A Step-by-Step Guide to the Financial Aid Process
Step 1:
Submit a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the United States Department of Education after January 1 for the following fall. Applications can be filled out electronically at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/, or picked up at your high school, college, or library. You may also order one by calling 1-800-4-FEDAID. It takes 3-5 business days for Northwest Christian University to receive your information from the time you submit your FAFSA.
When filling out the FAFSA, have the following items available:
- Copy of federal 1040 tax forms (student and parents)
- W-2s (student and parents)
- Driver's License
- Financial documents for investments, pensions, or personal business earnings.
- Northwest Christian University Federal School Code: 003208
Note: Home equity and retirement programs are NOT used to determine state and federal aid.
Step 2:
Apply for admission to Northwest Christian University. Your financial aid cannot be determined until you are accepted for admission.
Step 3:
Look for your Student Aid Report (SAR) after your FAFSA is submitted. The SAR is your official record that the U.S. Department of Education received your FAFSA. The Northwest Christian University Financial Aid Office will receive a similar report. The SAR information will be used to determine the amount and type of financial aid for which you are eligible. Call the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-4FEDAID if you did not receive your SAR in 2-3 weeks.
Step 4:
Check to see if your SAR has been selected for verification. If there is an (*) after the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), your SAR has been selected. The Northwest Christian University Financial Aid Office will contact you to request additional financial information, including tax returns. The U.S. Department of Education determines your EFC by using your FAFSA information. For more information on the EFC, see Determining Your Level of Need.
Step 5:
If your Northwest Christian University financial aid file is completed by the March 1 priority deadline, you will be among the first group of students considered for need-based financial aid and merit-based scholarships. Note: If you do not plan to file your taxes with the IRS before the March 1 deadline, use estimated income tax data on the FAFSA (preferably from the previous year). See Dependency Status for more information.
If your student financial aid file is complete after March 1, you will be considered for every type of aid still available.
Step 6:
Upon receipt, review your financial aid award.
Northwest Christian University makes financial aid awards throughout most of the year.
It's never too late to apply!
