Frequently Asked Questions - Financial Aid

The cost of attendance [COA] budget is an estimate of the costs a typical student may incur over the fall and winter semesters combined. This figure is used to determine your financial aid eligibility and includes both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs include tuition, mandatory fees, living expenses. Indirect costs include books, transportation and personal expenses. Current COA budgets can be found at the Estimated Cost of Attendance page.

The cost of attendance budget also represents the maximum amount of financial aid (grants, loans, scholarships, Federal Work-Study, parent and private student loans) a student can receive.

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is the application students must complete to be eligible for any need based financial aid, including federal student loans. Information on federal financial aid programs can be found at the Federal Financial Aid page. You should never pay anyone to complete this form for you. Feel free to contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions about this form. The FAFSA can be completed online at studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Each year the FAFSA application is available beginning October 1 for the academic year that will begin the FOLLOWING FALL.  You should complete the application by May 1 to allow adequate time for you to respond to requests for additional documentation, if needed. Applying after May 1 limits the availability for aid from the State of Michigan. Applying by May 1 also assures that the student will have time to complete the process by the time Fall semester bills are generated. A new application must be completed for each academic year.

Once a student completes a FAFSA, the results are sent to all of the schools listed by the student on the FAFSA. If the student has been admitted to the school, upon receipt of the information the school will determine the amount of financial aid that the student is eligible to receive. Individual eligibility depends on several factors, including family size and income, grade level and academic merit.

For incoming students, offers begin in December for the following academic year and continues on a rolling basis. New students who have not yet attended NMU will be notified of offers and required information through letters sent by regular mail. Once students complete Orientation, e-mail notices to NMU e-mail accounts will replace paper correspondence. Returning students will receive only e-mail communication to their NMU e-mail address. Once you have received your NMU user name and password, you can also check your financial aid status online at any time through MyNMU.

Students can view their financial aid and check for outstanding requirements online through their MyNMU account. Follow the instructions on our website at http://www.nmu.edu/financialaid/viewaid. Be sure to click on both the Student Requirements link and the Active Messages link, as many non-standard document requests will be shown on the Active Messages screen rather than the Student Requirements screen.

In accordance with the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the Financial Aid Office and the Student Service Center are prohibited from releasing information concerning a student's financial aid, student account status and all financial records without written consent of the student. If you would like the Financial Aid Office and Student Service Center to discuss your financial aid, student account status and all financial records with persons or agencies that are not covered under this law, please complete and sign a Release of Information Form, which is available here and in the Financial Aid Office. If you fax or mail the form, please be sure to include a copy of your driver's license.

Parents and students can order a tax return transcript from the IRS online or by phone, or can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA website. Follow the instructions under the "Selected for Verification?" section on our website at www.nmu.edu/financialaid.

No. Eligibility for need-based aid will be determined each year based on the results of that year's FAFSA. Many academic scholarships are renewable and remain available at the same rate if the student maintains the required academic standards.

Please refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Federal law requires all students who receive financial aid to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their degree. The following is a brief summary of the three SAP requirements students must meet to maintain financial aid eligibility:

1. Credit Hour Pace - Students must earn at least 67 percent of the credit hours which they attempt. This calculation includes all accepted transfer credit hours as well as credit hours attempted at NMU.
2. Grade Point Average (GPA) - To be eligible for financial aid, undergraduate students must maintain a 2.00 cumulative NMU grade point average.
3. Maximum Credit Hours - Undergraduate students are limited to receiving aid for up to 150% of the credit hours required for completion of their program of study. Transfer students will be evaluated by adding their accepted transfer hours to attempted hours at NMU, allowing students to receive aid for the balance of the maximum length of their program.

All students should familiarize themselves with the entire Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy which can be viewed here.

Scholarships and grants are what most students think of as "free money." Student loans are funds that must be repaid, generally after the student graduates or leaves school.

Federal student loans are borrowed from the Federal Government to help pay for college. More information and the answers to the above questions can be found here.

Payments for the fall semester are due in August. Detailed billing information will be sent to students in July. NMU offers payment plans to suit family budgets.

Other options for financial aid can include searching for scholarships, the Federal Parent PLUS Loan, and alternative private loans. More information can be found here.

Federal Work-Study(FWS) is a type of financial aid that encourages college students to engage in part-time employment while attending college. To qualify for FWS, you must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), demonstrate financial need through the results of your FAFSA and meet the satisfactory academic progress standards. FWS is not directly applied toward your bill but is paid bi-weekly based on hours worked and level of hourly wage. Funding for FWS is limited. FWS positions can be viewed once you are registered for classes and have set up your "Cat Career Tracks" employment profile.

If a family experiences situations such as the loss of a job, retirement, separation or divorce, death, or excessive out of pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance, they should complete a "Request for Re-Evaluation of Financial Assistance" and provide supporting documentation. The form is available here. Please feel free to contact our office to speak to a Financial Aid Counselor regarding your situation.

All first year students who apply to NMU are automatically considered for the scholarships based on their high school or transfer GPA.

There are also program- and degree-specific scholarships available to students who qualify. Information on scholarships can be obtained at the Scholarship and Grants site.

No. NMU scholarship recipients are not required to file a FAFSA. However, all interested students are encouraged to file a FAFSA to learn about their eligibility for need-based aid and loans.

Forward the check to the NMU Student Services Center and they will apply the scholarship to the student's account. Private scholarships must be considered when need based financial aid is offered. The impact on the student's financial aid eligibility depends on the student's need and the amount of the scholarship.

All degree seeking programs are eligible for Federal/State/institutional financial aid programs.  This includes all Doctorate, Graduate, Bachelors and Associates degree programs.

Certificate programs that prepare students for "Gainful Employment in a recognized occupation".  Below is a list of the current approved Certificate programs that are eligible for financial aid programs.


Automotive Maintenance
Automotive Service
Aviation Maintenance

Cannabis Agriculture
Cannabis Operations
Computer Numerical Control Technician
Cosmetology

CSI Certificate

Crime Scene Investigation
Electrical Line Technician
Esthetics
Geography Information System
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
Hospitality and Tourism Management
Industrial Maintenance
Manicure
Manufacturing Production Technician
Medical Laboratory Assistant

Natural Hair Cultivation Certificate 
Office Services
Paralegal
Plant-Based Wellness
Practical Nursing
Welding
Wildland Firefighting