Federal Student Aid
Federal Pell Grant
The Federal Pell Grant is a federally funded grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education and is based on the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the following criteria:
- Awards are based on a student's Estimated Family Contribution (EFC).
- Awards may vary, with a maximum of $7,395 for the 2023-2024 school year.
- Awards are available to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree.
- Pell Grants can be awarded to both full- and part-time undergraduate students.
- Students can receive the Pell Grant for up to 12 full-time semesters.
- Pell grant amounts are calculated based on enrollment status: less than half-time, half-time, three-quarter time and full-time. For instance, if you are attending full-time, you will receive the full amount of the Pell Grant and if you are half-time, you will receive half of your Pell Grant for that particular semester.
- Your Pell Grant amount will be determined by the number of credits in which you are enrolled on the census date/the last day to receive 100% refund. Please see the Academic Calendar.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The FSEOG is a federally funded grant awarded by the NIC Financial Aid Office and based on completion of the FAFSA and the following criteria:
- Awarded to Pell Grant-eligible students who completed the FAFSA prior to or on the specified priority deadline.
- Award amounts vary.
- Available to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree.
Learn more about grants by visiting StudentAid.gov.
Deciding whether to accept a student loan is a big step toward funding your education. Before making any decisions, the NIC Financial Aid Office encourages you to get information about student loans, additional steps needed to accept them, what steps to take after you have accepted a loan, and what happens after you leave college for any reason.
Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling
If you’ve accepted loans, you must complete your Loan Entrance Counseling and sign your Master Promissory Note at StudentAid.gov before purchasing books or receiving a disbursement.
Loan Repayment and Direct Loan Exit Counseling
Have you recently graduated or dropped below six credits? If so, you may be entering the repayment phase of your student loans.
Direct Loan Exit Counseling: Exit counseling is required whenever a borrower leaves school, graduates or drops below half-time enrollment. To complete exit counseling, please visit studentloans.gov.
Work-study is a job on-campus or off-campus where you earn a paycheck as a part of your Federal Student Aid to help with educational expenses, and it doesn't have to be paid back. Work-study is much more than a paycheck. Work-study helps you build your résumé, gain new skills, and connect with staff and faculty on campus.
Work-study program eligibility is determined by your FAFSA.
Once a work-study position is secured, you can work up to 20 hours per week and are paid on a bi-weekly basis. You are allowed to earn no more than your offered work-study award.
Determining Work-study Program Eligibility
- Complete your FAFSA
- Your FAFSA will be processed by the Financial Aid Office
- You will be awarded your offer of grants and/or loans, if eligible
- If you are eligible for the Work-study Program, you will receive a separate email sent to your Cardinal Mail with instructions to secure your award.
Applying for a Work-study Position
To apply and secure a position, you will follow the steps provided to you in an email.
- Click the link located in the email and complete the application.
- The Financial Aid Office will process your application and provide a Work-Study Authorization (WSA) on your MyNIC Self-Service.
- Search for an open position on the Work-Study Job Board.
- Contact the supervisor of the open position and request an interview.
- Interview and secure the job.
- Complete the hiring paperwork with the NIC Human Resources Office.
Scholarships
The North Idaho College Foundation is proud to announce that more than $1 million in scholarship funding is available to assist North Idaho College students this year!
Applying for NIC Foundation Scholarships
- Log in to your MyNIC account.
- Click on “NIC Foundation Scholarship Application”.
- Enter your information on the scholarship application and complete the essay portion.
- If you are selected to receive an NIC scholarship, notification will be sent to your Cardinal Mail
Upon submission of the scholarship system will match you to applicable scholarships. You may be prompted to submit additional materials, please read carefully. There are hundreds of scholarships available with varying criteria. We encourage all NIC students to apply!
The NIC Financial Aid Office and the Idaho State Department of Education are committed to providing funding for students’ education. Below are links to scholarship opportunities offered through the State of Idaho.
Feb. 15 Deadline
March 1 Deadline
April 12 Deadline
There are some great outside entities that offer scholarships. NIC is committed to making these resources available but is not associated in any way with these entities. The following websites provide information on outside scholarships that are available to you at your own risk.