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Applying for Financial Aid

Federal School Code: 009937

Nebraska Methodist College students receive more than $19 million in financial aid each year. In the 2020-21 academic year, about 75 percent of the total student body received some form of aid. This assistance comes from a variety of sources, including Nebraska Methodist College, Methodist Hospital Foundation, federal and state governments, private foundations, banks, employers, churches and more.

Financial Aid
Apply for Admission to NMC

To be eligible for financial aid at NMC, you must be admitted to an eligible certificate or degree program. For most federal, state and NMC funding, eligible programs include all associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate programs.   

Students enrolled in certificate programs are not eligible for most federal financial aid. One exception - the NFLP program is available to students in the Nurse Educator Certificate program. Contact Kathryn Freed to learn more about options for undergraduate certificates. Contact Bailey Jorgensen to learn about options for graduate certificates.

Apply for Scholarships

NMC Scholarships – New students may qualify for certain scholarships at the time of admission. Some are automatic with no separate application required, while others are competitive and do require an application. Current students have the opportunity to apply for donor-funded scholarships every spring for the following academic year. See all the details.

External Scholarships – Students are encouraged to explore all scholarship opportunities for which they qualify. Here are some sources to consider: your employer, your parent’s or spouse’s employer, your church, local civic organizations, and area foundations. High school students should check with your guidance counselor. Find a list of additional resources.

There are numerous legitimate scholarship programs available, but be aware there are also scams. The Federal Trade Commission provides tips on how to spot a potential scam.

Complete the FAFSA

A key step in receiving financial aid is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can be done online at StudentAid.gov. This is a mobile friendly site, so you can submit your FAFSA securely and safely from your computer or mobile device.   

Follow these three steps to complete your FAFSA: 

  1. Obtain an FSA ID, the username and password that serves as your electronic signature. 
  2. Gather records of your income, bank statements and other financial information.
  3. Complete and submit your FAFSA. The federal school code for Nebraska Methodist College is 009937. Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) if you are eligible to do so. The IRS DRT allows you to transfer information from your tax return directly to your FAFSA. This ensures that the correct information gets reported on your FAFSA, and it reduces your chances of being selected for verification. In order to enhance the security and privacy of sensitive personal data transferred to the FAFSA from the IRS, the imported data will be masked and will not be displayed for you to view.

Important tips & reminders:

  • The FAFSA is usually available starting Oct. 1 in the year prior to the start of the academic year.  However, the 2024-2025 FAFSA won't be available until December 2023. 
  • FAFSA applications may be open for multiple academic years, so be sure to select the correct one.
  • The FAFSA must be submitted each academic year for most financial aid programs.
  • NMC's FAFSA priority date for need-based aid is March 1 prior to the fall semester.
  • The FAFSA is free! If you are asked to pay a fee, you are on the wrong site.

What Happens After Completing Your FAFSA

You should receive an email from the FAFSA processor within two weeks of submitting your FAFSA, which will provide instructions on how to access your Student Aid Report (SAR) online. The SAR provides basic information about your eligibility for federal financial aid and includes the information you reported on your FAFSA. Review your information and submit any necessary corrections.  

NMC typically begins reviewing applications and corresponding with financial aid applicants in March for the following fall term.  After that time, notifications are usually sent out within 1-2 weeks of receiving the FAFSA results. Processing for new students with spring and summer start dates will begin after those admission decisions are made. 

  1. After NMC receives and reviews the results of your FAFSA, we will inform you of your status.
    Most correspondence will be sent by email. Prior to the start of a student's first semester of enrollment, we use the personal email address reported on the FAFSA or the one on file at the College. Once your classes begin, the majority of correspondence will be sent to your college email account. An email notification may tell you that we need additional information and/or documentation before we can determine your financial aid eligibility. 
  2. Once we are able to determine your eligibility, we will notify you that your financial aid offer is ready for you to view.
    It is your responsibility to access your account on the NMC Financial Aid Portal to view details about documentation requirements and/or your financial aid offer. It is important to act promptly when you receive these communications.  If you do not respond, we are unable to continue processing your application. 
  3. Initial offers are typically based on full-time enrollment.
    Notify the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible if you plan to enroll part-time, as it could affect the amount of your financial aid.
  4. If your family's financial situation changes, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
    If the family income you reported on the FAFSA does not reflect your family's current ability to pay for your educational expenses, please contact the NMC Financial Aid Office to discuss your options. Examples of typical life changes include loss of employment or other income, separation or divorce, death of spouse or parent, excessive unreimbursed payments for medical/dental expenses, etc. Appropriate documentation will be needed to support your request. 
  5. Federal aid is not automatically renewed so students must reapply each academic year.
    The FAFSA is usually available beginning Oct. 1 prior to the fall semester of the new academic year, but the 2024-2025 FAFSA will not be available until December 2023. The priority date to be considered for NMC’s need-based aid is March 1 prior to the fall semester. 

NMC merit scholarships are automatically renewed provided the necessary criteria are met. However, NMC requires all scholarship recipients to submit a FAFSA by June 1 prior to each academic year.

Academic progress is reviewed at the end of summer term in August, and notifications are sent to students who are not eligible for renewal.

Start Your FAFSA