Not available to international students.

The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate who
have not received their first bachelor's degree to promote access to postsecondary education. Grant
amounts are dependent on: the student's expected family contribution (EFC); the cost of attendance
(as determined by the institution); the student's enrollment status (full-time or part-time); and whether
the student attends for a full academic year or less.

More information can be found at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/pell

Eligibility:Grants are awarded on the basis of financial need.
Available Assistance:2023-2024 Academic Year: $7,395 - $767
How to Apply:Submit FAFSA.
Enrollment Requirements:Undergraduate study or pursuing first baccalaureate degree. Pro-rated for less than full-time enrollment.
Award Amount and Selection Criteria2023-2024: Estimated family contribution between 0 - 6,656
Lifetime Maximum:Students can receive Pell Grants up to a maximum of 12 full-time semesters.
Summer Eligibility:Students enrolled full-time during the fall and winter semesters, may be eligible for additional Pell Grant funds for the summer if enrolled at least half time(6 or more credits).

Eligibility:

Undergraduate student whose parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of September 11, 2001

AND

were under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of your parent's or guardian's death.

Available Assistance:

Pell Grant eligible students will receive the maximum Pell Grant Award.  Non-Pell Grant eligible students will receive the Iraq Afghanistan Service Grant equal to the amount of a maximum Pell Grant award.  Exception:  the amount will not exceed the cost of attendance for that award year.

How to Apply:

Submit FAFSA.

Information: Additional information regarding the Federal Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant Programs can be found here.

To get an FSEOG, you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form so your college can determine how much financial need you have. The financial aid office will award FSEOGs to students that have the most financial need. The FSEOG does not need to be repaid. Each participating school receives a certain amount of FSEOG funds each year from the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid. Once the full amount of the school’s FSEOG funds has been awarded to students, no more FSEOG awards can be made for that year.

More information can be found at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/fseog

Eligibility:Awarded on the basis of financial need.
Available Assistance:Up to $1,500
How to Apply:Submit FAFSA.
Enrollment Requirements:At least half-time - Undergraduate 6 credit hours or more. SEOG will be pro-rated when enrolled less than full-time. 
Award Amount and Selection  CriteriaEstimated family contribution (EFC) equal to 0. Due to limited Federal funding, may be replaced with Institutional Board of Trustees Grant. Eligible students will automatically be awarded at the time of the initial financial aid award notice. Both financial need and academic performance are considerations for eligibility. Award amount is subject to reduction/cancellation based on subsequent receipt of other significant resources/scholarships. 

Federal Work-Study(FWS) provides part-time employment opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study.

Here’s a quick overview of Federal Work-Study:

  • It provides funding for part-time employment while you are enrolled in school.
  • It’s available to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students with financial need.
  • It’s available to full-time or part-time students.

More information can be found at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/work-study

Eligibility:Awarded on the basis of financial need.
Available Assistance:Up to $4,000 annually.
How to Apply:Submit FAFSA and request Federal Work-Study on FAFSA.
Enrollment Requirements:At least half-time - 6 credit hours or more undergraduate; 4 credit hours or more graduate.
Award Amount and Selection CriteriaFor the 2023-2024 academic year:  Expected Family Contribution (EFC) up to 6,656 and requested Federal Work-Study on the FAFSA.

The TEACH Grant Program provides grant funds to undergraduate students completing their first degree and graduate students who are completing or plan to complete coursework that is needed to begin a career in teaching, and who agree to serve for at least four years as a full-time, highly qualified teacher in a high-need field, in a school serving low-income students.

Teaching Obligation:Be aware that if you receive the TEACH Grant but do not fulfill the stringent requirement of the program, the amount awarded in grant money becomes a loan with interest compounded from the time of the award.
Eligibility

Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), although you do not have to demonstrate financial need.

Be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen.

Have a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 3.25 throughout your academic program, or demonstrate a score above the 75th percentile on a national standardized college admissions test (submit a paper copy of your test scores showing percentile ranking to the Financial Aid Office).

Be accepted into an eligible degree program at NMU (view eligible programs below)

Undergraduate students are eligible only if they are pursuing their first undergraduate degree. Students pursing a second undergraduate degree (including post baccalaureate students) are NOT eligible for the TEACH Grant.

Sign and Agreement to Serve (ATS) and complete counseling each year that you receive a grant.

