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Your Online Financial Aid Account

If you have been offered a financial aid award at Nova Southeastern University, you have all your financial aid information at your fingertips in Self-Service Banner (SSB) which you can access through the university's secure online portal SharkLink. Follow the steps below to view your financial aid offer and associated requirements and to accept, modify, or decline your financial aid awards (Federal Work-Study and/or loans). 

Accessing your Financial Aid Account 

  1. Log in to SharkLink.
  2. Click on the blue "Self Service Banner" icon in the Quick Links section.

SharkLink Home Page  

3. To further safeguard access to your account, you will be prompted to re-enter your login credentials and to verify your identity by entering a code sent to your cell phone. 

 enter username and passwordsend text message screen

  4. In Self-Service Banner, click on "Financial Aid." 

Welcome page for Self Service Banner

 5. Click on Financial Aid Self-service.

Financial Aid Self Service Link

 6. In Self-Service Banner (SSB), ensure the correct award year is selected.

select award year drop down menu

 7. The Home Tab will display unsatisfied and satisfied requirements. You will also be notified of outstanding requirements by NSU email.

list of requirements  

Accepting Your Federal Work Study (FWS) Award


  1. In Self-Service Banner Financial Aid, select the Award Offer tab. Click on the appropriate option from the drop-down menu in the "Take Action" column. 

award offer screen

2. To accept your Federal Work-Study (FWS) award offer, select "Accept." The FWS "Amount' field is highlighted in green and displays "Accepting" as the action is being processed. Click "Submit" to confirm the action.

self service banner screen

3. Once action is confirmed, the FWS "Amount" status changes to "Accepted."

self service banner screen

Declining Your Federal Work Study (FWS) Award

  1. In Self-Service Banner Financial Aid, select the Award Offer tab. Click on the "Decline" option from the drop-down menu in the "Take Action" column. 

award offer screen

2. Once you click on "Decline" the "Amount" field will highlight in red and display "Declining" as the action is being processed. Scroll to the bottom and click "Submit."

SSB screen shot

3. When declined, the amount for each term changes to $0.00, and the "Amount" column status displays "Declined."

 fws declined screen

Modifying Your Federal Work Study (FWS) Award

  1. In Self-Service Banner Financial Aid, select the Award Offer tab. Click on the "Modify" option from the drop-down menu in the "Take Action" column. 

award offer screen

2. Delete the amount in the "Modified Amount" field and enter the desired amount. No dollar sign ($) or decimal point (.) is required. Click "Ok."

Self Service Banner Screen

 3. The modified amount will highlight in green. You will notice that the total award is split into equal award amounts per term. Scroll to the bottom and click "Submit" to confirm the modified amount. 

 ssb screen shot accepting fws

4. Once the action is processed, the "Amount" column will display "Accepted."

 ssb screen accepted fws

Accepting Your Loan Offer(s)


  1. In Self-Service Banner Financial Aid, select the Award Offer tab. Click on the appropriate option from the drop-down menu in the "Take Action" column. 

self-servvice-banner-award offer screen

 2. To accept all loans and amounts, select "Accept" from the drop down menu. The "Amount" column will highlight in green and display "Accepting" as the action being processed. Click "Submit" to confirm.

self service banner accept loan award screen

3. Upon submission, the "Amount" column will display "Accepted."

self service banner screen accepted loans

Declining Your Loan Award(s)

  1. To decline a loan, select "Decline" from the drop down menu. The ""Amount" column will highlight the declining action in red. The cumulative total (-$18,750.00) is adjusted to reflect the subtraction of the declined loan amount (-$15,250). Scroll to the bottom and click "Submit" to confirm the action.

self service banner screen declining loans

2. The loan amount status changes to "Declined."

self-service banner screen shot declined loan

 

Debt Management Tip
It is important to keep in mind that every dollar you borrow must be repaid with interest. Many times students simply accept their entire award without taking the time to understand what that will mean in terms of student loan repayment. This can result in students graduating with unmanageable debt. See "Why Reduce My Loans" from the NSU Debt Squad.

 

Modifying Your Loan Award(s)

  1. To modify a loan amount, select "Modify" from the drop down menu for the loan you wish to modify. 

self service banner screen modify loan

2. Delete the amount in the "Modified Amount" field and enter the desired amount.

self service banner screen delete award amount to modify

self service banner screen modify loan award amount

3. The modified amount is highlighted in green and displays "Accepting" as the action that is being processed. Notice that the cumulative total  of -$15,250 is adjusted to -$13,750 to reflect the modified award amount. Click "Submit."  

self service banner screen accepting modified loan award

4. Once the action is confirmed, the "Amount" status changes to "Accepted."

self service banner screen accepted modified loan amount

If you already have taken action on your Federal Work-Study and/or loan award offer and wish to make changes after the fact, use the Federal Work-Study/NSE Request Form or the appropriate form in the Loan Documents section of the NSU Financial Aid Forms page (e.g., Federal Direct Loan Request Form, Request for Increase in PLUS Loan Funds, Loan Reduction Cancellation Form).
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