Financial Aid FAQs
Q:When should I apply for student loans?
A:The best time to apply for your student loans is immediately after you submit your Norwich University application. That way, if you are accepted to Norwich, we’ll be able to determine your financial aid eligibility within days of your acceptance. If you delay the submission of your financial aid application, our assessment of your financial aid eligibility will also be delayed, which could interrupt your program enrollment. Because your financial aid application can be used for more than one school, you do not need to be certain of where you will enroll to submit your application.
Q:How do I apply for student loans?
A:You can apply for student loans on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) website. Be sure to use Norwich University’s school code (003692) when completing your FAFSA.
Before you dive in to your student loan application, make sure you have all your required financial forms readily available. For information on which forms you’ll need as well as more detailed information about the application process, check out the following link:
FAFSA Process: Applying for Aid
Q:How do I know which award year to apply for?
A:The federal aid year begins July 1 and ends June 30. For example, if you intend to start the program in or before June of 2019, you will need to apply for the 2018/2019 FAFSA school year. If you plan to start your program after June of 2019, you will need to apply for the 2019/2020 FAFSA school year. Please contact one of our admissions advisors if you need further clarification.
Q:How long will it take to know if I have been approved for financial aid?
A:Once you complete the FAFSA, notification of your application will be sent to Norwich within three to five business days. Your student loan award can only be determined after you have been accepted to Norwich. The sooner you complete your admissions application packet, the sooner we can process and send your student loan information.
Q:How long will it take to receive my student loans?
A:Your loan award letter will be sent to you within ten days of your acceptance to Norwich. We will also send you links to several downloadable forms that must be completed and returned to Norwich along with your tax return and W2 forms. In order to apply your loan to your tuition bill, we must receive those documents at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester. Check our admissions deadlines for key enrollment dates.
If all documents have been sent to Norwich by the deadline, your loan will disburse to Norwich after the semester has started and your active enrollment has been confirmed. Any excess loan funds not applied to your tuition will be sent to you in the form of a refund check. This refund check will be released by Norwich within two weeks from the day loan funds have hit your account.
Q:Will the loan be available before I have to pay my first tuition bill?
A:Because Norwich sends bills out approximately six weeks prior to the beginning of each semester, you may receive your loan award letter by the time you’ve received your first tuition bill but before you’ve received your actual loan. Loan funds cannot be applied toward your bill until the lender disburses the loan to Norwich. This disbursement occurs five days before the beginning of the semester. Until the loan is disbursed, your student account will show a balance due to Norwich. Once your loan has been disbursed, your balance will be reduced by the amount of your loan.
When you receive your tuition bill, don’t forget to complete the back side (you can also complete the online remittance form on the Bursar's web page) so we will know you have applied for federal student aid.
Q:What is my maximum student loan eligibility for an enrollment period?
A:Currently, most of our graduate students are eligible for loans equaling the total amount of their program tuition and fees. If you require additional loan funds to assist with educational expenses, you must contact our Office of Finanical Aid to speak with a financial aid counselor about your eligibility.
Q:How do I know if I am eligible for financial aid?
A:Different types of financial aid have different rules, called eligibility criteria, to determine who gets the aid. You can access the eligibility criteria on the Federal Student Aid website. Please note that eligible noncitizens will need to send Norwich University original documents, not copies of documentation, showing that they meet the eligibility criteria as established by the Department of Education and Department of Homeland Security.
Q:I am planning to use my employer's education benefits to pay for my tuition. Do I still need to apply for financial aid?
A:Many students find out too late that employer education funds are typically insufficient to pay the entire tuition bill. Some employers only reimburse after the student submits a passing grade for the seminar or semester. Some employers' funds are tied to fiscal year expenditures.
Tuition payments are due in full to Norwich two weeks before classes begin. In order to secure your enrollment, you must pay your tuition bill whether or not your employer tuition benefits are available at the time the bill is presented. You may be left hanging (financially speaking) if you do not apply for financial aid early in the admissions process. If you find out later that you don’t need student loans, you can simply refuse them when you receive your loan award letter.
Q:I am planning to use VA benefits and military tuition assistance as well as student loans. How will this affect my loan eligibility?
A:You must report all VA benefits that you will receive as well as your expected military tuition assistance funding. VA educational benefits are not considered estimated financial assistance for financial aid purposes. It will not affect your federal aid eligibility. Tuition assistance will be factored in and can cause adjustments to a student's financial aid package.
Q:If I am using VA funding, why do I need loans?
A:Depending on the Veterans Administration education program for which you apply, the VA will pay either the student directly or the school. Norwich requires a copy of your certificate of eligibility to clear the student's account. Students should complete a VONAPP with the VA as soon as possible as it can take 12-16 weeks to process. As long as we have the COE, you will not be required to pay in full before class starts. Having a FAFSA in place just in case is always a good idea.
Q:What forms do I need to submit to the Office of Financial Aid, and where do I get them?
A:Links to the required forms will be emailed to you from the Office of Financial Aid once your loan eligibility has been determined. The required documents include the following:
- Award Acceptance Form
- Direct Loan Entrance Counseling done at https://studentaid.gov/
- Direct Loan Promissory Note done at https://studentaid.gov/
You will also be required to forward a copy of your current federal tax return and your W2 information. To avoid delays in receiving your student loan funds, we recommend that you locate these documents as soon as you complete the FAFSA.
Q:What scholarships are currently offered to graduate students?
A:Norwich currently offers scholarships for alumni, parents/child/spouse of alumni, and active duty military students enrolled in master’s degree programs. More information about alumni scholarships.
If you do not fall into either category, we recommend that you speak with your employer about scholarship and tuition assistance opportunities. We also recommend that you speak with the department of education in your state of residence to obtain graduate student scholarship information. The U.S. Department of Education has built a great resource for the types of private scholarships.
Q:If I choose to use an alternative loan instead of federal student loans, do I still need to file the FAFSA form?
A:You are not required to file the FAFSA form if you choose to use an alternative loan instead of applying for a federal student loan.
Q: Are there payment plan options available to me?
A: Yes, there is an interest free payment plan available to all students that will break up their balance into monthly payments. There is a small setup fee for these plans that is waived if you schedule your payments to come out automatically on the due date. Students can sign up for payment plans through the first week of class.