Financial Aid FAQS

All students in need of financial assistance or interested in scholarships are encouraged to apply. For federal programs, you must:

• Enroll in an eligible program of study leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen.
• Have a high school diploma, GED or homeschooling at the secondary level.
• Not be in default on any loan previously received from any college nor owe an over payment of Title IV funds.
• Demonstrate financial need (except for unsubsidized Stafford and PLUS loans).
• Maintain the standards of satisfactory academic progress.
• Sign a Statement of Educational Purpose promising that any aid received will be used for costs of attendance at Northeast.

Students and families completing the FAFSA will use tax information from two years prior, as opposed to one year prior. Known as Prior-Prior Year, you will be able to file the FAFSA beginning October 1, 2022 using 2021 tax information. This allows you to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) which can speed up the application time and provide more accurate tax information.

You will need the following information before applying for Financial Aid for the 2023-2024 school year including Summer 2024:

• 2021 Federal Tax Returns and W2's
• Statements showing the amount you received in 2019 for untaxed income such as child support.
• A FSA username and password. This will be used to electronically sign your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Both you and one parent, if you are a dependent student, will need a FSA username and password. You can obtain them at https://studentaid.gov.

Next, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

• Print and complete a FAFSA on the Web Worksheet found on the https://studentaid.gov web site.
• As soon after October 1, 2022 as possible, file your 2023-2024 FAFSA on the web: https://studentaid.gov. The Northeast code is 002556.
• Be sure you and your parent (if you are a dependent student) sign your FAFSA using separate usernames and passwords (without completed signatures, your FAFSA will reject) or print the signature page and send the completed form to the Central Processing Center.
• Use the IRS Data Retrieval when submitting your tax information online.
• Additional documentation may be required when Northeast receives your FAFSA information electronically; corrections could delay the award process.

Students and contributors completing the 2024-25 FAFSA will still use tax information from two years prior. Known as Prior-Prior Year, you will be able to file the FAFSA beginning December 2023 using 2022 tax information. The federal government will use tax data directly from the IRS to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI), formerly known as the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

You will need the following information before applying for Financial Aid for the 2024-2025 school year including Summer 2025:

• A FSA username and password. This will be used to electronically sign your FAFSA. 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.
• 2022 Federal Tax Returns and W2's;
• Current net worth of all businesses and/or all farms;
• Child support received from the last complete calendar year.

Next, complete the FAFSA:

• File your 2024-2025 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.
• Additional documentation may be required when Northeast receives your FAFSA information electronically; corrections could delay the award process.

Additional information can be found on our site regarding FAFSA Simplification.

• 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.

The first step in applying for financial aid is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Starting on October 1 of each year, you can complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the following academic year.

Tax transcripts can be obtained online from the IRS at www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript, which is the preferred method. You may also request a tax transcript by phone at (800) 908-9946.

If you have been granted a filing extension, filed an amended tax return, were a victim IRS identity theft, filed a Non-IRS Tax return or are a non-filer who must provide verification, please see the information below.

Individuals Granted a Filing Extension by the IRS:

You must obtain a copy of IRS Form 4868 “Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return” that was filed with the IRS for the appropriate tax year; A copy of the IRS's approval of an extension beyond the automatic six-month extension if the individual requested an additional extension of the filing time; and a copy of IRS Form W-2 for each source of employment income received. If self-employed, you must submit a signed statement certifying the amount of the individual's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and U.S. income tax paid for the tax year.

Individuals Who Filed an Amended IRS Income Tax Return:

You must provide a signed copy of your original tax return or an IRS Tax Return Transcript that includes information from the original tax return OR any other IRS tax transcript that includes all income and tax information from the original tax return required for verification (neither of which has to be signed) and a signed copy of the IRS Form 1040X, “Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return” that was filed with the IRS.

Individuals Who Were Victims of IRS Identity Theft:

Tax filers who are denied an IRS Tax Return Transcript using one of the regular request processes due to IRS identity theft will be referred to the Identity Protection Specialized Unit (IPSU) toll-free number at 1-800-908-4490. Tax filers who believe they are victims of identity theft do not need to be referred to the IPSU; they may call the number directly or go to the IRS identity theft website at www.irs.gov. After the IPSU authenticates the tax filer's identify, the tax filer can request that the IRS mail to the tax filer an alternate tax return transcript known as the TRDBV (Transcript DataBase View).

Individuals Who Filed Non-IRS Income Tax Returns:

An individual, who filed or will file a tax return with Puerto Rico, another U.S. territory, or with a foreign country, must provide a signed copy of the income tax return(s).

If you need a Non-filing Letter to confirm that a tax return has not been filed you can download the IRS Form 4506-T at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf.

Complete the form exactly as requested with no crossed out items or it will be rejected by the IRS. This letter must be dated after October 1, 2022.

Mail or fax the form to the IRS to the address, or FAX number, provided on page 2 of the Form 4506-T.

