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Financial Aid
and Scholarships
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Find the Resources You Need to Pay for College
At National University, our financial aid team is ready to help you understand the cost of your education and secure the resources you need to pay for college.
Watch our financial aid overview video to learn about:
- What financial aid services we offer
- How much tuition costs
- How to make college affordable
As an NU student, you may be eligible for financial aid, including grants, loans, and scholarships, to help defer or delay tuition costs and related expenses. These resources will help you bridge the gap between your education and your financial resources.
To establish your eligibility for aid, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application must be completed each fiscal year that you request financial aid at National University.
How to Apply for Financial Aid
We have created a step-by-step guide to applying for financial aid:
STEP 1: Application
- Fill out a free application (FAFSA).
- The federal processor calculates your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
- Student will be emailed a Student Aid Report (SAR).
- File the FAFSA and verification documents (if required).
STEP 2: Verification
- The Financial Aid office receives your FAFSA application.
- Students who are selected will receive an email from the Department of Education.
- Student completes verification process.
STEP 3: Award
- Student must be accepted into chosen degree program.
- Eligibility for financial aid is determined
- Eligible student aid recipients will receive an email notification from the University that their aid application has been processed
- Financial aid is disbursed.
Learn More About Financial Aid
Want to learn more about your financial aid options and the application process? Download our informative step-by-step guide, “How to Finance Your College Education.”
If you have any questions or if you’d like to meet with one of our dedicated financial aid advisors, contact us at [email protected] or 1-800-NAT-UNIV, ext. 8500.
For more information about National University, our degree programs, or the admissions process, fill out the form on this page and an admissions advisor will contact you shortly.
For Washington State residents seeking information and resources about student loan repayment or seeking to submit a complaint relating to your student loans or student loan servicer, please visit www.wsac.wa.gov/loan-advocacy or contact the Student Loan Advocate at [email protected].
Financial Aid and Scholarships
- Eligibility
- Federal Work Study Program
- Financial Aid Calendar
- Financial Aid FAQs
- Financial Aid Programs
- How to Apply
- Scholarships
Financial Aid FAQ
An important step in establishing financial aid eligibility is determining whether a student can apply as a self-supporting student (Independent Student). Students that meet one of these conditions will be considered Independent:
• Students who were born before January 1, 1999.
• Students who are Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. (This does not include Active Duty students.)
• Students who are orphaned or who were wards of the court until they reached age 18.
• Students who have legal dependents other than a spouse.
• Students who are a graduate or professional student. (This does not include students enrolled in a Credential program.)
• Students who are married.
• Students who are active duty military.
• Students that have or will have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023
• As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, you are or were an emancipated minor.
• Did someone other than your parent or stepparent have legal guardianship of you, as determined by a court in your state of legal residence
• Unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.
Students who do not qualify as independent students must provide parental information on the FAFSA application or they will be ineligible for Title IV aid. Students with special circumstances should contact the Financial Aid Office.
Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress in their selected course of study to receive federal aid. One aspect of academic progress is the student’s overall grade point average. Students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 for all National University undergraduate coursework and a 3.0 for all graduate coursework attempted to meet the requirements for graduation. Students who fall below these required minimums will be placed on Financial Aid Warning. Students may continue to receive financial aid during this warning period, assuming all other satisfactory requirements are met. Students who do not meet the academic requirements after the warning period will have their financial aid suspended. Students will need to appeal to have their eligibility reinstated.
Additional academic requirements are differentiated for undergraduate and graduate students as listed in the current National University Catalog. Financial aid recipients are subject to all University academic policies. A student’s enrollment status is determined based on their course schedule. This enrollment period is determined according to the number of months the student attends, providing the student is not considered withdrawn.
Students (undergraduates and graduates) who receive an “F” grade and graduate students who receive a “D” grade will not receive financial aid for those courses. If financial aid was paid for a course before the grade was posted, the student must, at his or her own expense, pay to retake the course or its equivalent. Financial aid will not be awarded for a repeated course or its equivalent.
Satisfactory academic progress is evaluated quarterly (July, October, January and April). All periods of enrollment are reviewed, including quarters during which no financial aid was received.
