Highline College Financial Aid: Complete 2026 Guide for High School Seniors

If you are a high school senior thinking about Highline College, the good news is that this school has a real financial-aid system in place for federal aid, Washington State aid, scholarships, work-study, and student loans. Highline’s financial aid office helps students complete the FAFSA or WASFA, and the college publishes its school code, priority dates, cost of attendance, forms, and refund rules on official pages.

Highline College financial aid at a glance

Highline College’s Financial Aid Office can help students submit the FAFSA or WASFA. The office lists its contact email as financialaid@highline.edu, its message line as (206) 592-3358, and its location as the upper lobby of Building 6. Highline’s federal school code is 003781, which is the code students should add on their aid application.

For the 2026–27 aid year, Highline lists these priority due dates: Fall 2026: July 1, 2026; Winter 2027: October 1, 2026; Spring 2027: January 1, 2027; Summer 2027: April 1, 2027. Highline also says it accepts applications from October 1 to June 25, but uses quarterly priority dates to help students get processed in time.

Official links

• Highline College Financial Aid Office — main official page for contacts, school code, and deadlines.

• Apply for Aid at Highline — step-by-step college process.

• FAFSA — federal application.

• WASFA — Washington State application for students who do not file FAFSA.

• Washington College Grant — Washington State grant information.

• Highline Cost of Attendance — official student budget.

• Highline Tuition and Fees — published tuition rates.

• Highline Financial Aid Forms — upload and submit required documents.

• Highline Foundation Scholarships — scholarship application page.

• Highline Net Price Calculator — estimate your net cost.

What types of aid can you get at Highline College?

Highline participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs. On its official pages, the college highlights grants, scholarships, work-study, loans, and institutional aid.

1) Grants

Highline lists several grant options that do not need to be repaid. These include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), and the Washington College Grant. Highline also lists the Washington Opportunity Grant for approved programs in high-wage, high-demand fields.

For the 2026–27 award year, the maximum Federal Pell Grant is $7,395. The exact amount a student gets depends on factors such as financial need and enrollment.

Washington’s WA Grant is especially important for Highline students because it is state aid that can help cover tuition, supplies, and living expenses, and students can apply for it through either the FAFSA or the WASFA.

2) Scholarships

Highline says the Highline Foundation awards approximately 60 scholarships every academic year, with awards that range from $500 to $2,500. The college says applications are typically available in April and scholarships are awarded in June. The Foundation scholarship page says the 2026–27 application opens April 6, 2026.

3) Work-study

Highline offers Federal Work-Study, State Work-Study, and off-campus State Work-Study. The college says students must apply for financial aid to be considered, must be enrolled in at least 6 credits, and cannot work more than 19 hours per week. Federal Work-Study jobs are available on campus and can be awarded to non-Washington residents too.

4) Student loans

Highline offers Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Loans. The college explains that subsidized loans are need-based, while unsubsidized loans are not. After students receive an aid offer and attend the required advisor meeting, they can apply using Highline’s student loan request process. Highline also says federal direct loan borrowers must complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note.

FAFSA or WASFA: which one should you file?

Use the FAFSA if you are a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen with legal immigration status. Highline’s FAFSA page says the 2026–27 FAFSA is now available and reminds students to include school code 003781.

Use the WASFA if you do not file the FAFSA because of immigration status or another federal-aid eligibility issue. Highline says the WASFA is for students who do not fill out the FAFSA, including many undocumented students, and WSAC says students who complete a WASFA are applying for state aid only. WSAC also says students should file one application, not both, unless their college asks them to do something different.

This matters in Washington because both the FAFSA and the WASFA can be pathways to the Washington College Grant and other state aid.

Step-by-step plan for a high school senior starting in Fall 2026

Step 1: Apply to Highline College

Highline says students planning to complete a degree should apply for admission and declare their intended degree on the application, because students in eligible degree or certificate programs can receive aid.

Step 2: File FAFSA or WASFA early

For a Fall 2026 start, Highline’s official priority due date is July 1, 2026. Filing early is smart because the college uses priority dates to keep processing on track.

Step 3: Add Highline’s school code

When you complete the FAFSA, add 003781 so Highline can receive your application. Highline states this directly on its aid pages.

Step 4: Watch for follow-up forms

Highline says most documents can be uploaded securely through its Document Upload Form, and students should allow 5–7 business days for processing. For the 2026–27 academic year, Highline says the last day to submit documents is June 22, 2027, and recommends submitting FAFSA or WASFA at least 90 days before that date.

Step 5: Review your aid offer

Highline says that after your FAFSA or WASFA is processed, you will receive an aid offer letter explaining the types and amounts of aid you qualify for.

Step 6: Accept your aid on time

Highline’s policies say students generally have 30 days to accept listed financial aid unless otherwise stated in the letter. If you wait too long, your offer can be canceled.

How Highline calculates your aid

Highline explains financial need with a simple formula:

Cost of Attendance – Student Aid Index (SAI) = Financial Need.

