Getting Started

For Newly Accepted Students

Prior to the start of each trimester, incoming students are sent an email with general information and links to the web resources to apply for financial assistance. Upon receipt of the FAFSA, the student will be notified if additional information is required prior to determining a financial aid award. The award letter and instructions are mailed to student for action and response prior to receiving the aid.

For Continuing Students

The Office of Financial Aid emails all returning students through their NUHS email account during spring trimester with specific instructions on the FAFSA application process for the upcoming year. Once students requesting aid complete the FAFSA and submit any requested forms/documents, the Office of Financial Aid takes the following steps to finish the financial aid process. 

Determination of Awards

The process of awarding financial aid using a priority system is termed "packaging."

Prerequisite program students are eligible for Direct Loan funds and NUHS's prerequisite program 50% discount for courses required for enrollment into a professional program at NUHS. Students may also apply for private loan funds based on credit (see options available).

Graduate students (incoming) may be eligible for potential grant assistance such as one of the Presidential Scholarships or Visit Day Award. Institutional scholarships (when available) awarded to continuing students will be included in the financial aid package.

All students requiring further assistance must apply for a Federal Direct Loan. High-interest loans, such as Federal Parental Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), Federal Graduate PLUS loan or private loan programs, are considered next to fulfill a student's unmet need.

Borrowers must be credit-worthy and have a good credit history to qualify for the PLUS and/or private loan programs. Students who are unable to obtain one of these loans on their own credit standing or who are unable to obtain a credit-worthy co-signer, will have to rely on their personal resources to finance the balance of their educational costs. 

Notification of Awards

When the packaging process has been completed, and prior to the beginning of the award year, an Award Letter will be mailed to each student. The Award Letter lists the maximum amount of aid from each federal, state and institutional program the student may receive and indicates the approximate amount of funds the student will receive each trimester.

Beyond the sources of assistance indicated on the Award Letter, students may, and should, seek out private scholarships. Recipients of outside scholarships may have their Federal Stafford Loan eligibility reduced. NUHS maintains a list of outside scholarship sources for your information, though it is not exhaustive. In addition, students with no other options may seek guidance from the Office of Financial Aid.

Disbursement of Funds

As listed in the Award Letter, that trimester's financial aid will arrive at the start of each trimester (except for employment earnings which must be earned). Federal Direct Loan funds are sent from the U.S. Treasury Department directly to Student Accounts Receivable by electronic funds transfer (EFT) or by check (if a credit-based loan). EFT funds are credited to the student's tuition account generally during the first week of classes each trimester. Any excess funds are refunded to the student in the form of a check beginning the second week of classes. In accordance with federal regulations, the disbursement of financial aid funds must coincide with academic terms as indicated on the Award Letter. In accordance with university policy, private loan funds are treated in the same manner.

View Awards Online

Award offers are viewable online at the MyNU Student Portal. (New students receive information for creating a username and password after their initial advising or at orientation.) This will list each trimester's estimated aid amount and distribution date.

Eligibility

The U.S. Department of Education has established certain base eligibility requirements in order to receive federal financial aid. Individual scholarship, grant, work study, and loan programs may have additional eligibility requirements.

To qualify for most types of aid, you must:

• Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate.
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a student pursuing a degree or certificate.
• Be enrolled half-time or more credit hours each term, for most types of aid.
• Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or an eligible non-citizen.
  • An eligible non-citizen is defined as a U.S. permanent resident who has an Alien Registration Card (I-151, I-551, or I-551C). If you have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) showing "Refugee," "Asylum Granted," "Indefinite Parole," "Humanitarian Parole," "Cuban-Haitian Entrant," "Status Pending," or "Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980), you are also eligible for aid. 
  • If you hold only a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464), you are not eligible for federal aid.
  • If you are in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa or a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, you are also not eligible for federal aid.
  • While students who are not U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or eligible non-citizens are not eligible for federal financial aid, they may be eligible for certain private loans with a U.S. citizen as a cosigner.
• Have a valid Social Security Number.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), as defined by NUHS, towards the completion of your degree or certificate.
• Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and sign the statement certifying that you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes.
• Register with Selective Service, if required.
  • The requirement to register applies to males who were born on or after January 1, 1960, are at least 18 years old, are citizens or eligible non-citizens, and are not currently on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. 
  • Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, or Palau are exempt from registering.
• Not be in default on a federal student loan and not owe money back on a federal student grant.
• Not have your Title IV eligibility suspended due to a federal or state drug conviction.

How to Start

Finding financial aid begins with filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. Which FAFSA should you complete?

• Enrolling in Fall 2015, Spring 2016 or Summer 2016? Complete the 2014-2015 FAFSA (available after 1/1/2015).
• Enrolling in Fall 2014, Spring 2015, or Summer 2015? Complete the 2014-2015 FAFSA.

What is the FAFSA?

The FAFSA determines a student's eligibility for grants and loans. Prerequisite courses are undergraduate level, and students may only receive Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans.

How to File a FAFSA

The application can be completed at www.fafsa.ed.gov. National University of Health Sciences' school code is 001732. 

Massage Therapy program students are classified as undergraduate at the 5th year grade level. If you have already submitted the FAFSA or are completing the FAFSA for the first time, the follow must be updated and entered into 2014-2015 FAFSA numbers:

• Q. 29: Enter 5 for 5th year/other undergraduate.
• Q. 30: Enter 7 for non-degree program.
• Q. 48: Enter NO because the Prerequisite program is undergraduate.

FAFSA PIN

The PIN allows students and parents to electronically sign the FAFSA and Master Promissory notes and complete Entrance Counseling for the Federal Direct loans. You can apply at the Department of Education's PIN site, www.pin.ed.gov. The PIN also allows students to access information to track their student loans at www.nslds.ed.gov.

Verification

Sometimes additional information will be requested by the Office of Financial Aid prior to determining a final award offer. You will be contacted via email when additional documents or information are required. This may include, but is not limited to, the following items:

• IRS Transcript from you and/or your parents
• Completed Verification Form
• Signed statement listing your taxable income if you did not file a return
• Detailed summary of you and/or your parents' assets, including all liquid and non-liquid resources

Financial Aid Forms

You may be requested to submit additional information in order to receive a financial aid award. This is as a result of being selected for verification, and/or missing or incomplete data on the FAFSA (do not submit these forms unless requested to do so).

The forms below can be downloaded and printed for you to complete and submit. Please print your name and identifying information clearly on all forms. Complete, sign (with parent/spouse signatures as required), and date the forms and return to the Financial Aid Office via U.S. Postal Service, fax or email.

How to Submit Forms

Download PDF Forms

Questions?

If you have any questions about the form and what is requested, feel free to contact the Office of Financial Aid at 630-889-6518 or financialaid@nuhs.edu.