Join East West College in reaching your educational goals!
East West College can advise you on several different tuition and financing options. Work with our Financial Aid Department to develop an affordable and feasible payment plan.
Program Tuition
You can attend East West College either as a Program student or a Non-Diploma student, depending on what works best for you.
Program students agree to complete the Massage Therapy program within a limited time period and to fulfill all the terms in their Enrollment Agreement. For this, the college guarantees a tuition rate that is currently $16,960 for the complete program.
Non-Diploma students do not enroll in the 800-hour program, but take any classes they wish, according to their own schedule and the prerequisites outlined in the EWC Catalog. In exchange for this independence, they have to re-enroll each term and pay the tuition rate in force at that time. A non-diploma student may eventually complete the entire 800-hour program, but will receive transcripts of their coursework, rather than a diploma. Current tuition for non-diploma students is $24 per clock hour.
What other fees and expenses can I expect?
There is a non-refundable fee of $25 for applying to East West College. Your application will remain active for six months after you submit it, but you will be responsible for all financial, academic and other policies in effect when you actually start classes.
There is a one-time registration fee of $150 when you sign the Enrollment Agreement. If you elect to cancel your enrollment within five days of the date of enrollment, and before the commencement of classes, this registration fee is refunded.
The estimated cost of textbooks, supplies and a massage table is approximately $1200 for the 800-hour Program. For your convenience, the EWC Campus Store stocks all of these items. You may also obtain these items elsewhere, use textbooks in the library and use the EWC Practice Room (for a nominal linen fee) instead of purchasing a massage table.
In addition, you are required to receive and pay for a professional massage in six courses throughout the program. While rates for massage sessions can vary widely, you should plan to spend $300-450 over the course of the program.
Additional charges will be incurred for transferring credits, repeating failed courses, dropping courses, taking additional courses outside of the program requirements, missed exams, completing required tutoring sessions, obtaining official transcripts, replacement student ID cards, and returned checks. Elective courses may have a lab fee for materials.
Other expenses such as food and housing, transportation, miscellaneous personal expenses, initial licensing costs and loan origination fees will vary depending on your own needs.
Financing Options
For additional information about these options, please contact the East West College Financial Aid Office.
Applying for Federal Student Aid
As a COMTA-accredited institution, East West College is eligible to offer federal student aid to students who qualify.
You can easily apply for federal student aid online, by filling out the Free Federal Student Aid Application, or FAFSA. The studentaid.gov website contains instructions and tips for filling out the FAFSA, including a list of the documents you’ll need to apply.
Your first step in applying for federal student aid is to create your Federal Student Aid ID here.
Once you have your FSA ID, you can complete the FAFSA online by logging in to studentaid.gov/fafsa.
When completing your FAFSA, be sure to include the East West College school code (030745) so that your information is sent to the East West College Financial Aid Office. We’ll use your FAFSA information to determine the types and amounts of federal student aid you may receive.
If you need help in filling out the FAFSA form, you can visit the FAFSA Help page, or contact the East West College Financial Aid Office.
Loriann Weiss
Director of Financial Aid
“Congratulations on completing your FAFSA! As a Financial Aid Advisor with over 15 years of experience, I’m looking forward to meeting with you to explore the full range of federal aid options available at East West College. From Direct Loans to Pell Grants, I’ll help you navigate the aid programs that best fit your needs. I have guided hundreds of students through this process, I can assure you that no question is too big or small. Feel free to reach out anytime – I’m here to help make your educational goals a reality at East West College.”
Types of Federal Student Aid Available
There are two types of federal student aid available to East West College students – Federal Pell Grants and William D Ford Direct Loans. In addition, you may be eligible for education benefits for veterans or Americorps volunteers.
The Federal Pell Grant Program
Grants are funds given to a student that generally don’t have to be repaid. In the federal student aid system, these funds are awarded through the Federal Pell Grant Program. Pell Grants are available to East West College students who qualify and who demonstrate financial need on their FAFSA. You can learn more about Federal Pell Grants here.
The Federal Direct Loan Program
Loans are funds available for students to borrow that generally have to be repaid. In the federal student aid system, these funds are offered through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. Direct Loans are designed to help students and parents pay for the student’s education after high school. Interest rates on Direct Loans are affordably low and fixed for the life of the loan.
There are three types of Direct Loans which may be used by East West College students: Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Direct PLUS Loans for Parents of Dependent Students.
Loan Types
Direct Subsidized Loans
Direct Subsidized loans are for students with demonstrated financial need. The school determines the amount you can borrow in a Direct Subsidized Loan based on the information in your FAFSA, the cost of attendance at the school, and federal loan limits. Students are not charged interest on Direct Subsidized Loans while they are in school at least half-time (12 hours of class per week), during a one-time six-month grace period (beginning when a student enrolls for fewer than 12 hours of class, withdraws from all classes, or graduates), or during a period of deferment (a postponement of loan payments).