The college says your eligibility depends on your SAI, your year in school, your enrollment status, and the cost of attendance at Highline. Highline also explains that the SAI comes from the information on your FAFSA and is not a dollar bill you must pay; it is an index used to calculate aid eligibility. A negative SAI means higher financial need.

How much does Highline College cost?

For 2025–26, Highline’s official cost of attendance for a resident off-campus student is $30,138 for three quarters, or $10,046 per quarter. That budget includes $4,914 for tuition and fees, $582 for books, $19,473 for housing, $3,069 for transportation, and $2,100 for miscellaneous expenses.

Highline’s published 2025–26 lower-division tuition also shows that Washington residents pay $131.96 per credit for 1–10 credits, $65.09 per credit for 11–18 credits, and $118.39 per credit for 19+ credits. Nonresident full-tuition rates are higher.

The college also provides an official Net Price Calculator so students can estimate what they may actually pay after aid.

How your credit load changes your aid

Highline says students are initially packaged at full-time enrollment, which it defines as 12 or more credits, but students do not need to be full-time to receive aid. The college adjusts aid by enrollment level. Its aid-offer page shows this framework: 12+ credits = 100% grant level; 9–11 credits = 75%; 6–8 credits = between 0% and 50%; 1–5 credits = between 0% and 25%, often 0%.

This is one of the biggest reasons students lose money unexpectedly: they register full-time, get packaged full-time, and then drop credits. At Highline, aid is tied to credits that count toward your declared program.

Census date, SAP, and the rules for keeping your aid

Highline evaluates Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) every quarter. The college says students must stay in an eligible program, take classes that apply to that program, and meet academic standards to keep aid.

The most important SAP rules on Highline’s official page are these:

• You must earn at least a 2.00 quarterly GPA and a 2.00 cumulative GPA.

• You must complete 100% of your attempted credits each quarter to remain in “meets” status.

• You must maintain a 67% overall completion ratio.

• For a typical lower-division two-year degree, the appealable maximum timeframe is 135 credits, which is 150% of a 90-credit program.

A useful Washington-specific detail for high school seniors: Highline says Running Start credits are included in SAP calculations such as GPA and completion ratio.

When does Highline send money?

Highline says financial aid first pays your tuition and fees. If your award is larger than your charges, the leftover balance is sent to you as a refund through the option you choose. Highline uses BankMobile Disbursements for refunds.

Highline says refund timing depends on the method you choose: Vibe Card: 1–3 days after disbursement; Direct Deposit: usually 3–5 days; Paper Check: 10–45 days. The college and BankMobile both discourage paper checks because they are slow and easier to lose.

For reference, Highline’s 2025–26 disbursement page lists these dates: Fall 2025: 9/22/2025; Winter 2026: 1/05/2026; Spring 2026: 3/30/2026; Summer 2026: 6/22/2026.

Washington-specific aid that can matter a lot

If you are a Washington student, do not ignore state programs. WSAC says Highline College is a participating institution for Washington state aid programs.

That includes the Washington College Grant, which WSAC describes as free state money that can help pay for college, career training, or an apprenticeship.

It can also include the College Bound Scholarship for eligible Washington students. WSAC says eligible College Bound students who meet the program requirements can get free public college tuition, or an equivalent amount at approved private schools, as long as they apply for aid and attend a participating Washington institution.

Best strategy for paying less at Highline

For most high school seniors, the strongest plan is simple:

1. Apply to Highline and declare the right program.

2. File the FAFSA or WASFA early and add 003781.

3. Hit the July 1, 2026 Fall 2026 priority date.

4. Apply for Foundation scholarships when the application opens on April 6, 2026.

5. Stay at 12+ credits if possible, because Highline packages grants at full-time status and reduces aid at lower credit levels.

6. Protect your GPA and course completion so you do not lose eligibility under SAP.

FAQ

Does Highline College offer financial aid to undocumented students?

Yes. Highline says its office helps students complete the WASFA for DACA and SB 5194 students, and WSAC says the WASFA is the state-aid application for people who choose not to file the FAFSA.

What is Highline College’s FAFSA school code?

Highline College’s federal school code is 003781.

Do I need to be full-time to get aid?

No. Highline says full-time is 12 or more credits, but students can still receive aid below full-time. The amount may be reduced.

Can I get scholarships at a community college like Highline?

Yes. Highline says the Foundation awards about 60 scholarships each year, generally ranging from $500 to $2,500.

What if I took Running Start classes in high school?

Highline says Running Start credits are included in financial-aid SAP calculations.

Bottom line

Highline College can be an affordable option, but only if students handle the process early and carefully. The biggest action steps are to file the FAFSA or WASFA, use school code 003781, meet the priority date, submit follow-up documents fast, apply for Foundation scholarships, and avoid dropping credits after aid is awarded. For Washington students, state programs like the WA Grant and College Bound Scholarship can be just as important as federal Pell money.