Financial Aid Process

Terms and Conditions of your 2011-2012 Financial Aid Award Notice

Please read the following information carefully and thoroughly before accepting your financial aid award. Accepting the financial aid award offered to you signifies that you have read and agree to comply with all the terms and conditions listed below.

A. Procedures to Receive Funds
  1. Eligibility Requirements
    • You must submit all required documents by the appropriate deadline date. As a general eligibility requirement for receipt of federal and state financial aid funds, you must be fully admitted into an eligible degree-seeking or certificate program and enrolled by the end of the semester for which you are requesting aid (i.e., all admission requirements/documents have been satisfied).

    • One of the components in preparing a student's financial aid package is determining a student's Cost of Attendance (COA). Student awards issued prior to the drop/add date for the semester are based on the cost of attendance for full-time enrollment status. Student awards issued after the add/drop date are based on the COA for actual enrollment.

    • If you are enrolling in a program with multiple parts of term, you must register for all classes at the beginning of the first part of the term. Generally, your enrollment status for financial aid purposes will be calculated at the end of the drop/add period for undergraduate students and on the first day of classes for the period of enrollment for graduate and first professional students. For exact drop/add dates and the first day of classes for the specific semester for which you plan to enroll, please contact your academic program office. Courses added after these dates may not be used to change your enrollment status or increase your award amount(s).

  2. You are required to accept, reduce, or decline all or a portion of your loan and/or Federal Work-Study (FWS) award(s). This is not a requirement for grant and scholarship awards.

    Please follow the step-by-step instructions below to access your award notice and to accept, reduce, or decline all or a portion of your award.

    1. Access SharkLink via "Quick Links" located on the upper right hand corner of any NSU Web page at http://sharklink.nova.edu. Log into your SharkLink account using your NSU User Name and Password.

    2. Click on the "Student" tab and locate the "Financial Aid" section.

    3. Click on "My Financial Aid", then on "Award".

    4. Click on "Award by Aid Year" and select the "2011-2012 Aid Year" from the drop-down menu, then click "Submit".

    5. Click on the "Award Overview" tab to review your financial aid award carefully.

    6. To accept, reduce, or decline your awards, click on the "Accept Award Offer" tab. You may determine the award amount(s) you would like to accept. Once you have decided on your award amount(s), please click the "Submit Decision" button.

      If you chose "Undecided" in the "Accept Award" column, your award will remain in the "Offered" status and will not be processed.

  3. Federal/State Grants and Scholarships
    • If you are an undergraduate student and have been awarded a Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG) or Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG), you must enroll for at least 12 credits each semester (9 credits for nursing students) by the end of the drop/add period for each semester. Students who enroll less than full-time are not eligible to receive aid from these programs, and their awards will be canceled. Students (or parents of dependent students) also must provide adequate documentation that they have been legal Florida residents for 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of classes of the semester for which assistance is given. For more information regarding Florida state aid programs or Florida residency requirements, visit the Florida Department of Education's Office of Student Financial Assistance.

    • Awards for some state and institutional scholarship and grant programs (including the NSU Honor Award and Florida Bright Futures awards) are based upon the number of credit hours for which a student is enrolled. These awards will be adjusted or prorated for actual enrolled hours. Students who drop or withdraw from any classes will be required to return the Bright Futures awards for those classes as a condition for renewal in subsequent years. According to state legislation, students have until the end of the academic year to return these funds. However, students should be aware that they will not be able to register for future classes with an outstanding balance. If a student does not return the unearned Bright Futures funds, he or she will be ineligible for any future state aid.

    • Effective since the 2008-2009 academic year, first-time Federal Pell Grant recipients are eligible for a maximum award duration of 18 full-time semesters (or the part-time equivalent), which is equal to 9 scheduled awards. In addition, Pell Grant recipients may receive up to two scheduled Pell Grant awards during an award year. A student must be enrolled at least half-time and making academic progress in order to receive money from the second scheduled award. If you have received a Federal Pell Grant, the amount of the award is based on full-time enrollment. Enrollment for less than 12 credits in any semester will reduce the award amount for that semester. Generally, Pell Grants are available to students enrolled in less than 6 credits. If you receive a part-time Federal Pell Grant award during the first and second semester, you may be eligible to receive the remaining portion of your grant in a subsequent semester. As the summer semester is considered a "cross-over" payment period between two academic years, Pell funds will be paid out of the current year OR the next academic year allocations, whichever award year provides the student with the most Pell grant eligibility. For more information, visit the Pell Grant page on the financial aid Web site.

    • If you have been awarded the TEACH Grant, you must be enrolled in coursework that is necessary to begin a career in teaching or plan to complete such coursework. Coursework may include subject area courses (e.g., math courses for a student who intends to be a math teacher).

  4. Loans

    All students awarded federal loans must be enrolled at least half-time. Half-time enrollment is defined as 6 credits per semester for all undergraduate students. For graduate and first professional students, your program of study defines half-time status. More information on financial aid and enrollment requirements and minimizing your student loan debt by making interest payments while in school  is available on the financial aid Web site.

