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Before Considering Loans

Other aid

Before you consider student loans, be sure to explore the possibility of other financial aid, such as grants, scholarships and fellowships which, unlike student loans, do not need to be repaid.

At the graduate level, the individual program is the source of any institutional aid (other than student loans). So check with your program to determine if they offer any assistance.

Students in approved programs at Northwestern University may use VA educational benefits toward the cost of their programs. The University is proud to assist veterans and qualifying dependents in processing and administering these benefits.

Review the tax benefits for education.

Visit the Office of Fellowships for other opportunities within and outside the university. Please note that application deadlines usually expire several months prior to the start of the academic year, so advance planning is imperative in order to take advantage of these offers.

Code of conduct

Northwestern University adheres to the code of conduct as established by the Higher Education Opportunity Act as well as the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators' (NASFAA) Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Institutional Financial Aid Professionals.