Financial Aid

Graduate students may be eligible for certain financial aid loans and a limited number of grant programs; however, they are not eligible for church matching grants. Students must be accepted to a graduate program at NNU and have submitted the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) to receive federal assistance. NNU's Federal School Code is 001624. For specific information on available aid, consult with the Office of Financial Aid 208-467-8638 or 1-877-NNU-4YOU (1-877-668-4968).

Payment of Financial Aid: Graduate students receive one-third of the year's total award each semester (fall, spring, summer) or it is disbursed equally between the semesters the student is enrolled. If a student is only enrolled for one semester, other regulations may apply.

Requirements for Financial Aid: To receive any financial assistance, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree. The Standard of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid is available through the Office of Financial Aid or it can be found at www.nnu.edu/gradsap.

In order to receive federal aid funds, a student cannot be in violation of academic progress standards, nor can they be in default or delinquent on a previous federal student loan, or have outstanding loans equal to the Federal lifetime limit for borrowing.

Restriction: The Office of Financial Aid sets a maximum amount (cost of attendance per school year) that a student cannot exceed in total aid received for that year. In certain cases where the maximum cost of attendance is exceeded, the Office of Financial Aid will reduce aid until the total amount given/borrowed is below or equal to the cap set on cost of attendance. 

The United States Government, through the Department of Education, has made funds available for Federal grant programs. Graduate students are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant once they have completed an undergraduate degree per Federal regulations.

Federal TEACH Grant: NNU has chosen to participate in offering the TEACH Grant to students in master level programs pursuing teaching degree's in high need areas. To be eligible for the TEACH Grant a student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA can be submitted online at www.fafsa.gov. The student must also plan to serve in a high need field, meet academic requirements of having a test score above the 75th percentile on a national test, have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher, and enroll in a TEACH eligible program. Students must also complete TEACH entrance counseling and an Agreement to Serve if eligible. More information on this grant can be found at: www.teach-ats.ed.gov.  

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loans: An unsubsidized loan means that the government does not pay the interest on your loan while you are in school, in your grace period, or in deferment. A student must complete a FAFSA and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) at www.studentloans.gov to apply for this loan. Other steps such as Federal Verification may be necessary to be eligible. Students who have not borrowed, have a $0 balance, or haven't borrowed for ten or more years must also completed entrance counseling at this website. For continuing students who have completed an MPN in a prior year, loans can be accepted through the student portal. Repayment begins 6 months after graduation or discontinuance of at least half-time, degree-seeking enrollment. If any of these take place, a student should complete exit counseling at the website above to better understand repayment and their options.

As recipients of Federal student aid, students have certain rights and responsibilities. NNU believes that knowing what these rights and responsibilities are will put students in a better position to make decisions about their educational goals and the best means to achieve them.

Student Rights

All students have the right to know:

1. The cost of attending a particular school and what the school’s policy is on refunds to students who withdraw.
2. What financial assistance is available.
3. Who the school’s financial aid personnel are, where they are located, and how to contact them for information.
4. What the procedure and deadlines are for submitting applications for each available financial aid program.
5. How the school selects financial aid recipients.
6. How the school determines financial need.
7. How much of their financial need, as determined by the school, has been met.
8. How and when financial aid will be received.
9. The interest rate on Federal student loans, the total amount that must be repaid, length of the re-payment period, when the payment begins, and what cancellation or deferment provisions apply.
10. If students are offered a Federal College Work-Study job—what kind of job it is, what hours they must work, what their duties will be, what the rate of pay will be, and how and when they will be paid.
11. The school’s policy in reconsidering a student’s aid package if they believe a mistake has been made, or if their enrollment or financial circumstances have changed.
12. How the school determines whether students are making satisfactory academic progress and what happens if they are not.

Student Responsibilities

All students must:

1. Pay special attention to the application for Federal student aid, complete it accurately, and submit it on time to the processor. Errors may delay or prevent a student from receiving aid.
2. Know and comply with all deadlines for applying or re-applying for aid.
3. Provide all documentation, corrections, and/or new information requested by the Office of Financial Aid.
4. Notify the University of any information that has changed since applying for financial aid.
5. Read, understand, and keep copies of signed documents.
6. Repay any student loans. When a promissory note is signed, it is an agreement to repay the loan.
7. Complete entrance counseling (incoming students) and exit counseling (outgoing students) online if the student has a Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Direct Student Loan.
8. Notify the University of a change in name, address, or attendance status. If a student has a Federal Direct Student Loan, they must also notify the servicer of their loan of these changes.