College of Education
PO Box 5774
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5774
(928) 523-7103
Graduate Financial Assistance
We have two broad categories of financial assistance available to graduate students at NAU. The first is awarded on the basis of academic merit or your ability to perform specific services; you apply for these assistantships and waivers through your department of study. The second is based on your demonstrated financial need, and you apply through the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Assistantships and Waivers
This section describes the kinds of financial assistance available through the Graduate College or academic programs:
- graduate assistantships
- tuition waivers
Graduate Assistantships Assistantships are available in most departments that offer graduate programs. As a graduate assistant, you receive a stipend and normally work twenty hours per week. You must also be enrolled as a full-time graduate student, meaning that you take at least 9 credit hours each term. Additional benefits are available to graduate assistants; consult the Graduate College website at www.nau.edu/gradcol/ for current information.
For information about how to apply for an assistantship and when, contact your department of study.
Graduate assistantships are also available in support units at NAU, such as Residence Life, the Gateway Student Success Center, the Institute for Human Development, and others. You can get a list of these assistantships from NAU's Graduate College or by contacting these units directly to determine availability.
Tuition Waiver Scholarships
Waivers of resident tuition are available to Arizona residents, and waivers of the nonresident portion of tuition are available to nonresidents of Arizona. Apply for these waivers through your department of study.
Other Financial Assistance
This section describes the kinds of financial assistance available through the Office of Student Financial Aid:
To be considered for federal or state aid, including loans and other need-based programs, you must: be considered a degree-seeking student by NAU's Graduate College
- submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov) to the federal processor
- have a completed and verified financial aid file with NAU’s Office of Student Financial Aid; check your financial aid status online at www.nau.edu/louie
- follow satisfactory academic progress credit-hour limits and deficient-hour guidelines, as outlined in the brochure describing satisfactory academic progress, in your award packet, or at www.nau.edu/finaid/SAP/.
NAU-Flagstaff (main office)
Gammage Administration Building, third floor
928-523-4951
You can also visit our web site at www.nau.edu/finaid/, send email to Financial.Aid@nau.edu, or send faxes to 928-523-1551.
SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, EMPLOYMENT, LOANS AND VETERANS BENEFITS
Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships is available through the Office of Student Financial Aid. Whether you are a new or continuing student, we encourage you to fill out our Scholarship Interest Form, which is available at www.nau.edu/finaid/scholarship. This is not an application form, but allows NAU’s Office of Student Financial Aid to search for additional scholarships for you. This form is in effect throughout your attendance at NAU, and you can update it at any time.
While there is no deadline for doing so, we recommend you complete or update this form by March each year because most scholarships are awarded in the spring for the following year. Additionally, some NAU departments use the Scholarship Interest Form as their official application for scholarships offered.
Because some scholarships are need-based, you should file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well.
Grants
Grants may be awarded to Arizona residents who are full-time students. Priority is given to students who demonstrate high financial need, based on FAFSA results. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the standard financial aid application and is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or through NAU’s Office of Student Financial Aid locations.
Employment Programs
Employment opportunities are offered at NAU and elsewhere for students wishing to meet a portion of their educational expenses through working, which may provide invaluable work experience as well as income. We encourage you to pursue employment opportunities on your own and through NAU-contracted employers.
Student wage positions are available campus wide in Flagstaff for NAU students enrolled at least half time, regardless of financial need. Prospective employers have the necessary employment applications.
The Federal Work Study Program is a need-based employment program for full-time students. NAU lists employment opportunities available on the Flagstaff campus and arranges jobs in qualifying agencies such as the Museum of Northern Arizona and Coconino National Forest.
Off-campus employment opportunities are available to all enrolled students regardless of financial need. Off-Campus Student Employment locates and develops off-campus employment opportunities for students and assists employers in finding qualified students to fill their job openings. Positions may be local or nationwide and may include full-time, part-time, volunteer, temporary, seasonal, internship, and co-op jobs.
You can find job postings for all of these opportunities at two on-campus locations in Flagstaff as well as on our website at www.nau.edu/finaid/Employment/.
Loan Programs
You may also want to consider the following loan programs.
Federal Direct Student Loans are low-interest, need-based and non-need-based loans offered by the federal government. The interest rates are variable and are adjusted each July 1, with a cap of 8.25 percent. You may borrow up to $18,500 per year, not to exceed the determined NAU cost of attendance minus other aid or resources to be received.
To accept and receive a student loan, you must sign a master promissory note, which is a legal document of considerable significance. Just one master promissory note is in effect for ten years, regardless of what institution(s) you attend. If you have signed a master promissory note previously, either at NAU or another school, you don’t have to sign another one for student loans for ten years. The onus lies with you to keep track of how much you have borrowed each year. If you have not previously signed a master promissory note, NAU’s Office of Student Financial Aid mails one to you with instructions about how to accept, reduce, or decline the loan. You can find additional information at www.nau.edu/finaid/loans.
If you have questions about these loans, contact NAU’s Office of Student Financial Aid at 928-523-LOAN (523-5626), or you may call the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Direct Loan customer service line at 800-848-0979. Remember that you may not borrow more than NAU’s annual cost of attendance minus other financial aid and resources; please consider employment and only borrow what you need.
The Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest (five percent), need-based educational loan with limited availability. The Office of Student Financial Aid determines eligibility and awards the loan as funds become available. For award information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid. For questions about Perkins loan repayment or general information, please contact NAU’s Bursar’s Office (928-523-3122).
Veterans Education Benefits
If you are eligible or wish to find out if you’re eligible for veteran benefits, contact NAU’s Office of Veteran Services (Gammage Administration Building in Flagstaff). You can write to us at Office of Veteran Services, NAU, PO Box 4110, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4110. You can also call us at 928-523-4931, email Veterans.Services@nau.edu, or visit our website at www.nau.edu/finaid/Vets/.
Services include assistance in applying for all veteran education benefits, educational counseling, tutorial assistance, and various referral services.
Scholarship Information within the College of Education and the Department of Educational Psychology
Students also can apply for COE and EPS scholarships during early Spring. Please check the COE (coe.nau.edu) webpage for deadlines and application forms.
Scholarships available within the college are:
Clarence E. Fishburn Scholarship
Persis Fuller Educational Psychology Scholarship
Gillenwater Special Education Scholarships
Ida Belle McGill Memorial Scholarship
Craig W. Sidles Educational Psychology Scholarship
Jerry Petersen Doctoral Student Dissertation Scholarship (new-2006)
Meagan Danielson School Psychology Scholarship (new-2006)
