How Financial Aid is Determined
A student's financial aid award is established on an individual basis and depends upon the cost of attendance and the expected family contribution. The amount that remains after the family contribution has been applied towards the cost of attendance is considered the student's institutional need. In short:
Cost of attendance minus expected family contribution equals institutional need.
Cost of attendance
The cost of attendance changes each year, and it includes tuition, fees, room and board, transportation and other figures. See the cost of attendance for the Feinberg School of Medicine in the 2012-13 academic year.
Expected Family Contribution
To determine the family contribution, Northwestern examines aid application materials and notes any special circumstances.
If you are an NU Dependent student, the expected family contribution includes both a parental contribution and a student contribution:
- The parental contribution is based on a number of factors, including the parents' income, assets, and family size.
- The student contribution includes a portion of their personal assets each year and savings from summer employment. The summer earnings expectation varies based on class level and actual reported income.
If you are an NU Independent, the expected family contribution includes only the student contribution, which is based on income, asset and family size.