The year consists of a period that includes 32 weeks of in-class instruction and at least 36 units. Generally, students are funded for two payment periods. The first payment period is comprised of at least half of the course work in the academic year as measured in units and weeks of instruction. The second payment period comprises the remaining course work in the academic year.
Please note: units that are earned from accelerated studies or repeated coursework will not count toward completion of the student’s academic year. Generally, an academic year consists of eight courses. Students must successfully complete their first payment period before student loan funds will be released for the second period. Because students apply for and are awarded aid during different times of the year, each student’s academic year may be different.
Transfer students may be eligible for Federal Grants, State Grants, and Federal loans dependent upon previous aid received in the current academic year from another institution. National University uses the budgets established by the California Student Aid Commission to determine financial need for all students who apply for aid. All eligible aid has annual limits used in determining a student’s financial aid award per academic year.
If a student is considered withdrawn from the University, federal regulations require a calculation be performed according to a specific formula that identifies the total scheduled financial assistance the student earned, and is therefore entitled to receive. If a student is considered withdrawn from the University before completing 60% of a payment period, the student may have to repay unearned Federal monies that were already disbursed at the beginning of the payment period. For additional information regarding this policy, please refer to the University catalog.
The University will process a deferment for a period of one term (a six-month period); however, the deferment period ends if/while the student is withdrawn. Also, if a student changes their schedule and is considered withdrawn after a deferment is processed, the lender will be notified and repayment on the loan will be initiated.
Students who receive a grade of “incomplete” have the remainder of the payment period to remove the “incomplete” with a passing grade. However, if this is the last course of the payment or loan period, no future aid will be disbursed until the “incomplete” grade has been removed or a replacement course is completed with a passing grade. In addition, students who receive two incomplete grades in the same payment period may not be eligible for future aid.
Students receiving financial aid at the University will be awarded based on an academic year of 32 weeks of in-class instruction and a minimum of 36 units. Students receiving campus-based aid, state aid, and institutional aid will receive funds for up to 12 months when aid is available.
Student loan recipients (Stafford and PLUS) may apply for an additional loan upon successful completion of all courses in the prior loan period. All grades must be posted from the student’s prior academic year and any accelerated course work taken will not count towards the completion of the student’s academic year. In addition, 32 weeks of in-class instruction (eight months) must be completed.
Students may apply for financial aid to cover educational expenses for an Academic Year. Students who enroll in accelerated studies will be required to pay for those units (any units above 4.5) at their own expense.
Students who are denied aid due to lack of satisfactory academic progress may submit a Request for Review (appeal) to the Financial Aid Committee if extenuating circumstances exist. The appeal will be reviewed and a decision made based on the student’s previous academic record and the nature of the reasons given. The committee attempts to approve or deny petitions in a fair and equitable manner, taking into consideration each student’s situation, while complying with federal regulations.
National University uses the budgets established by the California Student Aid Commission. These budgets are used to determine financial need for all students who apply for aid.
Related Downloads
- Financial Awareness Basics-ECMC
- TEACH Grant Exit Counseling
- Private Loan Self Certification
- School Clearance Letter
- Return to Title IV Funding
- Direct Subsidized Loan Eligibility for First Time Borrowers
- Cal Grant Transfer Entitlement Program
- Federal Perkins Loan Disclosure
- Campus Security Report
- Budget Add Ons
Useful Links
- FERPA
- Federal Student Aid FAFSA4caster
- Consumer Information
- General Scholarships
- Federal Student Aid Customer Service Center Information
- PELL Grant-Lifetime Eligibility Used Calculation
- Disaster Assistance-Federal Student Aid
- Direct Loan Counseling-Entrance and Exit
- Private Loans
- College Resource Network-Scholarships
- PERKINS Loan Program
- Loan Forgiveness Programs
- Federal Student Aid
- WebGrants 4 Students
- Federal Work Study (FWS)
- Student Loan Debt Summary
- Online Debt Management Tool for Students
- Direct Consolidation Loans-FAQs
- Net Price Calculator
- How to Pay for College
- Employment Verification Form
- (TEACH Grant) Program
- Financial Aid at National University
- General Information and Instructions for Budget Add-Ons
- Private Lending Self Certification