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Physical Therapy Program

When should I apply for financial aid?

Information about applying for financial aid can be found on in the Application Steps section.

Do I need to reapply for financial aid every year?

Yes. Students must submit all of the required application documents each year they wish to receive financial aid.

Which forms are required in order to apply for financial aid?

What happens if my financial aid documents are not in by the financial aid deadline?

The Office of Financial Aid can not guarantee they can release a financial aid award by the deposit deadline for applicants who do not meet the financial aid deadline. For returning students who do not submit their application by the deadline, the Office of Financial aid cannot guarantee that an award and funds will be posted to your account by the first day of classes. This may result in late fees, registration/transcript holds, and not receiving a living/book expense refund in a timely manner. If you are passed the deadline, please submit the missing items immediately. The sooner these are in the sooner you will receive an award. We ask that you allow 4 to 6 weeks to process an award after all of your financial aid documents are in. Please be sure to view your checklist to be sure no further information is required and all documents are received.

I filed and extension with the IRS. What can be done in the interim?

Please submit a copy of the extension form submitted to the IRS, the previous year's tax return and this year's W-2s. After this is received, a preliminary award can be completed. However, we will need a copy of the federal tax return once you do submit it. Without this, the financial aid office can not do an official award.

How much is tuition for the Physical Therapy program?

The current tuition rate for the Physical Therapy program can be found on this Tuition section. Tuition typically increases by a small percentage each academic year.

How much of the costs will my financial aid cover?

Students will be offered financial aid to cover 100% of their cost of attendance for the academic year.

Are grants and scholarships available?

At this time, the Physical Therapy Program does not offer any institutional grants but does offer merit-based scholarships. Students can find more information at https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/pthms/our-programs/dpt/admissions/tuition-scholarships.html and should contact the Department of Physical Therapy for more information.

What loans programs are available?

Information about available loan programs for the Physical Therapy program can be found on the Graduate Loan page.

What kind of financial aid is available for International Students?

International students are generally offered financial aid through private loan programs approved for international students. These loans generally require the student to have a credit-worthy cosigner who is a US citizen or permanent resident.

Classes have started but my funds have not yet disbursed. I need money for living expenses and books. What should I do?

If a student has completed all required documents and their term has officially started but their funds have not disbursed, they may come to the Office of Financial Aid with their Wild Card to request a cash advance. The maximum amount of cash advance per month varies per program. The cash advance will appear as a charge against the student's anticipated credit.

I accepted more loan assistance than I need. Can I reduce or cancel my loans?

Yes. Students who wish to reduce or cancel their loans can e-mail the Office of Financial Aid from their NU e-mail account and request to reduce their loan assistance. Students must include their name and student ID number and state the loan program they wish to reduce or cancel. If they wish to reduce the loan and not completely cancel it, they should state the amount to which they want the loan reduced.

Am I able to request additional loan assistance than what I accepted?

If students rejected a portion of their loan assistance at the beginning of the year and decide later that they need those funds, they can request that the Office of Financial aid reinstates their originally offered loan amounts. Students may be required to complete additional loan applications or documents depending on the loan type. If students accepted 100% of the aid they were offered in their financial aid award, they are generally not eligible to receive additional funding unless they can document extenuating circumstances (i.e. medical bills not covered by insurance). For more information on requesting additional funding for extenuating circumstances, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.

How will an outside scholarship affect my financial aid?

If a student has accepted 100% of their loan assistance, the Office of Financial Aid will be required to return an equal portion of their loan assistance to make room in the cost of attendance for the outside scholarship. If a student has declined a portion of their loan assistance equal to or greater than the amount of the scholarship, their other aid will not be affected.

Where should my outside scholarship check be sent?

Scholarship checks should be sent to the Office of Financial Aid at 710 N. Lake Shore Drive, Suite 629, Chicago, IL 60611.

Do I have to submit my parents' information with my application?

No. Parent information is not required for the Physical Therapy program.

I am getting married. Will that change my dependency status? How will it affect my aid?

Students who will be married on or before October 1 of the upcoming academic year are required to include their spouse's information with their financial aid application.