928-523-4951
financial.aid@nau.eduFrequently asked questions
Getting started
Where do I start?
We understand navigating the world of financial aid can be overwhelming at first. That’s why we’re here to help you every step of the way.
If you’d like to talk to someone right off the bat about how to get started applying for and understanding financial aid, give us a call at 928-523-4951 or email financial.aid@nau.edu.
Otherwise, we recommend starting on our step-by-step guides to applying for financial aid:
What are NAU’s tuition and fees? How much will college cost?
View NAU’s tuition and fees.
To get a better feel for how much you’ll actually pay for college, including what scholarships and other aid you might be eligible for, we recommend using NAU’s Net Price Calculator. It’s a customizable tool that’ll give you an accurate and personalized estimate of the cost of earning your degree as a Lumberjack.
What are the types of financial aid?
Financial aid is more than just scholarships and we’re here to help you utilize every type of financial aid that could help you better pay for college.
Learn more about the types of financial aid available, including scholarships, grants, loans, student employment, and more.
How do I budget for college?
To help you get a feel for what college will cost and how you can budget and plan for it, visit Budgeting for Northern Arizona University.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
What is the FAFSA and how do I complete it?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first and most important step in paying for college. It’s an online form that determines what types and how much financial aid you will be eligible for. You must complete the FAFSA to be eligible for federal, state, and institutional financial aid.
You can learn more and complete the FAFSA at Federal Student Aid. Be sure to enter NAU code 0010802 when you fill it out!
Can you help me complete the FAFSA?
Of course! We’re always here to help.
The good news is that the newest FAFSA form is simpler and easier than ever, and the Federal Student Aid website has great walkthroughs and videos that make it simple to complete the form and become eligible for aid.
If you still have questions or need help, give us a call at 928-523-4951 or email financial.aid@nau.edu and we’ll be happy to assist.
If you are a current NAU student, you can also drop by the Student Service Center on campus during normal business hours for help filing your FAFSA—no appointment necessary!
What if I need to make corrections to my FAFSA?
You can simply log back in at Student Aid, access your FAFSA form again, and make the necessary corrections. The Federal Student Aid even has resources to help walk you through the process.
If you make changes to your FAFSA, keep an eye on your NAU email account and your LOUIE To Do List. We’ll get in touch with you if the changes you made affect your financial aid eligibility in any way. If you don’t hear from us, then the changes you made to your FAFSA didn’t affect your financial aid eligibility.
What’s next after I submit the FAFSA? Is there anything else I need to do?
The best thing you can do after filing your FAFSA is to keep an eye on your NAU email account and your To Do List in your LOUIE student account. If we need anything else from you in order to determine your aid eligibility, it’ll show up in one of these places.
Assuming we don’t need anything else from you in order to determine your eligibility, keep an eye out for your financial aid award offer in the mail and in your LOUIE account. It’ll break down all the types and amounts of aid you’re eligible to receive.
You can also re-visit the step-by-step instructions for applying for financial aid to make sure you haven’t missed anything:
Scholarships and other aid
Do I need to apply for scholarships?
You do for some of them, but not all. NAU tuition scholarships don’t require a separate application. As long as you are admitted to NAU, you’ll automatically be considered for these awards. In addition, students who are admitted to NAU and who will out the FAFSA are also automatically considered for some special programs that aren’t considered scholarships, such as Access2Excellence.
You can use ScholarshipUniverse to apply for Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) scholarships, as well as NAU Foundation scholarships. Additional scholarships such as private donor and academic department scholarships might have a separate application or additional requirements. Browse the various types of scholarships and grants offered at NAU to learn more about the requirements.
How much financial aid will I receive? What merit-based scholarships am I eligible for?
The best way to get a feel for what type of aid you might be eligible for at NAU is to use our Net Price Calculator. It’s a customizable tool that’ll give you an accurate and personalized estimate of the cost of earning your degree as a Lumberjack. It even shows you what tuition scholarships and special programs you might be eligible for.
Where can I find more scholarships from private donors or other sources?
Some scholarships are awarded automatically to eligible students when they are admitted to NAU. For all other scholarships, there’s ScholarshipUniverse.
ScholarshipUniverse is a dynamic tool that matches you with scholarship opportunities based on your information and need. You can apply for most of them right within the tool itself.