Direct Unsubsidized Loans
Direct Unsubsidized loans are not based on financial need. The school determines the amount you can borrow in Direct Unsubsidized Loans based on the cost of attendance at the school, other financial aid you receive, and federal loan limits. Students are charged interest while in school, during the grace period, and during periods of deferment. Students may elect to either pay the interest while in school, or to postpone paying interest while in school. Postponing interest payments will result in the accrued interest being capitalized (added to the principal amount of the loan) upon leaving school or reducing course-work below half-time.
Direct PLUS Loans
Direct PLUS Loans are unsubsidized loans designed for parents to help pay for their dependent student’s education. The PLUS loan is a credit-based loan that may be borrowed annually. The amount is determined by subtracting the financial aid awarded to the student from the cost of attendance as determined by the school. Interest begins accruing with the first disbursement of funds. Repayment also begins immediately; the first payment is due sixty days after the first disbursement of loan funds, but may be deferred if selected in the application process.
For more information on Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans or Direct PLUS Loans, go to www.studentaid.gov.
How is My Federal Student Aid Calculated?
The school calculates your federal student aid offer by comparing the data on your FAFSA to the cost of attendance for the program. This cost of attendance is a budget for all costs associated with being in school, and is based on average costs to students and does not reflect your actual costs for attending the program. Tuition and fees are the only costs paid directly to the school. All other costs listed are estimates of expenses you may have. You may request an increase in your budget for additional items such as dependent care expenses or disability-related expenses, or if you can document expenses that are larger than those listed below. Contact the East West College Financial Aid Office for additional information.
| 12-Month Program – Paying Rent | 12-Month Program – Not Paying Rent (Living with Parent) | 15-Month Program – Paying Rent | 15-Month Program – Not Paying Rent (Living with Parent) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $16, 960 | $16, 960 | $16, 960 | $16, 960 |
| Books, Course Materials, Supplies and Equipment | $1,680 | $1,680 | $1,680 | $1,680 |
| Living Expenses (Food & Housing) | $19,200 | $4,800 | $24,000 | $6,000 |
| Transportation | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Misc. Personal Expenses | $2,100 | $2,100 | $2,625 | $2,625 |
| Federal Student Loan Fees | $115 | $115 | $115 | $115 |
| Professional License Application | $510 | $510 | $510 | $510 |
| TOTAL | $41,765 | $27,365 | $47,390 | $29,390 |
Receiving Your Federal Student Aid Offer
After you complete your FAFSA, the federal government will send your information to the East West College Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office will contact you if there are any corrections or required verifications needed for your FAFSA. Once you are accepted into our 800-hour program, the Admissions Office will send your signed Enrollment Agreement to the Financial Aid Office, so they can calculate and send you your Federal Student Aid offer. When you receive this offer, you can schedule a meeting with the Financial Aid Office to discuss the types of aid for which you qualify, review the amount of aid available to you, and answer any questions you may have.
Your Federal Student Aid offer includes the following items:
- Federal Student Aid Offer Letter. This letter notifies you of your obligations of loan acceptance, as well as the necessary items required to maintain and continue eligibility between FAFSA years. This letter includes your Disbursement Schedule, which tells you the type and amount of aid you are eligible to receive based on your calculated need and when you can expect the school to receive this aid.
- A Parent PLUS Worksheet (if relevant). This worksheet is only for the parents of dependent students with PLUS loans. It shows the cost of attending East West College, the amount of the federal student aid offer and the remaining balance. This information allows parents to borrow additional funds to help with living expenses while their student is attending school.
- Federal Student Aid Loan Summary. This document gives a breakdown of the Direct Loan periods, types of loans being borrowed, total loan amounts, and the origination and interest rates associated with them.
Professional Judgement
Students who are facing special circumstances (such as the loss of a job, divorce, etc.) or unusual circumstances (such as human trafficking, parental abandonment, etc.) may request to have their federal student aid offer reviewed and adjusted based on these circumstances. For additional information about professional judgement adjustments to your federal student aid offer, contact the Financial Aid Office.
Finalizing Your Federal Student Aid
When your questions have been answered and you have decided to accept all or some of the federal student aid offered, you will sign the Federal Student Aid Offer Letter and Federal Student Aid Loan Summary documents for your financial file. You are also required by the federal Department of Education to complete entrance counseling and repayment agreements for federal student loans. These items are available for you to complete by logging onto www.studentaid.gov using the FSA ID and password you created.