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Welcome to NSU's Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA)! Here you will find everything you need to know about student financial aid, including how to apply, financial aid deadlines, and types of aid available to graduate and undergraduate students, including Florida student financial aid. Our office administers federal, state, and university financial aid programs such as grants, loans, scholarships, and veterans benefits. Please take a moment to explore our site!

Announcements  

Winter Loan Refunds to be Processed Beginning January 4, 2021

If the total amount of your financial aid award for the winter semester exceeds the institutional charges on your NSU student account, you may receive a financial aid refund. NSU will begin processing student loan refunds (direct deposit or checks) for the Winter 2021 semester beginning January 4, 2021, as the university is closed December 24, 2020, through January 3, 2021.

• To verify existing direct deposit information on file or to set up a new authorization for direct deposit, visit our Direct Deposit webpage for instructions. Direct Deposit information entered after December 18, 2020, may not be processed in time for December 28, 2020, disbursements.
  
  
• Eligible students who have signed up for direct deposit, may expect their student loan refunds to become available in their bank account within 3 to 5 business days after January 4, 2021.
  
  
• Eligible students who have not signed up for direct deposit should allow 5 to 10 business days after January 4 to receive their paper loan refund checks in the mail.
  
  
•  Refunds for undergraduate students with financial aid packages that include both loans and scholarships/grants, will be processed beginning January 11, 2021, since scholarships and grants do not disburse as early as loans.

Important:  Refunds can only be processed for students who have an active and current mailing address on file. You may verify your address and make any necessary updates, by logging into SharkLink and clicking on “View My Profile” on the home page.

 Visit our website for more information on financial aid refunds.

Update to Direct Deposit Set-Up for Refunds (effective December 9, 2020)

The Office of the University Bursar is pleased to announce that students may now set up direct deposit for financial aid and tuition refunds online in SharkLink. Prior to this enhancement, students had to submit a paper form.

If you already have a direct deposit authorization on file, no action is required, unless you would like to make changes to your existing banking information.

Follow the steps below to access the direct deposit authorization:

• Log in to SharkLink.
• Click on “My Account” and locate the “Additional Bursar’s Resources” section in the lower left corner.
• Click on “Sign Up for Direct Deposit.”

Direct deposit is an expedient and safe way to receive any applicable refunds to your checking account. If you are eligible for a financial aid or tuition refund and have no direct deposit authorization on file, your refund will be issued to you in the form of a check mailed to your preferred address in SharkLink. For more information about direct deposit, visit the direct deposit webpage.

Paper Direct Deposit Authorizations will no longer be accepted and processed.

Prepare to File the 2021-22 FAFSA Beginning October 1, 2020 

Even though the 2020-21 academic year has just begun, it is not too early to plan for the 2021-22 financial aid year! The 2021-22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) becomes available October 1, 2020, at studentaid.gov and in the myStudentAid app. The FAFSA determines your eligibility for grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs and is the essential first step in receiving financial aid from federal, state, and private sources. The Office of Student Financial Assistance encourages you to file your FAFSA as soon as it becomes available each year: 

• The sooner you apply, the better chance you have of receiving the maximum amount of funds.

• Completing the FAFSA early will allow you to plan more efficiently.

• Many scholarships require you to complete a FAFSA.

New Filer? Get a Head Start by Creating Your FSA ID

If you will be filing the FAFSA for the first time, you can get a head start by creating your FSA ID ahead of time. The FSA ID is a username and password combination that gives you access to Federal Student Aid's online systems. It can also serve as your legal signature. If you don’t have an FSA ID by the time you fill out your FAFSA, you will be prompted to apply for one, but it may take one to three days before you receive it. Get a head start on that process today by creating one here.  

Returning Filer? Changes to the 2021-22 FAFSA include:

• You will use your (your parents') 2019 federal tax return information.
  
  
• Enhanced abilities of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to verify if a Schedule 1 was filed 

Don't miss out by filing late! File as soon as possible at studentaid.gov.

NSU Federal School Code: 001509

Tips:

• Have your FSA ID handy before you begin.
  
  
• Use your legal name as it appears on your Social Security Card! Any deviation from that name will cause your FAFSA to be rejected.
  
  
• Don't rush! Any type of mistake, even an innocent typo, will cause a delay in processing. Take advantage of the helpful tips and read questions, instructions, and definitions carefully.
   
• Whenever possible, use the the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to automatically import information from the federal tax return into your FAFSA. That makes filing not only faster, but also more accurate. 
  
  
• You can also complete the FAFSA using the myStudentAid app, available on the App Store (iOS) or on Google Play (Android).