Timeline

January

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

Entering students may begin applying for financial aid for the next academic year (Required application forms are due March 1). See application instructions for first-year students.

Continuing students may begin applying for financial aid for the next academic year (Required application forms are due April 1). See application instructions for returning students.

Entering students' application forms must be submitted by March 1 (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 March 15.

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 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 April 1 in order to receive an award notice email 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.

Fall tuition billing invoices are e-mailed to students' Northwestern email 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 the Loan Deferment page on the Feinberg website.
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.