You can receive financial aid in addition to military student benefits. Military students are encouraged to apply for student financial aid to help offset the cost of education, since federal and state veterans benefits sometimes don't cover the entire cost of a college education.
When completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), military students need to be aware of some special circumstances:
- Federal veteran education benefits do not affect financial aid eligibility and are not considered income for federal student aid purposes.
- State veteran education benefits are treated as a resource, not as income, for federal student aid purposes.
- Non-educational veteran benefits must be included on the FAFSA as untaxed income.
- Veteran status for student aid purposes is not necessarily the same as veteran status for VA purposes. National Guard and Reservists may not qualify automatically as independent students. Refer to the FAFSA instructions to determine if you qualify as a veteran for financial aid purposes.
- How financial aid is calculated
- Federal Cost of Attendance
- NIU Cost of Attendance
To learn more about the FAFSA, please contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office.