Financial Resources & Information
For Students Called to Active Duty
If called to active duty, the student will need to make sure that his/her finances are being handled appropriately in his/her absence. Please make sure the following areas are attended to before leaving:
Veterans' Educational Benefits
Students who are called into active military service may have questions concerning educational benefits currently being received and the application process when reentering after active duty.
Students have only a limited amount of time between notification that they are being called to active duty and their report dates. To ensure that all concerns about educational benefits are handled, please contact:
Military Student Services
Adams Hall Room 409
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115Phone: 815-753-0691
Fax: 815-753-0943
E-mail: mss@niu.edu
Loan Information
When called to active duty, it is important to make arrangements for student loans. Contact the student loan officer to make arrangements regarding the loan.
Deferment Information
You can receive a deferment for certain defined periods. A deferment is a temporary suspension of loan payments. You don’t have to pay interest on the loan during deferment if you have a subsidized FFEL(Federal Family Education Loan) or a Direct Stafford Loan or a Federal Perkins Loan. If you have an unsubsidized FFEL or Direct Stafford Loan, you’re responsible for the interest during deferment. If you don’t pay the interest as it accrues (accumulates), it will be capitalized (added to the loan principal), and the amount you have to pay in the future will be higher. You have to apply for a deferment with your loan servicer (the organization that handles your loan), and you must continue to make payments until you’ve been notified that your deferment has been granted. Otherwise, you could become delinquent or go into default.
It's important to take action before you are charged late fees. For Federal Perkins Loans, contact your loan servicer or the school that made you the loan. For FFEL Loans, contact the lender or agency that holds your loan. For Direct Loans, contact the Direct Loan Servicing Center at www.myedaccount.com or 1-800-848-0979. TTY users should call 1-800-848-0983.
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Military Service Deferment
An active duty military deferment is available to borrowers in the FFEL, Direct Loan, and Perkins Loan programs who are called to active duty during a war or other military operation or national emergency. This deferment is available while the borrower is serving on active duty during a war or other military operation or a national emergency, performing qualifying National Guard duty during a war, other military operation, or a national emergency, and if the borrower was serving on or after Oct. 1, 2007, for an additional 180-day period following the demobilization date for the qualifying service. -
Post-Active Duty Student Deferment
An FFEL, Direct Loan, or Perkins Loan borrower who is a member of the National Guard or other reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces (current or retired) and is called or ordered to active duty while enrolled at least half-time, or within six months of having been enrolled at least half-time, is eligible for a deferment during the 13 months following the conclusion of the active duty service, or until the borrower returns to enrolled student status on at least a half-time basis, whichever comes first.
Tuition
A student who withdraws from the university because his/her military reserve unit has been called into active duty will receive a full refund of payment made for tuition. The assessment made for required student fees will be pro-rated except for the health insurance fee. Charges for room and board, if living in university residence halls, will be pro-rated according to check-out date.
After tuition and fees and room and board (if living in university residence halls) charges have been adjusted and any refund due has been determined, a refund check will be sent to the student at his/her permanent address.
It should be noted that, if the student has received financial aid, the university may be required to refund to the source of that aid.
To request a refund of payments made for tuition (and fees and room and board, if living in university residence halls), please contact:
The Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management
Altgeld Hall 208
Phone: 815-753-1573
E-mail: Student_Affairs@niu.edu
A copy of the student’s military orders must accompany the request for refund.