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How to Apply for Financial Aid

A North Central student completes her financial aid.

We’re committed to helping you make the most out of financial aid so you can keep your college costs manageable and you’re prepared to succeed when you graduate.

You’ll apply for financial aid each year you attend North Central. Here are the steps.

Step 1 — Complete your FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used by the government to determine your Student AID Index (SAI) and your eligibility for need-based aid. We also use the information from the FAFSA to determine your eligibility to receive some types of North Central aid.

You need to complete your FAFSA before we can offer you an official financial aid award, so this is a very important step. You can file your FAFSA any time after December 31 for the following academic year you’re applying for. Remember that some types of aid have limited funding, so the earlier you complete this step, the better. Watch this video for FAFSA tips for parents.

Make sure you include North Central University (code #002369) on the list of schools to receive your FAFSA information.

Learn more about the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which allows students and parents to access tax return information needed to complete the FAFSA.

Step 2 — Confirm your Student Aid Report information

Three to five days after filing the FAFSA, you’ll receive a Student Aid Report, either by e-mail or mail, which will list your FAFSA information. Review the data for accuracy. If you need to make corrections, follow the instructions on the report or contact us. North Central will receive your FAFSA results electronically about the same time you receive the Student Aid Report if you listed North Central as one of your school choices on the FAFSA.

Step 3 — Provide requested documents and verification

Our office will review your information and contact you if we need additional documentation or information. You may be asked to provide copies of prior-prior year of federal income tax returns and additional forms verifying information listed on the FAFSA. For example, when filing the 2024-2025 FAFSA, you will use tax information from 2022.

Not all students will be selected for verification. If you are selected, we can’t continue to process your file until verification documents are received.

Step 4 — Apply for North Central scholarships and discounts

Some scholarships and discounts aren’t awarded through the North Central Application or FAFSA. These require additional applications:

  • Church Match Scholarship
  • Regent’s Scholarship
  • Performance Scholarships (Music and Theatre)

Learn more about applying for these scholarships and discounts.

Step 5 — Receive and accept your awards

We’ll send you an email notifying you that your financial aid has been awarded. This email will be sent to your North Central email address, so be sure to check this regularly. Once you’ve received this email, you can log into Skyline > Colleague > Financial Aid > Review and Accept your Financial Aid Award Package. On this page is also a checklist, where you’ll be able to see if there are any additional steps you need to complete in order to receive your awards.