Receiving Financial Aid
Once you have been awarded financial aid, you should understand the process from the time you receive your award notification until you receive your refund check.
- Understanding Your Financial Aid Award Notice
- Disbursement of Aid
- Refund of Financial Aid
- Address Changes
Understanding Your Financial Aid Award Notice
Your Financial Aid Award Notice will provide instructions on how to accept, or decline all or a portion of the award offered. If you are aware of any additional funds you will receive during the award year, such as a scholarship or an employee fee waiver, you are required to inform the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Financial aid awards are subject to change in the event that additional assistance received, either from an outside source or from within the university, exceeds your financial need.
Your financial aid award(s) is dependent upon your enrollment status and availability of funds.
It is important to read the Terms and Conditions of Your Financial Aid Award Notice. Please select one of the following Terms and Conditions of Your Financial Aid Award Notice that corresponds to your award year:
You may also view your award on WebSTAR by using your NSU User ID and PIN. If you do not know your PIN, please email PIN Help at pinhelp@nsu.nova.edu. Click on “Student Financial Services and Registration,” select “Financial Aid,” click on “My Award Letter,” and then select your award year.
Disbursement of Aid
Based on the Department of Education federal regulations, one of the components in preparing a student’s financial aid package is determining a student’s cost of attendance (COA). Most students are awarded prior to the drop/add date for the term or the first day of classes, and the award is based on an estimated full-time enrollment status. However, for Title IV campus-based awards, such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Perkins Loan, and Federal Work-Study, the cost of attendance will be recalculated based on actual attendance if you are enrolled less than full time at the end of the drop/add period or first enrollment thereafter.
For those students who are receiving only Federal Stafford Loans, the requirement for recalculation of eligibility based on enrollment less than full time will be determined at the time the loan is certified by the financial aid office. If the loan was certified prior to the end of the drop/add date for undergraduate students or first day of classes for graduate students, no recalculation will be required. However, if your loan is certified on or after the first day of enrollment, your loans will be based on the actual enrollment at the time of certification.
You cannot be disbursed until you are actually enrolled in classes. Student loan funds, scholarships, and grant awards are applied to student accounts provided you have submitted all requirements. If you are an undergraduate student, you must enroll for a minimum of 6 credits for the Federal Perkins Loan and Federal Stafford Loan and Federal PLUS loan. Students enrolled less than half time may receive the Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, and Federal Work-Study based on eligibility. Graduate student must be enrolled at least half time to be eligible for financial aid. Students taking courses less than four weeks in length, such as one- or two-week workshops, will not be eligible for financial aid.
Students registered in a term that has two parts (i.e., two eight-week terms – one beginning in August and one beginning in October) should register for both parts of term at the beginning of the first part of term. However, students may be awarded for added course(s) for the second part of the term, if they register prior to the second part of term drop/add date. Exception: For state aid, students must register for both parts of the term at the beginning of the first part of the term. For more specific due dates for state aid, see the Financial Aid Calendar section of this Guide. Students will be paid based on their first registration at the drop/add date(s). No adjustments will be made except under unusual circumstances, as determined by the Office of Student Financial Assistance.
For any federal loan, including the subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans and Perkins Loans, you must complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and an entrance interview (if you have not already done so). You may complete the MPN and entrance interview on the NSU financial aid web site. Financial aid awards from the subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans or alternative loans will not be applied to your account until the funds are actually received from the lender. Financial aid, other than the Stafford and alternative loans, will be disbursed based on enrollment after the end of the drop/add period.
If you are awarded Federal Work-Study (FWS), you will receive notice of available work-study positions, and you must contact the Coordinator of Student Employment for positions in which you are interested. This includes the America Reads and America Counts programs. The amount of the FWS award reflects the amount you may earn. You must work in order to receive these funds. However, your award does not guarantee you a job.Refunds of Financial Aid
If the total amount of your financial aid award for the term exceeds your tuition, campus housing, meal costs, and any other fees due the university, you may receive a refund of any remaining balance from the university Bursar’s Office. Refunds are issued after the drop/add period for the term (except for the Stafford and alternative loans), provided you are enrolled in the minimum number of credits required for the specific award. It is important that you be prepared to cover living expenses and books and supply costs from other sources until all aid has been received.
Your refund will be issued by a traditional paper check or by direct deposit into your checking account. To approve direct deposit, fill out the authorization form, which appears on your monthly statement, or click here (PDF) to print the form and mail or fax it to the Bursar's Office with a void check (required). Your direct deposit authorization will remain in effect until cancelled in writing by you and received by the Bursar's Office. Remember to notify us if you move or change banks when you are in school. Authorization forms can also be faxed to 954-262-4131.
For more information regarding direct deposit authorizations, please send E-mail to: Direct Deposit.Address Changes
Currently enrolled students have the ability to change their address on the web. This can be accomplished through WebSTAR and will require a 'PIN' number. One can be obtained by contacting the Office of Information Technologies at pinhelp@nsu.nova.edu.
You can also notify the University of any Address Change by completing a Data Change Form, or by mailing or faxing a signed letter request. Indicate your old address and your new one.
