Information for Veterans

Glossary

Forms

Resources

Contact

Phone: (312) 503-8722
Fax: (312) 503-8700
Address: 710 N. Lake Shore Drive, Room 629
Chicago, IL 60611
Hours: 8:30am - 5pm, M-F
financial-aid-chicago@northwestern.edu

January

• The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and Need Access form for incoming students are available online.

February

• Entering students may begin applying for financial aid for the next academic year (Required application forms are due March 15).
  • Take me to the Application Instructions for Incoming Students

March

• Continuing students may begin applying for financial aid for the next academic year (Required application forms are due May 1).
  • Take me to the Application Instructions for Continuing Students
• Entering students' application forms must be submitted by March 15 (or three weeks after your notification of acceptance, whichever is later) in order to be considered for need-based grant funding. The Office of Financial Aid will begin to release financial aid award notices to incoming Medical students on a rolling basis starting on April 2.

April/May/June/July

• The Chicago Office of Financial Aid will begin originating Federal Direct Stafford and GradPLUS loans after July 6.  Students should have completed the MPN and Entrance Interview processes by this time.  Please make sure to respond promptly to any requests for additional information that you may receive from the Department of Education regarding your Federal Direct Loans.
• Entering students
  • Entering students who met the March 15 deadline will begin to receive financial aid award notice e-mails with instructions on how to access their Accept/Decline Award Notice and loan applications in CAESAR.
  • Entering students Accept or decline their financial aid via "Accept or Decline Financial Aid" in CAESAR and submit loan documents electronically to the Chicago Office of Financial Aid for processing.
• Continuing Students
  • Continuing students' application forms must be submitted by May 1 in order to receive an award notice e-mail by July 1.
  • Continuing students begin receiving financial aid award notice e-mails with instructions on how to access their Accept/Decline Award Notice and loan applications in CAESAR. 

August/September

• Fall tuition billing invoices are e-mailed to students' NU e-mail accounts by the Office of Student Accounts on August 10th.
• Financial aid orientation sessions are held for entering students. Financial Aid funding is not available until the first day of class, so students should arrive on campus prepared to support themselves financially during orientation week.
• Incoming Students who have officially started their enrollment in FSM should make sure that prior educational loans are in a deferred status. For more information, please visit http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/AWOME/FinancialAid/DeferLoan.html
• Refunds for student living expenses are issued by the Office of Student Accounts beginning on the 1st day of the fall term. Refunds are only issued to students whose bills are paid in full and have excess cash on their accounts. All financial aid award notices and loan documents must also be completed and processed.

October

• Late financial aid applications are processed.
• The Committee on Financial Aid to Students reviews financial aid appeals.

November-December

• Late financial aid applicant student loans are processed.