Financial Support

Students should apply as soon as possible after the FAFSA becomes available on October 1  for aid in the following academic year at https://studentaid.gov/.

Your financial aid package may include the following types of aid:

• Loans
• Federal Work-Study
• Grants and Scholarships

 Check out our Sources of Aid brochure for a quick overview.

The best place to check on your financial aid for a real-time status is your secure SharkLink account. Your financial aid widget will display if you have any additional requirements to complete and when your financial aid offer is available for your review. 

How to Check Your Financial Aid Status 

SharkLink

Yes. You must submit a new FAFSA for each academic year at https://studentaid.gov/.

To be eligible for federal financial aid, students must meet the following requirements.

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program
• Be enrolled at least half-time in degree-applicable coursework to be eligible for Direct Loan Program funds
• Provide consent and approval to have your federal tax information transferred directly into your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®)
• Sign the certification statement on the FAFSA stating that
• you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant
• Show you are qualified to obtain a college education by
• having a high school diploma or a state-recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
• completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law (or—if state law does not require a homeschooled student to obtain a completion credential—completing a high school education in a homeschool setting that qualifies as an exemption from compulsory attendance requirements under state law). 
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program

 For more details, visit our Financial Aid Eligibility page.

Currently, there are two primary federal graduate lending programs: the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS program (Grad PLUS) and the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program. As of July 1, 2026, the Grad PLUS program will no longer be available to new borrowers. The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program is introducing new annual and aggregate (lifetime) borrowing limits.  There is also a new total lifetime limit across all loans of $257,500. Finally, students who enroll for less than full-time will have a proportionate reduction in the amount they can borrow.

For graduate non-professional degrees, the new caps are:

• $20,500 annually; and
• $100,000

For graduate professional degrees, the new caps are:

• $50,000 annually; and
• $200,000 aggregate.

In addition, there is a new total lifetime limit across all loans of $257,500.

The following NSU programs qualify for the professional program caps listed above:

• Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
• Doctor of Allopathic Medicine (M.D.)
• Doctor of Optometry (O.D.)
• Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D)
• Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
• Doctor in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.)
• Doctor in Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.)
• Law (J.D.)

The Graduate PLUS Loan program is being phased out. Beginning July 1, 2026, it will no longer be available to new borrowers. Current borrowers (those who have a Federal Direct Loan disbursed prior to July 1, 2026) who stay in their program at NSU can keep borrowing under current rules for up to three more academic years or their remaining expected time to credential, whichever comes first. These borrowers are referred to as “grandfathered” borrowers.

The annual and aggregate loan limits are published in the 2026-27 Terms and Conditions of Your Financial Aid Award.

Beginning July 1, 2026, annual loan amounts will be prorated in direct proportion to the student’s enrollment. For example, a student enrolled at 3/4 of full-time will be able to borrow a maximum of 3/4 of the loan limit for the program and credential level. As a result, an annual loan limit of $20,500 would become a loan limit of $15,375.