What is ScholarshipUniverse?
ScholarshipUniverse is a dynamic tool that matches you with scholarship opportunities based on your information and need. You can apply for most of them right within the tool itself. No more sifting through endless lists of scholarships to try to find ones you’re eligible for—we’ll bring them to you!
Is it possible to lose my scholarship or other financial aid?
Unfortunately, yes. You have to meet certain requirements to maintain your aid, such as taking a certain number of credit hours and ensuring you meet Satisfactory Academic Progress.
It’s important to familiarize yourself with these processes to ensure you continue to receive the most possible aid while pursuing your degree!
Processes and timelines
What happens if I withdraw partway through the semester or year?
Most financial aid awards are awarded under the assumption that students will complete the semester or academic year that the aid is being awarded for. If you withdraw from the university before the end of a semester, you might not be eligible to receive aid for that time period.
Learn more about the withdrawal policy.
What is “disbursement” and when will it happen?
Financial aid disbursement is the process of financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) being released to your LOUIE account to pay for tuition and other university charges.
Learn more about when disbursement happens, in what order charges are covered by disbursement, and more.
What happens if I have “extra” financial aid left over after all my tuition, fees, and charges have been paid?
If your financial aid is greater than your account balance you will receive a refund. Congrats! All excess financial aid will be sent via electronic funds transfer to your direct deposit bank account listed in LOUIE. Allow 3–5 business days for funds to transfer. If you do not sign up for direct deposit, the refund check will be mailed to your refund address listed in LOUIE.
How do I accept the loans I applied for and have been awarded?
- Log in to LOUIE to accept and/or adjust your loan amounts.
- If you are a new borrower at NAU, go to Student Aid to complete Entrance Counseling and sign a Master Promissory Note. You can complete these two steps even if these items are not yet listed on your LOUIE To Do List. Your loan(s) will not disburse until these steps are completed.
- New and continuing borrowers should monitor LOUIE and their NAU email for required items that might prevent financial aid disbursement.
- At least half-time enrollment (6+ credit hours) is required in order for your loan(s) to disburse.
Miscellaneous
Is there financial aid available for parents?
Absolutely. The federal Parent PLUS loan is one of the most common and widely used types of financial aid for parents helping their student pay for their education.
Explore parent information to see a step-by-step guide of applying for financial aid as the parent of a dependent student.
What is Federal Work-Study?
Federal Work-Study (FWS) is an employment program available to undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate financial need (as calculated by the FAFSA). The FWS program helps students meet educational expenses through part-time employment.
Learn more on our Federal Work-Study and Federal Work-Study FAQs.
Is financial aid available for summer and winter classes?
There are separate applications and processes for summer and winter aid programs. You can learn more about these processes and what aid you might be eligible for during summer and winter sessions.
If your financial aid has already been awarded and you know you will be taking summer or winter classes, the easiest way to determine your eligibility is to get in touch with us at 928-523-4951 or financial.aid@nau.edu.
Does my family make too much for me to be eligible for financial aid?
The short answer is probably not. All NAU tuition scholarships are awarded based on your previous academic achievements.
Regardless of which scholarships you might be eligible for, students and families of all incomes should still file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year.
By submitting the FAFSA, you are applying for federal and state grants, Federal Work-Study, and student loans. Your family’s finances and other factors reported on the FAFSA determine which types of financial aid you qualify for. Those types may be different next year if changes are made at the federal level or to your family’s finances. If you discover you’re not eligible for a grant (free money), you don’t have to accept your student loans if you find it unnecessary to borrow.
What is Access2Excellence?
Launched in fall 2023, NAU guarantees tuition coverage for undergraduate Arizona residents who have a household income up to $65,000. This is applicable at NAU’s Flagstaff and Statewide campuses (online students are not eligible).
In addition, Access2Excellence (A2E) applies to all members of Arizona’s 22 federally recognized tribes, regardless of income or state of residency.
Learn more about Access2Excellence.
How do I make an appointment with a financial aid advisor?
We’re here to help! Give us a call at 928-523-4951 or email financial.aid@nau.edu if you have questions or want to set up an appointment.
If you are a current NAU student and are on the Flagstaff campus, you can drop by the Student Service Center during normal business hours. No need to call ahead or schedule—we’ll be ready for you!