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Application Instructions for Current Students

You must reapply for financial aid, including loans and employment, each year. Application instructions for the upcoming academic year are made available on this website each February. Current aid recipients and their parents will receive a reminder to reapply in mid-February. Current students requesting aid for the first time should contact the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid to provide notification of their intention to apply and to discuss their special circumstances. Families who are unable to access the forms online should contact our office for assistance.

Please note that the reapplication process has been changed for the 2012-13 academic year.  Our office recently sent an email to all current students who are receiving financial aid as well as a letter to the parents.  The correspondence outlines the renewal process, the required materials and explains some changes for the 2012-13 academic year.

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Note: Reapplication instructions are different for International Students.

Instructions for students who wish to apply for all forms of aid

1. Complete the FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA and CSS Profile online

The FAFSA and the CSS Profile should be completed at least two weeks prior to the  application deadline.

Renewal FAFSA
The Renewal FAFSA is an abbreviated version of the FAFSA based on your information submitted in the previous year.

  • If you filled out the FAFSA online last year, you can use your PIN to access your Renewal FAFSA online. If you have lost your PIN, you may either change it or request that it be resent at the Federal Student Aid PIN Registration website. (A paper Renewal FAFSA will be sent to you if you used a paper application last year.)
  • Visit the FAFSA web site and complete the online form.
  • Designate Northwestern University as the recipient of the information; our federal school code is 001739.
  • Once processed, you will receive a SAR (Student Aid Report) summarizing your information. Resolve any incorrect information via the FAFSA web site (or by returning the corrected and signed SAR).
  • Families who are eligible to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA are strongly encouraged to do so.

College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile)
  • Visit the College Board website and complete the CSS Profile. If you have completed the CSS Profile previously, you do not need to re-register with the College Board.
  • Designate Northwestern University as the recipient of the information; our CSS code is 1565.
  • Once processed, you will receive a Data Confirmation Report summarizing your information. Any corrections must be submitted directly to Northwestern's Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid.

2. Complete the Northwestern University Aid Application (UAPP) via CAESAR


Visit your To-Do List on CAESAR and click on "Complete UG Univ Aid Application Online" to begin the application process. (If the UAPP is not showing up on your To-Do List, please contact our office. When you have accessed the application, complete the following steps:
  • Complete the Application Period information and all questions before proceeding to the second page.
  • Recipients of outside scholarships should complete the outside scholarship section. If you did not receive an outside scholarship, skip it entirely.
  • Complete all relevant fields on the second page. This questionnaire helps us award University endowed scholarships.
  • You may save your data and exit the application at any time, but we will not be able to access your data until you have submitted it. You can continue to modify the data until you submit it, accessing the saved form through your CAESAR To-Do List.
  • Click the "Submit" button when you are done. You will be asked to respond to a statement of authorization and release of information. By responding to this statement, you are electronically signing and submitting your UAPP. You will no longer be able to make changes to the information, which will be made available to the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid for review.

3. Tax Information (Please Note: The requirements differ for 2011-12 & 2012-13)

2012-13: Complete the Tax Status Form and submit to the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid.
The Department of Education is encouraging all families to utilize the tax data retrieval process when completing the 2012-13 FAFSA. We are supporting this effort because it will ensure that the most accurate information is used in the determination of your maximum federal financial aid eligibility. It also eliminates the need for most families to provide us with full tax copies. If you filed the FAFSA prior to completing your 2011 federal income taxes, you will want update your FAFSA online. You should return to the FAFSA website (www.fafsa.ed.gov) and update as soon as possible. If you file your taxes electronically, you should be able to retrieve your tax data after approximately two (2) weeks. It could take 6-8 weeks to retrieve tax data if you filed paper taxes.

If you are unable to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, you should send full tax copies to our office. You will be unable to use the tax data retrieval process if you are:

  • Married, filing separate returns;
  • Married, filing as head of household;
  • Filing foreign taxes;
  • Filing an amended return; or
  • Not required to file an income tax return.

Please be aware that if you are selected for a federal verification review and have not used the tax data retrieval process, you may be required to obtain an official tax transcript from the IRS.
 

2011-12 Submit tax materials to the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid.  Please provide the following completed documents:

  • Parents' 2011 Federal Tax Return and W-2s
  • Student's 2011 Federal Tax Return and W-2s 

4. If necessary, complete additional forms

Based on the information you submitted, the College Board or the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid may request that you fill out additional forms. If you receive such a request and want to learn more about these forms, see the Additional Application Forms web page.

5. Northwestern's Financial Aid Committee will determine your financial aid eligibility and aid package

If your family's financial circumstances remain the same as the prior year, you can expect a similar award. However, some circumstances will significantly affect your aid eligibility, such as a change in the number of enrolled undergraduate students in your family. A family's expected contribution will also be affected by a change in financial circumstances. If your family reports considerably more income or assets, you can expect to see an increase in the family contribution. If there are financial losses or unusual expenses, the Committee will review the documentation provided and your contribution may be lowered.

Your aid package will be mailed to your permanent address the summer before any given academic year. Those who apply on time will receive their aid package in either June or July.

6. Accept/Decline your financial aid award via CAESAR


Accept/Decline your financial aid award even if you plan to appeal the decision. The financial aid award is not a contract, but a confirmation that you have received and reviewed the information it contains.

If you would like to accept a loan included in the package, see the Student Loans web page and click on the application instructions for your loan(s).

If you would like to appeal an aid decision, see Appeal an Aid Decision for instructions.

Instructions for students who are only interested in non need-based loans

If you are not interested in need-based financial aid, you can apply directly for a loan. Follow the application instructions provided on the web pages listed below:

For more information on these loans, see the Student Loans web page.

Application Deadlines

Financial aid deadlines are critical. Late filers may jeopardize their chances of receiving aid.

Deadlines for Current Students 2011-12:

Enrollment Period Application Deadline Aid Decision Completed
Full academic year or fall only May 2, 2011 On a rolling basis, beginning mid-June
Winter and spring quarters only December 1, 2011 December 15, 2011
Spring quarter only March 1, 2012 March 15, 2012

Deadlines for Current Students 2012-13:

Enrollment Period Application Deadline Aid Decision Completed
Full academic year or fall only May 1, 2012 On a rolling basis, beginning mid-June
Winter and spring quarters only December 4, 2012

December 18, 2012
Spring quarter only March 1, 2013 March 15, 2013

Exceptions to these deadlines:

  • Requirements and deadlines are subject to change.  Please be sure to check for updates as your deadline approaches.
  • Students intending to study abroad must apply earlier: Please see the Study Abroad Financial Aid page for deadlines.
  • Additional application materials are required for Summer Quarter. Please see the Summer Session Financial Aid page for information and deadlines.