Available Assistance:

Up to $4,000 per year.  Award amounts may vary due to Federal sequester.  Visit Federal Student Aid’s website for more information at https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/teach

Limited to $16,000 total as an undergraduate and up to $8,000 as a graduate student

How to Apply:Eligible students should contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information and the application to apply.
Enrollment Requirements:Award is prorated based on enrollment levels

Eligible degree programs at NMU:

Learning Disabled (Masters), Math Education (Masters), Reading Specialist (Masters), Science Education (Masters), French Education, German Education, Spanish Education, Special Education, Elementary Education Emotional Impairment, Elementary Education Mathematics, Elementary Education Cognitive Impairment, Elementary Education Science, Secondary Education Biology, Secondary Education Chemistry, Secondary Education Emotional Impairment, Secondary Education Earth Science, Secondary Education Integrated Science, Secondary Education Mathematics, Secondary Education Cognitive Impairment, Secondary Education Physics

Service Agreement

The Agreement to Serve (ATS) is a legally binding document that defines the teaching service obligations you must meet and specifies your repayment obligation if a TEACH Grant that you receive is converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan.

Counseling Sessions

You will be required to complete counseling each year that you accept a TEACH Grant.  You will also be required to attend Exit Counseling when you graduate or leave school.

High-Need Subject Areas

  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Foreign language
  • Special Education
  • Bilingual education or English language acquisition
  • Reading specialist
  • Other identified teacher shortage areas (listed by state)

Serving Low Income Students

More in depth information on the TEACH Grant can be found here.

Subsidized and unsubsidized loans are federal student loans for eligible students to help cover the cost of higher education at a four-year college or university, community college, or trade, career, or technical school. The U.S. Department of Education offers eligible students at participating schools Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans. Direct Subsidized Loans are available to undergraduate students with financial need. The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan

  • while you’re in school at least half-time,
  • for the first six months after you leave school (referred to as a grace period), and
  • during a period of deferment (a postponement of loan payments).

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students; there is no requirement to demonstrate financial need and you are responsible for paying the interest on a Direct Unsubsidized Loan during all periods. 

More information can be found at: https://nmu.edu/financialaid/directloans

These amounts will be limited by cost of attendance limits and aggregate loan maximums.

Eligibility:Subsidized - based on financial need.
Unsubsidized - cost of attendance minus aid.
Available Assistance:Subsidized or UnsubsidizedDependent Additional UnsubsidizedIndependent Additional Unsubsidized
Freshman / Certificate Level$3,500$2,000$6,000
Sophomore / Associate Level$4,500$2,000$6,000
Junior & Senior / Bachelor Level$5,500$2,000$7,000
Post-Baccalaureate / Bachelor Level$5,500$2,000$7,000
Graduate Level               $8,500 - Unsubsidized Loans Onlynot applicable$12,000
How to Apply:Submit FAFSA.
Enrollment Requirements:At least half-time:
6 credit hours or more undergraduate;
4 credit hours or more graduate.
Must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress.

PLUS loans are federal loans that graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students can use to help pay for college or career school. The U.S. Department of Education is your lender. You must not have an adverse credit history.

More information can be found at: https://nmu.edu/financialaid/directplus

Eligibility:Parents of dependent undergraduate students.
The federal government defines a parent as a natural or adoptive mother or father, or legal guardian (which may include a stepparent). Graduate students; only if student has utilized regular eligibility.
Available Assistance:Maximum: cost minus aid
How to Apply:Apply electronically at https://studentaid.gov/app/launchPLUS.action?plusType=parentPlus
Enrollment Requirements:At least half-time - Undergraduate: 6 credit hours or more.
                              Graduate: 4 credit hours or more
Award Amount and Selection CriteriaMaximum requested amount can be student's Cost of Attendance budget minus all other aid received.

The Perkins Loan Program was closed September 30, 2017, as required by the Federal Perkins Loan Program Extension Act of 2015. No new Perkins Loans are available.

Students who have borrowed Perkins Loans in the past may find the following information helpful:

  • General Perkins Loan Information [link to https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/perkins] – Eligibility and repayment information from the Department of Education.
  • Information on Loan Cancellation and Forgiveness Programs [link to https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/perkins] – Includes information on Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Perkins Loan Cancellation (for service in specific professions), and discharge due to disability, death, or closed schools.
  • Sign My Loan [link to http://www.uasconnect.com/] – Review previous Perkins Loan acceptance, Master Promissory Notes, references, and disclosures.
  • Perkins Loan Exit Counseling [link to http://www.uasconnect.com/] – Complete required Perkins Loan Exit Counseling after graduating or falling below half-time enrollment. 
  • University Accounting Service [link to https://www.uaservice.com/] – Repayment servicer site where you can set up online payments, and print deferment, cancellation, and other forms.
  • Student Aid https://studentaid.gov/ – View all of your federal aid history, including Perkins Loans.
  • NMU has an office on campus to help answer your Perkins repayment questions!  You can reach them at (906) 227-1428 or stop by 1003 Hedgcock for assistance.