Financial Assistance

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Northwest University participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. If a student is enrolled for less than full-time, their cost of attendance will be prorated and loan funds may be reduced. All financial aid recipients must sign and return a copy of the University’s “Financial Aid Terms and Conditions” to Student Financial Services within 30 days of receipt. Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress as outlined in the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for financial aid, unless additional requirements are noted with the award. Financial aid awards must be applied for each year.

This section contains information applicable to students enrolled in a Master’s or Doctoral graduate degree program. For financial aid information for Northwest University’s Undergraduate programs, refer to the respective Program’s catalog pages in the Undergraduate Academic Catalog or Student Handbook.

Financial Aid Application

Apply for financial aid at Northwest University by submitting the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

Eligibility :

To be eligible for federal financial aid, students must:

• Be admitted to Northwest University
• Be a U.S. citizen, or a permanent resident of the U.S., or an eligible non-citizen
• Not owe an overpayment on any Title IV educational grant or be in default on a Title IV educational loan
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress

Disbursement of Aid

Financial aid is generally credited to individual student accounts in equal disbursements by semester. The specific amount to be disbursed each semester is indicated on the student’s Financial Aid Offer. Most often, an award is divided into three equal payments, with one third disbursing at the beginning of the first semester, one third disbursing at the beginning of the second semester, and one third disbursing at the beginning of the third semester. 

Financial aid generally begins disbursing approximately one week prior to the first day of classes for the semester and continues twice weekly thereafter. To have aid disbursed, the student must have completed the financial aid process and meet all disbursement eligibility requirements.

Federal Aid

Teacher Education Assistance for College Higher Education Grant (TEACH)

• Eligibility – Accepted into the School of Education
  • Achieved a 3.25 cumulative GPA or score above the 75th percentile on an Admissions Test
  • Completed Agreement to Serve Application (ATS)
  • Attended yearly TEACH Grant Counseling session
• Amount – determined by the Department of Education
  • Renewal - Maintain 3.25 Cumulative GPA
  • ATS Renewal Application
  • Counseling session
• Terms
  • Agree to serve in a high need, low income   school after completion of academic program
  • If student does not meet requirements, grant becomes an Unsubsidized loan

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

• Eligibility – Not need-based
• Amount – Up to $20,500 per academic year
• Aggregate Limit – Up to $138,500 (lifetime maximum; includes undergraduate loans)
• Renewal – Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) required annually
• Terms – After the student graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment, they will have a six-month grace period before being required to begin repayment. During this period, the student will receive repayment information from their loan servicer, and will be notified of their first payment due date. Student borrowers are responsible for paying the interest during all periods. 

To receive a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, students must sign the Northwest University “Financial Aid Terms and Conditions” and return it to Student Financial Services. In addition, first-time borrowers must also complete a Loan Agreement/Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling online at www.studentloans.gov, which will explain issues, rights, and responsibilities. Federal Direct Loan funds are sent to the university by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), and will be credited directly to the student’s account once received. 

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan (Grad PLUS)

• Eligibility – Not need-based; student must not have an adverse credit history (or use an approved co-signer)
• Amount – Up to the student’s cost of attendance minus any other financial aid received
• Aggregate Limit – No set lifetime maximum
• Renewal – Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and PLUS application (including credit-check) required annually
• Terms – The terms of a Grad PLUS Loan are specified in the required PLUS Loan Agreement/Master Promissory Note (MPN) in accordance with applicable federal laws and regulations. The repayment period for PLUS Loans begins on the date of the final disbursement of the loan, with this first payment being due within 60 days from that date. If the student meets certain requirements, they may be able to receive a deferment or forbearance that would allow them to temporarily postpone making payments. The interest rate is fixed at the time of disbursement. As provided by law, loan fees are charged as a percentage of the loan amount and subtracted proportionately from each PLUS Loan disbursement. 

To apply for a Grad PLUS Loan, students must visit www.studentaid.gov to complete a Direct PLUS Loan Application for Graduate/Professional Students (which includes a credit-check, valid for up to 180 days). In addition, first-time Grad PLUS Loan borrowers must complete the PLUS Loan Agreement/Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling, which will explain issues, rights, and responsibilities. In order to receive the Grad PLUS Loan, students must also sign the Northwest University Statement of  Conditions for Financial Assistance and return it to Student Financial Services. Grad PLUS Loan funds are sent to the university by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), and will be credited directly to the student’s account once received.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Students enrolled in a graduate program and who receive financial aid must remain in good academic standing with the University and make satisfactory progress toward their intended degree. To remain eligible for financial assistance, students must meet specific qualitative and quantitative academic requirements.

Qualitative requirements: Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) for all terms of attendance, including terms when no aid is received.

Quantitative requirements: In addition to the GPA requirements outlined above, students must also complete at least 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted (any classes withdrawn from after the add/drop week are still considered attempted) and be able to graduate without attempting more than 150% of the credit hours required for completion of the degree.

Satisfactory progress is evaluated annually. If a student fails to meet SAP standards, they will be suspended from receiving further financial aid at the University. Students may appeal the suspension by submitting a written appeal to Student Financial Services (SFS). If approved, the student will be placed on financial aid probation and have one additional semester to meet all quantitative and qualitative requirements. If SFS determines that the student will require more than one semester to meet the standards, an academic plan will be developed and progress will be monitored each semester during the set probationary period. Failure to meet the conditions of probation will result in loss of eligibility for further financial assistance.

For more information on the University’s SAP policy, visit https://www.northwestu.edu/financial-aid/graduate/gpa-credit-requirements.

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