Affordability Program

The current economic crisis has made many families wonder how they’ll be able to afford college. High attendance costs have received much public attention and scrutiny, but not all the news about the cost of education is bad. 

The process of evaluating NCU’s cost of attendance has been heavily influenced by concerns about the ability of our students to finance their education. NCU recognizes  that the less debt students incur while enrolled, the greater opportunity they will have for success after graduation. 

In addition to helping students tap in to millions of dollars in financial aid each year, NCU has evaluated and adapted our financial aid awarding process. These changes make it much easier to estimate the aid a student will recieve, allowing them to evaluate what their personal cost of attendance will be early in the enrollment process.  Most students’ net cost of attending NCU is far lower than the total cost due to scholarships, grants, and other aid.

Paying for college is still a sizeable investment, but our goal is to make it as affordable as possible for you! Let us show you how you can afford a great college experience at NCU by following the steps below:

 Affordability Program Steps:

• Apply and be admitted to NCU. 

• Complete and Submit the Student Aid Profile (If submitting prior to Feb. 1, 2010) or the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid - if later than Feb 1, 2010).  Based on you the information in your Application for Admission (like your GPA) and your family's income as reported on the Student Aid Profile or FAFSA, students will typically receive a base financial aid package as follows:

  The aid listed in this chart may consist of any of the following types of aid:

  • Christian Leadership Scholarship
  • Dean's Scholarship
  • President's Scholarship
  • Ministerial/Missionary Discount
  • North Central Grant

• Once your Student Aid Profile is returned to the financial aid office, an estimated award letter will be mailed to you.
• Return your housing application & deposit by Jan 31, 2010 (for students enrolling in Fall 2010), and you may be eligible for a First Choice scholarship. (Dependent upon academic and other qualifications.)  Download housing application.

First Choice Scholarship Requirements and Award Amounts:

• Check out other scholarship opportunities NCU offers to see if you qualify:
  • Church Match Scholarship
  • Academic Excellence Scholarship
  • Music Scholarship
  • Senior Teen Bible Quiz Scholarship
  • Regents Scholarship 
• THE RAM PLAN: If your financial aid package doesn't cover your costs (most students have a balance remaining to be paid after aid), you don't have to pay it all at once. NCU offers a payment option, "The Ram Plan". The Ram Plan will allow students to pay their remaining balance with an interest free monthly plan, spread over up to seven months in the fall semester and five months in the spring semester.  

A note about GPA requirements: Your aid award from NCU will be determined based on your cumulative high school GPA at the time of your acceptance to NCU. Your aid will not be reevaluated if your GPA changes after you have already been admitted.  (If you are a transfer student, your aid will be determined based on your cumulative transfer GPA).