FAFSA Application

You will need the following information before applying for the FAFSA:

• A FSA username and password. Both you and your contributor, if you are a dependent student, will need a FSA username and password. You can obtain them at  https://studentaid.gov. This is also how you will electronically sign your FAFSA.
• Federal Tax Returns and W-2's.
• Current net worth of all businesses and/or all farms. As of the 2026-27 FAFSA, businesses and investment farms do not include a family business with 100 or fewer full-time employees, farms where the family resides, or a commercial fishing business and related expenses.
• Child support received from the last complete calendar year.

• File your FAFSA on the web:  https://studentaid.gov. The Northeast code is 002556.
• The FAFSA will be completed in 2 parts. First by you, the student, and then by the contributor(s). Be sure you and your contributor (if you are a dependent student) complete and sign your FAFSA using separate usernames and passwords. Without completed signatures, your FAFSA will reject.
• If you and your contributor are unable to complete an online application, you may print and complete a FAFSA found on the  https://studentaid.gov web site. Estimated processing time by the Department of Education for paper applications is 5-6 weeks.

• Completing the FAFSA is the first step in applying for financial aid at Northeast. After submitting the FAFSA, students should review Next Steps to see what additional actions or documents are required.
• You may be required to submit additional verification documentation after Northeast receives your FAFSA information electronically; corrections could delay the award process. Documents can now be uploaded electronically via Student Forms. Contact the Financial Aid office with questions.

Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID - log-in credentials that you create in order to gain access to the FAFSA application. Be sure to enter your name and social security number exactly as they appear on your social security card.

Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is a formula-based index number ranging from –1500 to 999999. Where your SAI falls within the SAI range helps your school determine how much financial support you may need. A negative SAI indicates you have a higher financial need.

Contributor - anyone who is required to provide information on a student's FAFSA form, including the student, the student's spouse, a biological or adopted parent, or the parent's spouse.  Being a contributor does not imply responsibility for the college costs of the student.

FAFSA Submission Summary – a paper or electronic document that gives basic estimates about the student’s eligibility for federal student aid.  It is not a financial aid offer. Typically, the student will be able to access the FAFSA Submission Summary within one to three days of filing the FAFSA form.

Students that live with a single/divorced/widowed parent and receive most of their support from that parent, will report only one parent on the FAFSA. The parent included on the FAFSA as a contributor must be the parent that provides the greater portion of the student's financial support. If that primary parent is remarried, the income of that parent's spouse (stepparent) will also be required.

If your parent is recently widowed, please contact the Financial Aid office.

If a student or required contributor doesn't provide consent to have their federal tax information transferred into the FAFSA form, the student will not be eligible for federal student aid—even if they manually enter tax information into the FAFSA form, did not file a tax return, or had no income.

Printing a physical signature page is no longer an option as it was in the past. There are alternative options for contributors to provide consent who do not want to or refuse to create an FSA ID, however they are not recommended due to complexity and very lengthy processing time. Please contact the Financial Aid office for further information.

You will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) from the office of Federal Financial Aid at the U.S. Department of Education. The FSS reflects the information submitted and will allow the college to determine your eligibility for all types of aid. A Student Aid Index (SAI) will display in the upper right-hand corner of your FSS. If your application is incomplete, your FSS will not include a SAI, but it will tell you what you need to do to resolve any issues. The FSS does not tell you how much financial aid you will receive. You will receive your actual award notification from Northeast.

Check your FSS for errors, giving special attention to items that may be questioned. You can make changes to your FAFSA electronically, if necessary.

Your eligibility depends on your Student Aid Index (SAI), year in school, enrollment status, and the cost of attendance at Northeast. The Financial Aid staff will determine how much financial aid you are eligible to receive. In accordance with federal regulations, the following formula is used to determine your financial need:

Estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) (NOT your bill)
- Student Aid Index (SAI) (NOT the amount you have to pay Northeast)
= Financial Need

The Financial Aid staff will try to fill any financial need by awarding various types of aid. The Pell Grant is determined first, and then scholarships are added to the aid package. If funds are still available, you will be considered for supplemental grants and Federal Work-Study. Federal Direct Loans are added last. All financial aid is split between the fall and spring semesters.

The combination of federal aid, state aid, institutional scholarships and outside assistance cannot exceed a Students Estimated Cost of Attendance. Aid will be adjusted accordingly.

• When a correct summary from the FAFSA processor is received electronically in the Northeast Financial Aid Office and we have received all required forms and documentation, an award notification will be emailed to your personal email address on file.
  • If no personal email address exists, the notification will be sent to your FAFSA email address on file.
• The award notification will include directions to your 'My Northeast' account.
• Any grant funds awarded will already show as accepted.
• If you make the decision to accept student loans, you must accept via your 'My Northeast' account. See Loan FAQ's for loan processing information. Each student borrower must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Loan Entrance Counseling when borrowing for the first time at Northeast.
• Aid offers may be modified if the student is not enrolled full-time on the tenth day of classes. No adjustments will be made after that date unless the student receives additional outside aid, does not begin attending all classes for which they are registered, or ceases attendance in some or all classes during the 100% refund period. Student status is determined as follows:
  • Full-time (FT): 12 or more credits attempted per semester
  • Three-quarter time (TT): 9-11 credits attempted per semester
  • Half time (HT): 6-8 credits attempted per semester
  • Less than half time (LTHT): 5 or fewer credits attempted per semester

All awards on your 'My Northeast' account will show as a full-time student; however, the disbursed aid will be prorated based upon your enrollment status. All financial aid is divided equally between the fall and spring semesters.

Outside scholarships of more than $300 will be split between the two semesters unless otherwise stated by the donor. The combination of federal aid, state aid, institutional scholarships and outside assistance cannot exceed a Students Estimated Cost of Attendance. Financial Aid will be adjusted accordingly.