Forward the form to the Financial Aid Office when you receive it from the IRS. Or you may request the form be sent directly to the Financial Aid Office. Our address is:

Northeast Community College
Att. Financial Aid Office
PO Box 469
Norfolk NE 68702

You may also register to use Get Transcript Online to view, print, or download a verification of non-filing letter.

You will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the office of Federal Financial Aid at the U.S. Department of Education. The SAR 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 SAR. If your application is incomplete, your SAR will not include an EFC, but it will tell you what you need to do to resolve any issues. The SAR does not tell you how much financial aid you will receive. You will receive your actual award notification from Northeast.

Check your SAR for errors, giving special attention to items that may be questioned. You can make changes to your FAFSA electronically, if necessary. Otherwise, if you received a paper SAR, enter the changes on Part 2, sign and forward all pages of the SAR to the Financial Aid Office at Northeast Community College. The Northeast Financial Aid Office will reprocess any corrections. DO NOT mail the SAR or other documents to the Central Processing Center.

The factors that determine a family's ability to contribute to college costs are: student and parent income and assets, total number of family members, number of family members attending college (excluding parents), age of older parent, and state of residence. The computation allows for necessary family expenditures such as taxes, reasonable living costs, and usual medical expenses, and protects a portion of a family's assets as a retirement allowance depending on age of older parent. A part of the remaining income and assets is assumed to be available for college expenses.

Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is the number used by Northeast to calculate how much financial aid you are eligible to receive, not the amount you will pay for college or the amount of federal aid you are eligible to receive.

Your eligibility depends on your Student Aid Index (SAI), your year in school, your 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 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 he or she is 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 state aid, institutional scholarships and outside assistance cannot exceed a Students Estimated Cost of Attendance. Financial Aid will be adjusted accordingly.

All grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and loans are credited to your student account with the Student Accounts on a semester-by-semester basis. After all Northeast costs for the semester have been paid from your account, a refund check will be mailed or direct deposited approximately fourteen days after the start of the term or completion of the aid process.

*Federal Work-Study wages are not credited to student accounts. Students receive a paycheck every two weeks for actual hours worked.

There are alternatives for students who do not qualify for grant assistance or whose families need help meeting the family contribution.

One alternative is the Federal PLUS loan. It offers parents the opportunity to borrow up to the full cost of education (less any student financial aid) each year. Repayment usually must begin within 60 days. Some deferment options may apply. There is no income restriction or needs test for the PLUS program. Federal PLUS loans do require a satisfactory credit check for loan approval. Contact the Financial Aid Office for specific details.

The basic premise of the financial aid program is that students and parents have the primary responsibility for educational expenses.  If you are a dependent student, we determine your financial need using financial information provided by both you and your parents. If you are an independent student financial need is determined by your income and assets and, if you are married, the income and assets of your spouse.

You are considered an independent student if you can answer yes to one of the following:

• You are 24 years of age before January 1 of the award year
• You are married as of the day you completed the FAFSA
• You are working on a degree beyond a bachelor's degree
• You have children who receive more than half of their support from you
• You have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and receive more than half of their support from you
• You are an orphan or ward of the court
• You are or were an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence
• You are or were in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence
• You are a veteran of active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces
• If at any time on or after July 1st, 2022 your high school or school district homeless liaison determined that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless

If the above conditions do not apply to you, you are a dependent student and must use your parents' information. If you feel that special circumstances exist, please contact the Northeast Financial Aid Office. **Independent status is NOT determined by your wish to be financially independent of your parents nor based on your parents' un-willingness to finance your college education.

Financial aid is awarded on an annual basis and no aid award is renewed automatically. You are responsible for reapplying each year.

To apply for federal and state aid, you must file a current version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students renewing federal aid eligibility may complete a Renewal FAFSA online.

Students who receive aid from a private agency or donor are responsible for completing any renewal documents the agency or donor may require.

If you have already done a FAFSA for the current school year, you do not need to complete another one, you just need to add Northeast Community College to the list of schools on your FAFSA. (Northeast's Federal School Code is 002556.) If you did your FAFSA on paper and received a Student Aid Report (SAR), it can be submitted to the Northeast Financial Aid Office along with the verification worksheet, tax transcripts and W2's. Contact the Financial Aid office for more information. You must cancel your financial aid at your other school, and you will be re-awarded at Northeast.

The Title IV Code is 002556.

Students who are enrolled in a Northeast approved study abroad course may be eligible for additional federal financial aid assistance if they are otherwise eligible. Enrollment in a program of study abroad approved for credit by Northeast may be considered in a student's financial aid enrollment status for purposes of applying for federal student financial aid.

For information on study abroad opportunities please visit: https://northeast.edu/study-abroad.

To find out if you are eligible for additional federal financial aid assistance please contact the Financial Aid Office at (402) 844-7285 or email finaid@northeast.edu. A student will need to submit documentation of additional expenses occurred for the study abroad experience.