No. Only those students who received need-based awards as entering freshmen will be eligible to apply for financial assistance in subsequent years.

No. At the time of admission your scholarship and loan is awarded based upon your family's commitment in financing your program of study at Northwestern. Your scholarship and loan are renewed at the same level each year. Since the information provided on the International Aid Application and Certification of Finances encompasses a four year period, the family contribution will also remain constant for the duration of your program.

Yes, but instead of completing the International Aid Application and Certification of Finances, as a returning student you are only required to complete the University Aid Application which is e-mailed to you in early spring.

Yes, all students attending Northwestern must provide proof of health insurance coverage. If not, they are required to enroll in the University’s health services plan. For more information please visit the Health Services website. As an international student, if you incur out-of-pocket medical expenses during the academic year, you may appeal by providing documentation (medical/hospital bills) to the Financial Aid Office.

A wire transfer fee is sometimes charged by a financial institution when transferring funds to another financial institution; particularly if the funds are transferred from abroad. You or your parent(s) should inquire as to whether there are any fees associated when and if funds are wired to the U.S. to assist in paying your student expenses. These fees should be taken into account if the funds are meant to cover the balance owing the University.

Not directly; but yes, Payroll is required to pay federal taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on your behalf for the amount of Northwestern Scholarship that exceeds tuition. This amount is posted to your student account during winter quarter as “Federal taxes withheld” with an offsetting entry by the Financial Aid Office of “Advance against taxes paid.” The advance must be repaid prior to returning to campus the following fall. For more information regarding repayment, please contact your counselor in the Office of Financial Aid.

Yes. International students are required to file either a 1040 NREZ or Form 8843 to report any scholarships received. Each spring the Financial Aid Office conducts a workshop to explain how to complete and file these forms with the United States Department of Treasury (IRS). Much like American taxpayers, these forms must be filed by April 15th.

Instructions on how to apply for your loan may be found on the Student Financial Services website.

Repayment of your loan will begin 3 months after graduation and allows for a 10-year repayment period.

Yes. Employment opportunities are available on-campus; although limited, they are typically found through your department. Other opportunities include working in food services (Sodexho); applying to become a Community Assistant (Residence Life) or as an engineering student, participating in the Walter P. Murphy Cooperative Engineering Education Program. For more information, visit Paying for Your Education on the Undergraduate Admission website.

Depending upon the country, yes, it may be possible to study abroad. Your financial aid may be used to cover your program costs, as long as those costs do not exceed the cost if you were attending classes on the Evanston campus. For more information, visit the Study Abroad Office website.

As an International student, the expectation is that you will maintain your enrollment as a full-time student during the length of your program (no more than 12 quarters of aid for most programs, or up to 15 quarters of aid for those admitted to the 5-year BA/BMus, BS/BMus or BS Eng/BMus programs) as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog. If you should drop to half-time or 2 units, you could potentially jeopardize your eligibility for Northwestern Scholarship and lose your scholarship funding. Prior to changing your enrollment status, you must schedule an appointment with your financial aid counselor to discuss why this change is necessary and whether you could appeal to retain your scholarship.

Once a student has graduated, the student is no longer eligible to receive Northwestern scholarship. If you are planning on graduating early (winter quarter) but plan on staying in Evanston until June, you will need to consider how you will manage your expenses for spring if you choose to stay either in University housing or maintain your residence off-campus. Once a student has met his/her graduation requirements, funds are no longer available through the University to help offset these costs.

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If you don't find the answer to your question or would like to discuss your concerns with a counselor, please contact us by phone at (847) 491-7400 or e-mail us at ug-finaid@northwestern.edu.