Sign in on the College Board CSS Profile web page.
- Complete the application. You can save and return to complete the application at any time.
- Submit the application using code 4948 for Westminster University in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Review your dashboard
There is a $25 fee to submit the CSS Profile ($16 if you have already sent one to another school). Some students may qualify for a fee waiver.
Contact Westminster's Financial Aid Office if you have questions about completing your CSS Profile.
Scholarships
First-Year and Transfer Undergraduate Students
Merit-Based
When first-year and transfer international students apply and are admitted to Westminster, they are automatically considered for merit-based Westminster scholarships. These scholarships are awarded based on previous academic performance.
Talent-Based
International students are also eligible to interview, audition, compete, or tryout for Westminster’s talent-based scholarships. Talent-based scholarships have individual processes for consideration and selection. Visit the webpages for the theatre, music, computer science, and dance scholarships for more information. For more information about athletics recruitment and scholarships, visit the Westminster University Athletics website and fill out the athletics recruiting online questionnaire or contact the head coach for that sport directly using the athletics staff directory (for sports without a questionnaire). If you cannot appear in person for the application process for a talent-based scholarship, you can contact the faculty or staff member listed on the scholarship's webpage for accommodations.
Honors Academic Excellence Scholarship
First-year international students who will also be entering the Honors College are eligible to apply for the Honors Academic Excellence Scholarship.
Transfer international students who will also be entering the Honors College are eligible to apply for the Honors Transfer Scholarship.
External
There are a variety of scholarships available to international students from sources outside Westminster. Scholarships from sources outside of Westminster have varying deadlines. Visit the scholarship's website for more details about deadlines and submission requirements.
Scholarship Search Engines
Specific Scholarships
Graduate Students
There are a limited number of scholarships available for graduate studies. For instance, students with a Westminster University undergraduate degree who are now attending a graduate program may be eligible for a Westminster Alumni Scholarship.
VIEW GRADUATE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
Alternative Loans
Alternative loans are private loans offered to students to help pay for college. A private loan comes from a lender such as a bank, credit union, or state-affiliated organization. Since the loans are privately funded, the terms and conditions will vary based on the lender. This also means that interest rates and fees are not federally regulated and are set by the individual lenders.
Loan Amounts
The amount available to be borrowed in alternative loan funding will vary by student. Your certified loan amount cannot exceed your cost of attendance less any other financial aid you receive. If the amount approved by the lender is higher than the allowable maximum, it will be reduced by Westminster.
Eligibility
Eligibility for an alternative student loan is determined by the lender. You may be eligible for loans sponsored by U.S. lenders if you apply with a loan co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident. The lender will provide you with an applicant self-certification form. Once the loan has been approved by the lender, the Westminster Financial Aid Office will need to certify the loan amount.
Find Loans and Apply
You should contact the lender of your choice for application instructions. Additional information about alternative loans and a historical list of lenders that Westminster has worked with in the past can be found on the ELMSelect website. Be careful when reviewing these loans as you will only be eligible for some.
Most lenders have online applications. Westminster advises you to pursue all other sources of funding before applying for an alternative loan. If you do apply for a loan, be sure to carefully review all terms and conditions before completing an application.
More Alternative Loan Details
Westminster University adheres to a Code of Conduct for Private Education Loans.
The Higher Education Act requires Westminster University (referred to throughout this document as "the institution") to develop, administer, and enforce a Code of Conduct with respect to private education loans. This Code of Conduct addresses standards of business for the working relationships between college officials and private loan lenders.
A private education loan is any loan that is not under Title IV of the HEA and is issued to a borrower expressly for postsecondary education expenses, regardless of whether the loan is provided through the institution that the student attends or directly to the borrower from the lender.
I. Revenue-sharing Arrangements with Any Lender
The institution will not enter into any revenue-sharing arrangement with any lender. Specifically, the institution will not recommend a lender or loan products of a lender in exchange for a fee or other material benefit, including revenue or profit sharing.
II. Gifts
No agent for the institution who is employed in the Financial Aid Office or who has responsibilities with private education loans may solicit or accept any prohibited gift from a lending institution. Prohibited gifts include: any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment (including expenses for shows, sporting events, or alcoholic beverages), hospitality (including private parties of select training or conference attendees), loan, or other item having a monetary value of more than a de minimus amount. A gift includes services, transportation, lodging or meals whether provided in kind, by purchase of a ticket, payment in advance, or reimbursement after the expense has been incurred.
An agent of the institution may accept items of a de minimus amount from a private education lender that are offered as general marketing or advertising or to create good will. Examples of de minimus gifts include, but are not limited to: pens or pencils, notepads, sticky-notes, rulers, calculators, small tote bags, calendars, and other office supply items.
III. Philanthropic Gifts and Contributions to the Institution
The College will not accept any philanthropic contributions from a lending institution that are related to the loans that are provided to our students, or that is provided to gain an advantage related to private education loans. In addition, we will not accept scholarships or grants from a private lending institution in exchange for loan applications or referrals for applications, or for a specific volume or dollar amount of private loans received.
The College may accept philanthropic contributions from a lender that are not related to the loans provided to our students, or that is not provided in exchange to receive an advantage related to private education loans.
IV. Consulting or Other Contractual Arrangements
An agent of the institution who is employed in the Student Service Center and/or has direct responsibilities with the private education loan programs may not accept from any lending institution any compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to or on behalf of the lender. An agent of the institution can be permitted to engage in these consulting activities as long as they are not employed in the Financial Aid Office or as long as they do not have direct responsibilities related to private education loans.
V. Choice of Lender
Agents of the institution will not:
- Assign the student’s loan to a particular lender
- Encourage or influence the student to choose a specific lender
- Show preference for one lender over another
- Refuse to certify, or cause delays in loan processing for a borrower based on their choice of lender
VI. Opportunity Pools
For purposes of this document, an opportunity pool is defined as a private education loan made by a lender to a student attending this institution or the student’s family member that involves the College paying points, premiums, additional interest, or financial support to the lender for the purpose of that lender extending credit to the borrower.
The institution will not request or accept an offer of funds from an opportunity to be used for private education loans.
VII. Staffing Assistance
The institution will not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
VIII. Advisory Board Compensation
An agent for the institution with direct private education loan responsibilities may not accept anything of value in exchange for service on an advisory board established by a lending institution. If an agent of the institution without private education loan responsibilities does serve on an advisory board established by a lending institution, the agent may accept compensation for reasonable expenses incurred by that service.
Student Type Definitions
- First-year student: you are coming to Westminster from high school to pursue one of Westminster's undergraduate programs
- Transfer student: you are coming to Westminster from another college or university to pursue one of Westminster's undergraduate programs
- Exchange student: you are coming to Westminster for a short-term study program
- Graduate student: you are coming to Westminster to pursue one of Westminster's graduate programs