Applying for Scholarships
Change your future while keeping more in your pocket.
Applying for scholarships is a great way to help pay for your NIU education. Scholarships do not need to be repaid and are awarded based on a variety of factors, including academic achievement and financial need.
You can search and apply for most NIU scholarships online in MyScholarships. The deadline for many scholarships is January 31, 2025.
FAFSA Friday Workshops
Applying for Scholarships: Top Tips
- Request a letter of recommendation or support from a professor in advance. Visit them during office hours or send them an email.
- Learn about scholarships offered by other organizations. Ask personal and professional contacts, such as your employer or leaders of local community organizations, about scholarship opportunities outside NIU.
- Complete your 2025-2026 FAFSA when the application opens sometime in December 2024. Learn more about the FAFSA at studentaid.gov.
Need Additional Assistance?
Our financial advisors from Student Financial Advising Services can help you understand your financial aid, tuition and fees, and provide you with general financial literacy tips. They can also connect you to other campus support services to help you navigate your college journey.
Meet Some Scholarship Recipients
Sergio Dondiego
Merit scholarship and Forward, Together Forward Scholarship
“The financial support has given me a release from the burden of tuition…[and it] has helped motivate me to further excel in classes and partake in clubs and positions that provide opportunities to give back to the DeKalb community.”
Arianna Alba
Merit scholarship and Noyce Scholarship
“I was awarded the Noyce Scholarship for demonstrating my passion to teach and showing potential to be successful in my career. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able to afford my last two years at NIU, and it has helped significantly with other living expenses.”
Genesis Miranda
Huskie Marching Band Scholarship, DREAM Action Scholarship and scholarships from the College of Education
“The scholarships I have been granted have covered all of my educational expenses, allowing me to focus on my studies rather than worry about paying off loans or outstanding balances.”
Have a Question?
Take a look at frequently asked questions about financial options and resources.