Scholarships and financial aid

Whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate student, funding is a huge part of making education accessible and inclusive. Financial aid can offset costs of tuition, fees, housing, and food. Here are some sources of support you can apply for:

Tips for accessing scholarships

Grants and scholarships are financial aid that you don’t have to pay back, whereas loans must be paid back with interest. Follow these guidelines to get as much free (grants and scholarships) financial aid as possible each year. You can also meet with an advisor from the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) for help with this process.

1. Complete the FAFSA by the priority deadline of April 1^st each year. Earlier applications may receive more free funding. The application period is October 1 – June 1 each year and since the FAFSA uses the prior year’s tax information there’s no need to wait! (ex: you can apply for aid for the 2024-2025 academic year on October 1, 2023 using tax records from 2022). Even if you don’t qualify for federal aid, many scholarships require a FAFSA on file for you to be considered.
2. Review the lists of available scholarships below, including both NAU Scholarships and National Scholarships.
3. Apply for all scholarships for which you are eligible. Many require a single application to be considered for multiple scholarships (ex: there’s a single application for all NAU Foundation scholarships).
4. Mark important deadlines on your calendar or planner and request any letters of recommendation at least two weeks ahead of time. Don’t worry about asking your professors to provide references for you – they will be happy to support motivated students!
5. Draft your essay or personal statement and ask for feedback. Some great resources are: The University Writing Commons, NAU Career Development, or a trusted mentor.
6. If requested, make sure to provide a current resume. Use this guide to create, checklist to review, and/or resume dropbox to get professional feedback from NAU Career Services.
7. Look for opportunities to learn more about financial skills that can help you maximize the resources available to you and your family. The internet offers many free guides (e.g., annuity.org, TNFG) that discuss student loans and strategies to become financially stable.

Scholarships you can apply for

Other places to get help with funding and basic needs

The Lumberjack Care Center can help with financial emergencies, food shortages, childcare, and counselling. Louie’s Cupboard supports students needing food and essentials supplies.