FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY

Students may receive financial aid if they meet federal, state, private and institutional eligibility criteria and are in good academic standing with the institution. Some of the federal eligibility criteria are U.S. citizenship, not in default of loans, Social Security Administration match, Selective Service enrollment and credit rating (if applicable).

Students are eligible for financial aid during those terms in which they are enrolled at least half-time in credit hours, as determined by the Registrar's Office. There may be limited private loans
if the student is enrolled below half-time credit hours.

ENROLLMENT STATUS DEFINITIONS

The enrollment status of Northwestern students is defined according to the credit loads shown in the following table:

Financial assistance will be adjusted for each trimester of enrollment according to the student's enrollment status and the regulations that govern each program.

FINANCIAL AID AND SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

The Higher Education Amendments that govern Title IV Financial Assistance Programs state that "a student shall be entitled to receive federal student assistance benefits only if that student is maintaining progress in the course of study he/she is pursuing, according to the standards and practices of the institution." Northwestern's Policy of Satisfactory Academic Progress requires a student to meet both a Scholastic Standard (qualitative-grade requirement), and a Program Standard (quantitative-work completed). Supportive services are available at Northwestern to help ensure scholastic success. Information about these services is available in the Student Counseling Center . An aid-recipient's Satisfactory Academic Progress will be monitored at the end of each grading period to establish the student's eligibility to continue receiving financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Receiving Financial Aid in Programs Offered at Northwestern:

Doctor of Chiropractic; B.S. in Human Biology; Pre-Professional Program (graduate/professional preparatory) — undergraduate course work required to complete the dual degree of doctor of chiropractic and bachelor of science in human biology:

• Maintaining a minimum grade point average (G.P.A.) on all work attempted or academic standing consistent with graduation requirements; that is, to be making satisfactory progress toward a doctor of chiropractic degree and a bachelor of science degree in human biology.
• Completing the minimum trimester status requirements for which assistance was received.
• The student may not receive federal financial aid beyond 150 percent of the normal time to complete the doctor of chiropractic degree and the bachelors of science degree in human biology. Therefore, a student may receive financial aid during periods of full-time enrollment equivalent to: Chiropractic —15 trimesters or 331.80 credits; Pre-Professional Program — three terms or 20 credits

Masters of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

• Students must pass all required courses with a grade of 75 percent. Students may repeat failed or "no credit" courses.
• For elective courses, no credit is given without a passing grade, but a failed elective need not be repeated. Other courses may be substituted to make up the total credit requirement.
• Full-time students must pass 75 percent of enrolled courses each year.
• No credit is given for withdrawals or failures.
• Credit for an incomplete is granted only on completion of the specified missing parts, within the time frame provided by the instructor.
• Clinical performance is evaluated each trimester. To pass, the average score must be appropriate for the intern's stage of progress in the clinic. Particular areas with scores below expectation will have to be re-mediated.
• 100 percent clinical attendance is required. All missed hours must be made up.
• Students must pass clinical competency exams prior to beginning supervised clinical practice, and at various stages throughout clinic.
• The student may not receive federal financial aid beyond 150 percent of the normal time to complete the master's of acupuncture or Oriental medicine. Therefore, a student may receive financial aid during periods of full-time enrollment equivalent to: Acupuncture —12 trimesters or 166.35 credits; Oriental Medicine —13.5 trimester or 216.60 credits.

School of Massage Therapy

• Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) of 2.00 ("C") or better. Satisfactory progress is evaluated at the conclusion of each academic trimester.
• The student may not receive federal financial aid beyond 150 percent of the normal time to complete the certificate of massage therapy. Therefore, a student may receive financial aid during periods of full-time enrollment equivalent to: Massage Therapy — 4.5 trimesters or 54 credits.

FINANCIAL AID SUSPENSION AND APPEAL

Academic dismissal or financial aid suspension: If the student has incurred an academic deficiency (probation or dismissal) of the trimester just completed, the student's financial aid will be placed on hold/suspension until the student's academic record has been reviewed.

How to appeal: The student may make an appeal of the academic dismissal to the Academic Standards Committee.

FINANCIAL AID COUNSELING

Entrance, Midstream, and Exit Counseling are required for students who have or will obtain loans while attending Northwestern. Loan counseling is particularly important because new students often have little or no experience with repayment and managing their individual financial aid protfolio debt. Northwestern must conduct Entrance Counseling before releasing the first disbursement of Stafford and Perkins Loans (online at www.mapping-your-future.org). Midstream Counseling is also provided halfway through the graduate programs so that students are aware of their up-to-date aggregate aid total and monthly payments. The emphasis for Exit Counseling shifts to more specific information about loan repayment and debt management which includes Stafford and Perkins loans (online at www.mapping-your-future.org).

Students may access information on their federal aid debt history at www.nslds.gov or www.loanlocator.org.

Contact the Financial Services Office for more information at (952) 888-4777, ext. 387.

For additional information please contact the Financial Services Office at (952) 887-1387.