    Loan Requirements:
    • Complete a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) at www.studentloans.gov.
      As a first-time borrower under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (DL) Program, you are required to complete a Master Promissory Note before you can receive your loan funds. The MPN is a legal and binding document that establishes the terms of loan repayment. In most cases, you will not be required to complete another MPN, and you can borrow additional Direct Loans on a single MPN for up to 10 years. If you are applying for a Direct PLUS for the first time as a graduate or first professional student or a parent borrower, you or your parent(s) will be required to complete and sign a PLUS MPN that is separate from the one used for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans.

    • Complete an Entrance Interview (First-time federal loan borrowers only)
      If you are a first-time federal loan borrower, you will also be required to complete an entrance interview before your loan funds can be disbursed. You may complete the entrance interview at www.studentloans.gov.
B. Disbursement of Financial Aid Awards
C. Responsibilities of Financial Aid Recipients

Acceptance of this award represents a contract that requires you to meet the conditions in the following list. In addition, review information on student rights and responsibilities.

D. Awards Are Subject to Availability of Funds

Awards are contingent upon actual receipt and verification of funds by NSU. If adjustments are made to the university's federal or state allocations, the university reserves the right to make adjustments to individual aid awards at any time, as necessary.

E. Repayment and Refund Policy

If you withdraw from NSU for any reason, you must notify Enrollment and Student Services. Financial aid awards may be adjusted, and you may be required to repay a prorated amount of the funds advanced to you for the semester from which you withdrew. You will be notified by the Bursar's Office of any balances owed to NSU. If you are entitled to a refund of tuition and fees, the refund will first be applied to any financial aid you have been awarded. Any excess funds will be disbursed to you after all balances owed to NSU have been satisfied. Students receiving federal and state financial aid should consult a financial aid counselor before dropping or withdrawing from courses to ensure compliance with federal and state standards of academic progress.

F. Renewal of Awards

Financial aid awards are valid for one academic year only and are not automatically renewed. Awards are renewed contingent upon completion and submission of a new financial aid application and continued eligibility. The academic year for financial aid purposes is defined by each program office and generally includes the fall and winter semesters. However, if eligible, students will be awarded for all semesters as defined by their program, including spring/summer semesters.

G. Tuition Payment Procedures

Payment of tuition, fees, and residential charges is due at registration. In accordance with the NSU payment policy, students registered for classes agree to pay in full all sums assessed by NSU for tuition, fees, housing, and any funds advanced to students that are required to be repaid (see section E). Delinquent debts may be referred to collection agencies or litigated. The student agrees to pay costs of collecting unpaid charges, including collection fees and/or attorney’s fees and court costs.

The Bursar's Office takes into consideration certified grants, scholarships, and loans shown on your financial aid award notice which may not yet be credited to your account. NSU students who wish to defer payment for any balances remaining after all discounts, financial aid, and other credits have been applied, may apply for a payment plan. Detailed information on the NSU payment plan, including application, is available on the Web site of the University Bursar. International students are not eligible to participate in the payment plan options.

For any questions regarding the tuition payment procedures, please contact the NSU Bursar's Office at 800-541-6682, ext. 25200, or (954) 262-5200.

H. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

All students receiving financial aid are required to remain in good standing and maintain satisfactory academic progress. To maintain satisfactory academic progress, you must complete your program within a specified time frame, achieve a minimum grade point average (GPA), and complete a minimum number of credits each year. For details, review NSU's quantitative and qualitative SAP requirements posted on the financial aid Web site. 

Failure to meet the required academic standards will result in the loss of your financial aid.

Students who are suspended or dismissed are ineligible for financial aid until they are restored to good standing. In order to have your financial aid reinstated, you must attend NSU at your own expense until your financial aid eligibility is restored. Students who have extenuating circumstances may make an appeal to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee. The appeal must be made in writing, addressed to the committee in care of the Office of Student Financial Assistance, and include the following documentation:

Decisions made by the committee are final, and you will receive written notification of the decision. Students seeking a degree in one of the academic programs in the Health Professions Division (HPD) should refer to the program-specific student handbook for information regarding the appeal process.

I. Contact Information and Office Hours

For questions relating to your student account or financial aid contact Enrollment and Student Services by phone at (954) 262-3380 or 800-806-3680, by fax at (954) 262-3966, or by email at finaid@nova.edu.

The University Call Center's hours of operation are
Monday–Friday: 6:00 a.m.- 12:30 a.m. (EST)
Saturday–Sunday: 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 a.m. (EST)

You may also visit the One-Stop Shop in the Horvitz and Terry Administration Buildings on the main campus during the office hours below:

Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. - noon

On holidays observed by NSU, Enrollment and Student Services will be closed.

If you are not attending classes on or near the main campus in the Fort Lauderdale-Davie area, you may visit any of NSU’s off-campus student educational centers in Florida (Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa) or the Bahamas or our site in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information regarding NSU’s Student Educational Centers, visit the SEC Web site.

Disclaimer

The information in these terms and conditions is subject to change due to federal, state, and institutional regulations and policy updates.