Student Financial Services
617.373.2897 (College of Professional Studies)
617.373.5714 (TTY)
sfs@northeastern.edu
studentfinance.northeastern.edu
Northeastern University is committed to assisting students in developing a plan for financing their Northeastern education. Through a variety of options—including federal financial aid, Northeastern’s monthly payment plan, supplemental loans, and your own resources—a plan can be designed that will make your education costs affordable.
Federal Financial Aid
To apply for federal financial aid programs, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid annually and include Northeastern's FAFSA school code, 002199. To electronically sign your FAFSA, you will need an FSA ID. If you do not have one or have forgotten your FSA ID, visit the Federal Student Aid website to obtain one before starting the FAFSA online.
Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for federal financial aid:
- Be enrolled in at least 6 credits, applicable toward a degree-granting program, per term, unless you are enrolled in a full-time or part-time stand-alone course
Note: Although some programs may consider students enrolled in 4 credits to have half-time status, in order to qualify for federal financial aid, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits. - Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Be matriculated in a degree-granting program
Please note that students in certificate and nondegree programs are not eligible for federal financial aid. - Have received a high school diploma or GED and be able to document upon request
- Be registered with Selective Service (if required)
- Not be convicted of a drug-related crime in the last year
- Not be in default from previous student loans
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
Awarding Timelines
For information regarding your financial aid status, visit the Student Hub.
New students are awarded on an ongoing basis after we have been notified that they have been admitted into their program. Awarding will commence as detailed below, and award notifications for new students will be sent to the email address provided during the admissions process.
| Term of Entry | Earliest Award Availability |
|---|---|
| Fall | July |
| Spring | October |
| Summer | May |
Award notifications for returning students will be available beginning in June and will be sent to their Northeastern email address.
Federal Loans
All students eligible to receive federal financial aid are awarded a Federal Direct Loan, provided they have not exhausted aggregate loan maximums. Eligibility for a need-based Federal Direct Loan is determined by the information provided on the FAFSA and academic level. Students must be registered for at least 6 credits each term to be eligible for a federal loan. Additionally, all credits taken must count toward their current degree program for students to be eligible for federal financial aid.
Supplemental Student Loans
There are a number of educational loan programs available to assist students in covering their expenses over and above any federal financial aid that may be awarded to them from the Office of Student Financial Services. Most private lenders have credit and income requirements that must be met before being approved for these programs.
Additional information regarding supplemental loans is available on the Student Financial Services website. The Office of Student Financial Services recommends to students that, when researching the loan and lender that best meets their needs, they make sure they take into consideration the interest rate; the quality of customer service; the amount needed for borrowing; as well as origination, disbursement, and/or repayment fees.