Graduate Student Financial Aid
5 easy steps to apply for financial aid at NAU
- Apply: Apply for admission to Northern Arizona University.
- Complete FAFSA: Complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year (NAU School Code: 001082) In addition to federal aid, institutional aid and some scholarships are based on information from your federal aid application.
- Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool for accurate and convenient access to your previously completed tax and income information.
- Review detailed instructions on filing out the FAFSA at fafsa.gov
- Review SAR: Review your Student Aid Report (SAR) sent via email from the U.S. Department of Education. Your SAR lists all the information you provided on the FAFSA.
- Review for accuracy and make any corrections online.
- If you don’t receive your SAR within four weeks, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center for a status update.
- Monitor Accounts: Monitor your LOUIE account for items requested by our office. Check your NAU email regularly for important information and updates.
- Review Award Letter: Review your NAU financial aid award letter or your awards in LOUIE. Graduate students are awarded in March.
Are you a continuing or returning NAU student?
After you are awarded financial aid
- Review your Financial Aid (scholarships, loans, etc.) and your Holds and To Do List Items through your LOUIE Student Center.
- Submit the Verification documentation if requirement appears on your To Do List.
- Accept or Decline your Graduate Unsubsidized Loan award offer through your LOUIE Student Center under the Finances Menu.
- Apply for The Graduate PLUS Loan award offer if needed. This loan cannot be Accepted or Declined. This award requires a separate online application and approval. Apply at studentaid.gov.
- Complete Graduate Student Loan Entrance Counseling and Graduate Student Master Promissory Notes (MPN)/Loan Agreement at studentaid.gov.
- Visit our OSFA Loan webpage for additional information about all loans available to graduate students.
- Our office will send financial aid updates to your NAU student email address.
Graduate PLUS Loans Accordion Closed
If you apply and are approved for the Graduate PLUS loan at studentaid.gov, please allow 3-5 business days for that to be awarded to your account.
You must complete the To Do List items on your account (Master Promissory Note & Entrance Counseling) each year your loan is approved.
If you apply for the maximum amount, our office may only award an amount up to your Cost of Attendance, which may result in a loan award that is less than your approved amount.
If you have an endorsed Grad PLUS loan, you must contact our office notifying us of this so we may review and award the loan to your account. Note, further action items will be placed on your To Do List in LOUIE for this award to be disbursed.
For more information visit the Graduate PLUS Loan page
Graduate Student Waivers Accordion Closed
The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid manually awards graduate tuition/health insurance waivers, based on awarding information received from NAU’s Graduate College and the student’s hiring department. Student questions regarding award amounts, timing of awards, and cancellation request of waivers should be addressed to the NAU Graduate College.
Graduate Student Scholarships Accordion Closed
- Graduate Assistantships are available if you are interesting in working part time or less than part time during your graduate program at NAU Graduate Assistantships & Tuition Waivers | Graduate College.
- NAU Foundation Scholarships – closes March 1st
- Arizona Community Foundation Scholarships – closes June 1st
- Students pursuing a Health Professional degree, please consult with your academic advisor with regard to the Health Resources and Services Administration Scholarship options.
How do I pay for my living expenses after tuition and fees have been paid? Accordion Closed
Graduate students are initially eligible for financial aid funding up to their total cost of attending NAU for one academic year which includes the fall and spring terms only. It includes tuition and fees, room, board (meals), books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. Students cannot be funded above their Cost of Attendance (COA). However, you may want to consider discussing a Budget Appeal with a financial aid advisor to determine eligibility. Visit our OSFA Budget Appeal webpage for additional information nau.edu/osfa/budget.
*A new Summer Cost of Attendance Budget is determined only after student shows at least half-time enrollment in the summer term.
NAU Financial Aid Disbursement Accordion Closed
Financial aid disbursement is the process of financial aid (scholarships, loans, etc.) being released to your LOUIE account to pay for tuition and other university charges.
Visit the our OSFA Disbursement webpage for additional information nau.edu/osfa/disbursement.
