Frequently Asked Questions
Here you will find a list of frequently asked questions the Financial Aid Office encounters in any given semester. If you do not find answers to questions you have, please use the Contact Us page and allow us to help you either in person, on the phone, or by email.
- How do I apply for financial aid?
- Why should I apply for financial aid?
- Do I need to be admitted before I can apply for financial aid?
- My parents are divorced, and the parent I'm living with has remarried. Does my step-parent have to report his or her income and assets on the FAFSA? How is my financial need determined?
- I applied for financial aid over four weeks ago, but haven't received the results. What should I do?
- I see the Estimated Cost of Attendance on my award letter; is there any way to cut some of these costs?
- How do I become an independent student for federal financial aid purposes?
- If I live off-campus is my financial aid affected?
- If I participate in the Federal Work Study Program, do the earnings affect my future financial aid eligibility?
- What if my family's financial circumstances change? How does that affect my financial aid award?
- I received a scholarship from a private donor. Should I report it to the Office of Student Financial Aid?
How do I apply for financial aid?
For federal, state, and institutional aid, which includes Pell Grants, LEAP Grants, Federal Direct Student and Parent Loans, Perkins Loans, and Federal Work Study, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. You should also apply for a federal PIN number at www.pin.ed.gov so that you can access and update your FAFSA information online in the future. You may be required to provide additional information such as tax returns, W-2s and untaxed income statements to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Why should I apply for financial aid?
The cost of a college education is expensive and becoming more so every year. It is worth your time and effort to find out if you qualify for aid. The formula for financial aid takes into consideration such factors as income, assets, size of family, parents' age, other children in college and other expenses you might have. Therefore, you should always make the effort to see if you are eligible for help in financing your education. You can access NAU's Cost of Attendance figures via our web site.
Do I need to be admitted before I can apply for financial aid?
No. You can apply for financial aid as early as January 1 for the upcoming academic year. To actually be awarded, however, you must be admitted by the NAU Office of Admissions if you are an undergraduate or by the Graduate College if you plan to be enrolled in a graduate program.
My parents are divorced, and the parent I'm living with has remarried. Does my step-parent have to report his or her income and assets on the FAFSA?
Yes, provided that the parent you're living with is the one filling out the FAFSA (your custodial parent). The custodial parent is the parent with whom you lived the most during the past 12 months. This is not necessarily the same as the parent who has legal custody. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, the parent who provided you with the most financial support should fill out the FAFSA. Note, however, that any child support and/or alimony received from the non-custodial parent must be included on the FAFSA.
How is my financial need determined?
The federal processor considers all of the information that you provided on the FAFSA and applies their formula, called the Federal Methodology. This formula takes into account the income, assets, size of family, number in college, parents' age, and other expenses to determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The school will subtract the EFC from the Cost of Attendance to establish your financial need.
I applied for financial aid over four weeks ago, but haven't received the results. What should I do?
If you haven't received a Student Aid Report (SAR), call the Federal Processor at 1-800-433-3243 (TTY users may call 1-800-730-8913). You must provide them with your Social Security number and date of birth as verification. If you applied online and obtained a federal PIN number, you can print a SAR online. You can also write to:
Federal Student Aid Programs
PO Box 4001
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864-8601
I see the Estimated Cost of Attendance on my award letter; is there any way to cut some of these costs?
First of all, focus on the 'Total Essential Costs' (registration/tuition, room, meals and books/supplies). These are the costs that need to be covered each semester. Other costs, such as transportation and personal expenses may not even be necessary and those that are can be covered with a part-time job on campus.
How do I become an independent student for federal financial aid purposes?
You are automatically considered independent if you meet one of the following: were born before January 1 of the year specified for independency on the FAFSA, are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, are married, are a Ward of the Court, have no living parents and have no legal guardian, or have a legal dependent who gets more than half of their support from you. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has more details about these categories.
If I live off-campus is my financial aid affected?
The Office of Student Financial Aid establishes a *budget of annual costs* for all students that includes housing. Living off-campus may affect a student's budget and, therefore, affect financial aid.
If I participate in the Federal Work Study Program, do the earnings affect my future financial aid eligibility?
The earnings from Federal Work Study should be reported as income on the FAFSA; however, you are given the opportunity to exclude that amount from your earnings in another section of the application.
What if my family's financial circumstances change? How does that affect my financial aid award?
The financial aid application bases your eligibility on the previous year's tax information. If circumstances change, such as loss of income, loss of employment, divorce or death in the family, you may have your eligibility reevaluated. Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for more information.
I received a scholarship from a private donor. Should I report it to the Office of Student Financial Aid?
If you are receiving scholarships from federal, state, university or private donor sources, you MUST report the scholarship to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
