Financial Aid and Scholarship Office

FAFSA submitted after April 25? Your aid offer may be delayed.

A U.S. Department of Education system update on April 26 paused FAFSA record loading at colleges and universities nationwide; other federal updates have resulted in additional delays. If you submitted your 2026-27 FAFSA on or after April 26, your financial aid offer may not be available until August. Financial aid offers for graduate and law students will also be delayed until August. We will process applications as quickly as possible and will email your offer to your NIU student email account when it is available. Check your MyNIU To Do List regularly for any outstanding requirements.

If you have questions or concerns about how this delay may affect your enrollment plans, contact us at finaid@niu.edu or 815-753-1395.

Federal Student Aid Changes

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduces major changes to federal loans and aid eligibility starting July 1, 2026. Whether you’re a student or a parent, now is the time to understand how these changes may affect you.

• New annual and lifetime limits on Parent PLUS and GradPLUS loans for new borrowers
• Current income-driven repayment plans (IBR, PAYE, SAVE) are being eliminated
• Updates to Pell Grant and FAFSA asset exemption rules take effect for 2026-2027

Learn what’s changing and how to prepare

State Financial Aid Update for Undocumented Students

A July 24, 2026, federal court ruling found Illinois laws allowing state financial aid for undocumented students unconstitutional, affecting the Monetary Award Program (MAP), AIM HIGH and other state aid for the 2026-27 academic year. Students who applied through the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid are affected; those who completed the FAFSA are not. NIU is reviewing affected students’ financial aid packages and will reach out directly with more information the week of Aug. 10.

Learn more about this update