Aid Eligibility & Applying
What options are available for financing your NECO education? Which do you qualify for? Find answers here, and with our helpful financial aid staff.
To qualify for U.S. federal student assistance you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- Be enrolled as a regular student working towards a degree.
- Be enrolled at least half-time, i.e, 8-11.99 credit hours for fall or spring semesters, or 4.5-8.99 credit hours for summer terms. (When a student drops to less than half-time study, she or he becomes ineligible for federal aid and enters the student loan grace period.)
- Be making satisfactory academic progress according to the College’s Student Handbook.
- Qualify for aid according to federal need analysis.
- Not be in default on a previous education loan or owe a repayment of an education grant.
- Have a valid social security number.
When to Apply
These deadlines apply to all students, no matter the NECO program you are entering.
- Financial Aid Application Deadline: April 1
- Forms to use: 2026-2027 FAFSA
Apply for Financial Aid by April 1
Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for every year you want loans and/or work study. NECO’S FEDERAL CODE IS 002164.
You will also need to complete the CSS Profile if you would like to be considered for lower- interest loans, such as the Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL) and the Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS). The CSS school code 3511. Parental information must be provided on the application. The CSS Profile does NOT need to be completed if you are only applying for federal aid. Please note that there is a fee for this application, so please contact the Financial Aid Office for a fee waiver code BEFORE completing it. NECO will not reimburse students that pay the fee themselves.
Graduate students applying only for federal student aid are not required to report parent information. If you consider your family “economically disadvantaged,” you may want to provide parent information to be considered for the more favorable Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL), Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS), and NECO’s Fund For Education (FFE) Loan.
If you accept a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, you must complete the loan’s master promissory note (MPN) found on the FSA website and the entrance counseling before funds can disburse. The Graduate PLUS Loan has a separate MPN. Entrance counseling results are used for both loans.
Contact Us
Let us help you navigate your options.
Financial Aid Office
Esther Bandoo-Gomes, Director of Financial Aid
Brandon Cipoletta, Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Tiffany Tortora, Financial Aid Assistant