financial-aidWashington

Washington College Grant 2025: The Most Generous State Grant You've Never Heard Of

GradeToGrad Team

April 3, 2026

The Washington College Grant covers up to the full cost of tuition at Washington community colleges for eligible low-income students — and up to $10,000+/year at 4-year schools. Here's who qualifies and how to apply.

What Is the Washington College Grant?

The Washington College Grant (WCG) — formerly called the State Need Grant — is Washington State's primary need-based financial aid program, administered by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC). It is one of the most generous state grant programs in the United States.

For students at Washington community and technical colleges, the grant can cover 100% of tuition. For students at 4-year Washington institutions, awards reach $10,000–$12,000+ per year for the lowest-income applicants.

It does not need to be repaid.

Who Qualifies?

Eligibility is based on household income as a percentage of Washington State's Median Family Income (MFI).

Household Income (% of WA MFI)	Maximum Award
0% – 50% (~$0–$65,000)	Full tuition at CTC; up to $12,400 at 4-year schools
51% – 65% (~$65,000–$85,000)	Partial award — scales down
66% – 70% (~$85,000–$92,000)	Minimum award (~$500–$1,000)
Above 70% MFI	Not eligible

Washington MFI is approximately $130,000 for a family of four (2024), so income eligibility is broader than most state grants — families earning up to ~$91,000 may qualify for some award.

How to Apply

Washington College Grant is accessed through FAFSA — file at studentaid.gov. WSAC receives your FAFSA data and determines WCG eligibility automatically.

Washington residents who cannot file FAFSA (undocumented students and DACA recipients) can access WCG through the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) at wsac.wa.gov. This is Washington's alternative to FAFSA that unlocks state aid without federal eligibility.

Priority deadline: As early as possible — WCG awards are subject to available funds and are processed in order of complete applications received.

Award Amounts by Institution Type

Institution	Maximum Annual Award
Community & Technical Colleges (CTCs)	Full tuition (varies; ~$4,000–$5,000)
Regional universities (WWU, CWU, EWU, TESC)	~$9,000–$10,500
University of Washington (all campuses)	~$10,500–$12,400
Washington State University	~$10,500–$12,400
Private nonprofit WA colleges	Up to $10,965

Washington College Grant at Community Colleges

For low-income Washington residents attending one of the state's 34 community and technical colleges, WCG can cover the entire tuition bill.

When combined with Pell Grant, many lower-income CTC students have zero out-of-pocket tuition costs — making community college effectively free.

This makes the Washington CC system one of the most financially accessible in the country for qualifying students.

Renewal Requirements

WCG renews annually as long as you:

Continue to demonstrate financial need via annual FAFSA or WASFA filing
Maintain satisfactory academic progress at your institution
Remain enrolled at an eligible Washington State institution

Maximum eligibility: 5 years (or equivalent credit hours) for a bachelor's degree, 2 years for an associate degree.

The Bottom Line

If you're a Washington State resident with household income under $91,000, Washington College Grant is the starting point for your financial aid planning — before loans, before parent PLUS loans, and before you accept a school's sticker price as real.

File FAFSA (or WASFA) early. Check your WCG eligibility at wsac.wa.gov.

Use GradeToGrad to compare Washington colleges by net price — with WCG factored into the real out-of-pocket cost.