Your student is beginning a brand-new chapter in life. The increased responsibility of managing school work and daily necessities without your assistance can cause your student to unintentionally put financial aid matters on the back burner.  

Encourage your student to take an active role in managing financial affairs. Here are some tips:

• NSU email and NSU’s interactive online portal, SharkLink, are the OSFA’s official means of communication with your student. Encourage your student to check their NSU email daily and regularly review financial aid and student account information in SharkLink.
• Your student may have to submit additional information to complete their financial aid file, even if they have already received a financial aid award. Financial aid awards are subject to change based on many factors, so it is very important for your student to pay attention to all communications from the financial aid office.

NSU Debt Squad

The Office of Student Financial Assistance Debt Squad provides students and families with information and counseling services on budgeting, strategies on stretching dollars, and maintaining good credit. For more information, including access to student loan repayment calculators, visit the NSU Debt Squad.

How much financial aid your student can receive at NSU depends on several factors, including your so called Expected Family Contribution (EFC). For information on how eligibility for need-based aid is calculated using your EFC, visit Determining Your Financial Aid Eligibility.

Beginning with the 2024-25 aid year, the U.S. Department of Education is replacing the EFC with a new index called the Student Aid Index. 

SharkLink is your student’s One-Stop Shop for all online resources. Your student can log in to access online classes, view NSU news, total account balance, financial aid status, outstanding financial aid requirements, academic profile, grades, and more. SharkLink is not available to parents; however, parents may learn more on the SharkLink Portal page.

Students are encouraged to access SharkLink to complete the following tasks:

• Check their NSU emails
• Access their financial aid information
• Request official transcripts and view unofficial transcripts
• View their student accounts
• Make payments
• Access their grades
• Register for and drop courses
• View their course schedules
• Access their online degree evaluations
• Obtain enrollment verification
• Change their primary and mailing addresses and phone numbers
• Apply for student employment jobs
• Sign the Student Enrollment Agreement (SEA)

Payment Policy

By registering for courses at Nova Southeastern University, the student accepts financial responsibility for payment. The student is responsible for the full balance on the account plus any additional costs which may be incurred by the university in the collection of these debts. Payment is due in full at the time of registration. Email notifications are sent in the middle of each month, stating that NSU eBills are available for review online.

NSU eBill – Your Student May Add You as an Authorized User

Your student can sign you on as an authorized user for your student’s NSU eBill account. This will allow you to receive the monthly eBill notification to your email. Depending on the level of access your student grants, you can also have access to view account details, make payments, and set up payment plans. To learn more about NSU eBill, visit the NSU eBill Frequently Asked Questions. 

Students are also strongly encouraged to add any NSU eBill authorized users to their Release of Information Consent in SharkLink. This will authorize student account representatives to speak freely with authorized individuals, such as parents and guardians, about the student's finances. For more details, see below. 

Payment Options

The fastest, securest, and most convenient option is to pay online via NSU eBill using a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) or echeck. For more details and options, visit Pay My Bill.  

Holds

If an outstanding balance remains on your student's NSU account 30 days after the beginning of the semester/term, your student will be charged a $100 late fee, and a hold will be placed on the account. Until the balance is paid in full, this hold will prevent your student from obtaining grades and transcripts, registering for classes, and taking advantage of other university services, including, but not limited to, access to the Don Taft University Center RecPlex. You may view more information on holds.

Payment Plans

The NSU Payment Plan is a payment option designed to provide budgetary assistance each semester in meeting a student's educational expenses. For detailed information, visit the Bursar's page. 

Prepare for a smooth move-in experience by making sure that your student’s account balance is taken care of before move-in day.

• All on-campus residents must have satisfied their student account balance prior to their official check-in date.  
  
  
• Students with outstanding balances must contact a student accounts representative prior to their check-in date for payment, payment plan set-up, or the completion of outstanding financial aid requirements at (954) 262-5200 or (954) 262-3380.
  
  
• Please be advised that students will not be able to check-in to the Residential Life and Housing halls until all requirements to satisfy their outstanding balance have been fulfilled. 

For questions regarding housing, please contact Residential Life and Housing at (954) 262-7052 or toll-free at 800-541-6682, ext. 27052 or by email at housing@nova.edu. 

The Office of the University Bursar furnishes Form 1098-T to any student who paid “qualified educational expenses” in the preceding tax year in January of each year. This form provides information about educational expenses that may qualify for education-related tax credits. If you can claim your student as a dependent on your Federal Income Tax Return, you may be eligible for a tax deduction. If you can’t, then your student may be eligible for the credit. Either way, the 1098-T form will be provided to your student, not you. Students are encouraged to opt in to receiving Form 1098-T electronically. 

IMPORTANT: Your student must have a valid mailing address on file with the university for the 1098-T to be furnished. 

For more information on the opt-in process, visit the bursar’s website. For more information on tax benefits for education, visit the IRS online.  

Information on IRS Form 1095-B (Health Insurance Tax Form) is also available on the bursar website.