Financial Aid

HELPFUL LINKS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I have a question about my student account, who do I contact?

Contact Student Financial Services via telephone or SFS Inquiry Form. Do not email SFS directly unless they reach out to you first. Please be advised that it will take 7 business days to receive an answer via email/your case account. If it takes longer than 2 weeks for an answer, please email Jen Schoen.

When filling out the Inquiry Form, please ensure that you click "Financial Aid" under Category, and "Named Scholarships" under SubCategory so they know to connect your case to Talia or Emily.

How do I get reimbursed for an expense covered by my Torch scholarship?

Fill out an inquiry form via the Student Financial Services portal. All reimbursement requests must be made on/before the day of Add/Drop or they will not be honored.'

What is a student verification

Students are selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education. Verification is a process used to verify information submitted on the FAFSA to ensure its accuracy.

How will I know if I am selected?

You will see an asterisk next to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) on your Student Aid Report (SAR)
Our office will also request specific documentation request to the students e-mail address.
All communication through our office will be directly to the student.
Being selected for verification will delay your financial aid award packages, so submit the forms as soon as possible!

What is a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal?

A Satisfactory Academic Policy (SAP) is the measure of progress toward the completion of a course of study according to the standards of Northeastern University and required Federal regulations. The standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress apply to all financial assistance programs including Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal Supplemental Educational Assistance Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Loans (Stafford and PLUS), as well as assistance from the state and the institution. SAP standards apply to all students: full-time, part-time, degree and certificate candidates.

Students who appeal their ineligibility due to not making satisfactory academic progress have the right to have their situation reviewed by Student Financial Services. Approval of a student’s financial aid appeal will be based on extenuating circumstances outside the normal school activities that have an impact on the student’s ability to achieve the minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress. Cases to consider may fall into the following categories:

Student becomes seriously ill
Student is severely injured
Student’s relative dies

Other cases may be considered if they are determined to have caused physical or psychological stress on a student. Each situation is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. These requirements, stating time-frame and consequences must be submitted in writing by the student and documented in their file. A student’s eligibility for all aid will be lost in the next semester if the student does not meet the requirements in the period stated.

To learn more about the SAP Appeal Process, click here.

How do I contact Student Financial Services?

The SFS Inquiry form. Do not contact them via email unless they contact you first.

SFS Self-Service Portal is a resource for students to search for information, browse for solutions in our catalogue, and set up appointments to meet with staff.
Each question you ask about financial aid in the portal becomes a Case with an associated number for tracking.
Utilize the My Cases view so you can track your question and view the Case status.
Access the portal using the link below

Be advised that due to the current volume of requests they are receiving, it could take 7 business days to receive a response. For more urgent requests, we highlight recommend that you visit their office in Richards 354 or schedule a virtual appointment.

Is my scholarship covered if I take summer courses?

Your scholarship will cover your summer courses and housing during the summer so long as you take 8 credits of classes per summer semester. If you need to take more than 8 credits you will need to receive permission from your academic advisor.

We do not encourage students to take less than 8 credits of classes as it will still count as a half semester. If you need further guidance on how your financial aid will look like based on the credits you take during the summer, please email SFS or Jen Schoen.

Is my housing during co-op covered?

No, your housing is not covered while you are on co-op no matter what scholarship you are on as it only covers 8 academic semesters. There are other types of financial aid you could potentially be eligible for.

Pell Grant
Direct Loans

Eligibility is based on EFC from your FAFSA and many funds require that you submit the FAFSA by the priority deadline.