Financial Aid
Notre Dame of Maryland University offers a comprehensive program of need-based and merit-based financial assistance. It is designed to help students and families cover the difference between the amount they are able to pay and the total cost of attending Notre Dame. According to federal guidelines, parents of traditional-aged students assume the primary responsibility for the educational expenses of the students; it is also understood that students have responsibility to help pay for their education. For adult learners, federal guidelines state that students assume primary responsibility for their own educational expenses.
Financial aid is provided through scholarships, grants, loans and paid employment, which may be offered to students singly or in combinations called financial aid packages. The sources of such funds are the federal government, state agencies, private foundations, corporations, educational institutions and Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Grants and scholarships are considered “gift aid” and require no repayment. Loans and Federal Work Study Program are considered “self-help” aid.
Educational loans, offered at low-interest rates, are generally required to be repaid after leaving Notre Dame. Federal Work Study Program allows students to earn an hourly wage for work performed at an approved job assignment.
Students who wish to be considered for need-based aid must complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available online at www.fafsa.gov.
The office of financial aid strongly encourages students and parents to complete the FAFSA application online. Online applications are processed up to two weeks faster than paper applications, and the online process has built-in edits that eliminate commonly made mistakes.
Families should complete the FAFSA each year no later than February 15 to be considered for priority awarding of limited funds. Students must include Notre Dame’s school code of 002065 on the FAFSA to ensure that their FAFSA results are received. Students who meet this deadline receive priority award processing.
Notre Dame will continue to consider FAFSA applications completed and submitted after February 15; however, funding assistance from some programs may no longer be available.
Families may be asked to provide documentation such as federal tax transcripts, proof of citizenship, etc to the office of financial aid to verify information provided on the FAFSA. It is extremely important for students to respond promptly to all requests for additional information. Failure to do so may result in the cancellation of the student’s financial aid awards.
The office of financial aid website, www.ndm.edu/financial-aid, provides detailed and up to date information on the types of aid available, how to apply, eligibility requirements, policies and procedures, external scholarships for students, deadlines, a checklist, contact information and more.
It is the responsibility of all students to read and familiarize themselves with the information contained on the financial aid website.
Students have access to their own live financial aid data 24 hours a day on WebAdvisor. New students receive access to WebAdvisor during orientation.