What's New at NIU — January 2024
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Dear Huskie families,
We hope you and your student enjoyed your break and took some time to relax and celebrate the end of a successful fall semester. This past year gave us so many moments to celebrate. As our spring semester is underway, we invite you to join us for a quick look back at 2023.
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The revised 2024–25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form has opened, and access to the form has included site pauses and updates. Students may experience issues accessing the form. If your student has yet to complete it, we recommend they try at least once a day until they are able to do so.
The FAFSA form should be completed every year by all incoming and continuing students. Huskies are encouraged to complete the form as soon as possible to be considered for the maximum financial assistance for the next academic year.
To see what is new and different about the 2024-25 FAFSA form, check out the FAFSA updates page at '24-'25 FAFSA Simplification. You'll also find what you need to know about the revised form, what you can do to prepare to submit it and how to stay informed at the studentaid.gov website.
The priority deadline for returning MAP Grant recipients (i.e., students who received MAP funds during the prior academic year and continue to meet all eligibility requirements) is Feb. 1, 2024. Also, if a student is not eligible to complete the FAFSA and lives in Illinois, they may be eligible to complete the RISE Act/Alternative Application.
If you or your student have questions about how to maximize financial resources or how to create a financial plan for the upcoming academic year, please schedule a virtual, phone or in-person appointment with our Student Financial Advising Services team or email them directly at financial-advising@niu.edu.
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Scholarship deadline approaching.
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As a reminder, a common deadline for scholarships offered through MyScholarships is Jan. 31. At MyScholarships, your student can easily search and apply for multiple competitive awards available based on academic merit, service, areas of study, athletics and much more.
Please encourage your student to visit MyScholarships, if they haven't yet.
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Time to sign up for fall 2024 housing
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Room renewals for current students opens Feb. 14. Begin talking with your student now so they can keep an eye on their email and community chats about the process details. You'll find information about this process and everything Housing and Residential Services has to offer at go.niu.edu/housing.
Our students list convenience, a sense of community, feeling of safety and security, and the meal plans as the primary reasons they keep returning to our residence halls in record numbers. We also make it easy for continuing students to sign up because we do not require a deposit or prepayment. They just follow the schedule, log in and select their room. It's that simple.
If your student is interested in living on campus in the fall, please encourage them to read the information we will send out soon. We offer step-by-step instructions on the process and have staff available to answer questions.
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Bookmark NIU's academic calendar to help your Huskie stay on top of deadlines for spring 2024. Your student also can stay on track by using Navigate Student to schedule appointments with an advisor, check off financial aid and course registration to-dos and more.
Following are key dates and university closures this spring:
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Monday, Jan. 15. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday (university closed).
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Tuesday, Jan. 16. Classes begin.
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Sunday, Jan. 21. Last day to add or drop course(s) via self-service in MyNIU.
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Sunday, Jan. 28. Last day to add a course with approval from the offering department. Last day to drop a course through advisor.
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Tuesday, Jan. 30. Last day to change a course from credit to audit or from audit to credit.
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Sunday, March 10, through Sunday, March 17. Spring recess.
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Monday, March 18. Classes resume.
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Friday, March 29. Last day to request a course withdrawal or semester withdrawal through advisor.
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Thursday, May 2. Classes end.
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Saturday, Monday-Friday, May 4, 6-10. Final examinations.
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Friday, May 10. Spring Graduate Commencement.
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Saturday, May 11. Spring Undergraduate Commencement.
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Our deans and graduation lists have just gone out to hometown newspapers. If you student is featured on either list, they've been notified via their NIU email address. You can search the lists on our website.
Check out these recent headlines from NIU Today:
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