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Timeline

The financial aid timeline is different for admitted students and continuing students.

Admitted JD and JD-MBA students

January

  • Students begin applying for financial aid by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the University Aid Application: see application instructions for first-year students. Admitted students who are also applying for scholarship funding should review the scholarship application information that was sent by the Admissions Office when they were admitted.
  • For admitted JD-MBA Round 1 students, all financial aid application materials are due: see application instructions for first-year students.

February

  • The Office of Financial Aid will begin to release preliminary financial aid package notices to admitted JD-MBA Round 1 students on a rolling basis starting in early February and continuing through the tuition deposit deadline.

March

  • For admitted JD students, all financial aid application materials are due by March 1. If you were admitted after March 1, your financial aid application materials are due within 7 days of your admission: see application instructions for first-year students.
  • The Chicago Office of Financial Aid will begin to release preliminary financial aid package notices to admitted JD students on a rolling basis starting in late March and continuing through the tuition deposit deadline.
  • For admitted JD-MBA Round 2 students, all financial aid application materials are due by March 1: see application instructions for first-year students.

April/May

  • The Office of Financial Aid will begin to release preliminary financial aid package notices to admitted JD-MBA Round 2 students on a rolling basis starting in early April and continuing through the tuition deposit deadline.
  • For admitted JD-MBA Round 3 students, all financial aid application materials are due by April 28th: see application instructions for first-year students.
  • The Office of Financial Aid will begin to release preliminary financial aid package notices to admitted JD-MBA Round 3 students on a rolling basis starting in late May and continuing through the tuition deposit deadline.

June

  • In mid-June, admitted JD and JD-MBA students who applied for financial aid by their stated deadline and have submitted a tuition deposit will begin receiving official financial aid package notification emails to their NU email account. This email will include instructions on next steps, including how to access the official package in CAESAR. 
    • Students who applied for financial aid after their stated deadline can expect to receive the official financial aid package notification email to their NU email account within 4-6 weeks of when they submitted their financial aid application materials.

July

  • The Office of Financial Aid will begin to release official financial aid package notices to admitted JD transfer students on a rolling basis starting in early July.

August

  • The Chicago Office of Financial Aid will begin processing accepted Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford and Grad PLUS loans during the summer. 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.
  • Students should have completed the Accept/Decline process in CAESAR, and their Master Promissory Notes (MPN) and Entrance Counseling and any other outstanding items, by August 1. Check your To-Do list in CAESAR to make sure all financial aid items are completed.
  • The initial Fall semester tuition invoice is emailed by the Office of Student Finance to NU email accounts on August 10, and a new invoice is then emailed on the 10th of each month.
  • Orientation is held for incoming students in the week before the start of the Fall semester, and a financial aid session will be included as part of the Orientation schedule.
  • Refunds for student living expenses are issued by the Office of Student Finance beginning about a week before the start of the Fall semester. Refunds are only issued to students whose bills are paid in full and have an excess credit on their account. All financial aid items listed on your To-Do list in CAESAR must also be completed.
  • Fall semester classes begin in late August.

September/October/November

  • Late financial aid applications and appeals are processed.

December

  • Late financial aid applications and appeals are processed.
  • The initial Spring semester tuition invoice is emailed by the Office of Student Finance to NU email accounts on December, and a new invoice is then emailed on the 10th of each month.

Admitted LLM and MSL students

January/February/March

  • Students begin applying for financial aid by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and University Aid Application: see application instructions for first-year students. Admitted students who are also applying for scholarship or fellowship funding should review the scholarship/fellowship application information that was sent by the Admissions Office when they were admitted.
    • The University Aid Application will be available in your To-Do list in CAESAR by mid-March.

April

  • For admitted ELLM in Chicago students, all financial aid application materials are due by April 3. If you were admitted after April 1, your financial aid application materials are due within 7 days of your admission: see application instructions for first-year students.
  • In mid-April, admitted ELLM in Chicago students who applied for financial aid by their stated deadline and have submitted a tuition deposit will begin receiving official financial aid package notification emails to their NU email account. This email will include instructions on next steps, including how to access the official package in CAESAR. 
    • Students who applied for financial aid after their stated deadline can expect to receive the official financial aid package notification email to their NU email account within 4-6 weeks of when they submitted their financial aid application materials.

May

  • For admitted LLM, LLM-IHR, Tax LLM, and MSL students, all financial aid application materials are due by May 3. If you were admitted after May 3, your financial aid application materials are due within 7 days of your admission: see application instructions for first-year students.

June

  • In mid-June, admitted LLM, LLM-IHR, Tax LLM, and MSL students who applied for financial aid by their stated deadline and have submitted a tuition deposit will begin receiving official financial aid package notification emails to their NU email account. This email will include instructions on next steps, including how to access the official package in CAESAR. 
    • Students who applied for financial aid after their stated deadline can expect to receive the official financial aid package notification email to their NU email account within 4-6 weeks of when they submitted their financial aid application materials.

July/August

  • The Chicago Office of Financial Aid will begin processing accepted Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford and Grad PLUS loans during the summer. 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.
  • Students should have completed the Accept/Decline process in CAESAR, and their Master Promissory Notes (MPN) and Entrance Counseling, by August 1. Check your To-Do list in CAESAR to make sure all financial aid items are completed.
  • The initial Fall semester tuition invoice is emailed by the Office of Student Finance to NU email accounts on August 10, and a new invoice is then emailed on the 10th of each month.
  • Orientation is held for incoming students in the week before the start of the Fall semester, and a financial aid session will be included in the Orientation schedule.
  • Refunds for student living expenses are issued by the Office of Student Finance beginning about a week before the start of the Fall semester. Refunds are only issued to students whose bills are paid in full and have an excess credit on their account. All financial aid items listed on your To-Do list in CAESAR must also be completed.
  • Fall semester classes begin in late August.

September/October/November

  • Late financial aid applications and appeals are processed.

December

  • Late financial aid applications and appeals are processed.
  • The initial Spring semester tuition invoice is emailed by the Office of Student Finance to NU email accounts on December, and a new invoice is then emailed on the 10th of each month.

Continuing students in all programs

January

  • Refunds for student living expenses are issued by the Office of Student Finance beginning about a week before the start of the Spring semester. Refunds are only issued to students whose bills are paid in full and have an excess credit on their account. All financial aid items listed on your To-Do list in CAESAR must also be completed.
  • Spring semester classes begin in early to mid January.

February/March/April

  • Continuing students may begin applying for financial aid for the next academic year by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and University Aid Application: see application instructions for returning students. The Law School will send out a reminder email about reapplying for loan funding after Spring break.
    • The University Aid Application will be available in your To-Do list in CAESAR by mid-March.

May

June

  • In mid-June, continuing students in all programs who applied for financial aid by their stated deadline will begin receiving official financial aid package notification emails to their NU email account. This email will include instructions on next steps, including how to access the official package in CAESAR. 
    • Students who applied for financial aid after their stated deadline can expect to receive the official financial aid package notification email to their NU email account within 4-6 weeks of when they submitted their financial aid application materials.

July/August

  • The Chicago Office of Financial Aid will begin processing accepted Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford and Grad PLUS loans during the summer. 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.
  • Students should have completed the Accept/Decline process in CAESAR (and MPNs and Entrance Counseling if applicable) by August 1. Check your To-Do list in CAESAR to make sure all financial aid items are completed.
  • The initial Fall semester tuition invoice is emailed by the Office of Student Finance to NU email accounts on August 10, and a new invoice is then emailed on the 10th of each month.
  • Refunds for student living expenses are issued by the Office of Student Finance beginning about a week before the start of the Fall semester. Refunds are only issued to students whose bills are paid in full and have an excess credit on their account. All financial aid items listed on your To-Do list in CAESAR must also be completed.
  • Fall semester classes begin in late August.

September/October/November

  • Late financial aid applications and appeals are processed.

December

  • Late financial aid applications and appeals are processed.
  • The initial Spring semester tuition invoice is emailed by the Office of Student Finance to NU email accounts on December, and a new invoice is then emailed on the 10th of each month.