Applying for Financial Aid
Financial aid begins with the FAFSA.
At Creighton, we work to help you find the combination of financing opportunities and resources that will serve you best. We offer a variety of financial aid options that will help make a Creighton education accessible. No matter what financial aid you choose, you'll need to start by completing the FAFSA and applying to Creighton.
The FAFSA application and delivery system is different for the 2024-25 aid year. Learn more about FAFSA Simplification below.
FAFSA Simplification
The FAFSA application and delivery system is different for the 2024-25 aid year. The Creighton University priority filing date is February 1, 2024.
The FAFSA Simplification Act represents a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024-25 aid year. This includes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form, need analysis, and many policies and procedures for schools that participate in federal student aid programs.
These changes are aimed at making it easier for students and their families to apply for financial aid with a more streamlined application process.
Key changes
- More streamlined application process with fewer questions and an easier way to transfer the tax information directly from the IRS
- Student Aid Index (SAI) replaces the term Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
- New terminology – you will notice new terminology being used in the application and aid eligibility process
- Contributor: Anyone who is asked to provide information on the FAFSA – student, spouse, parent(s) and stepparent(s) for example.
- Consent: Each contributor will now need to provide their consent to their Federal Tax Information (FTI) being included in the FAFSA, even if they did not file a U.S. tax return.
- SAI: Student Aid Index (SAI) replaces the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
- FTI: Federal Tax Information (FTI) that is transferred directly from the IRS.
- The number of questions on the FAFSA will be reduced.
- For students whose parents are divorced or separated, the Custodial Parent on your FAFSA will be the parent who provides you with the most financial support and will no longer be the parent with whom you lived with the most over the past 12 months.
- Each contributor (student, spouse, parent(s) and/or stepparent) will have to provide consent.
- If any contributor does not provide their consent, the Student Aid Index (SAI) will not be calculated, and we will not be able to determine your eligibility for financial aid.
- Foster, unhoused and unaccompanied youth—as well as applicants who cannot provide parental information—will be able to complete the form with a provisional independent student determination and receive a calculated SAI. Additional documentation may be requested by the Financial Aid Office.
- Students can list up to 20 schools on their FAFSA via the online application.
- A direct data share with the IRS will replace what is currently known as the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT).
- Resources for completing the FAFSA form will be expanded to the 11 most common languages spoken in the United States.
- Small businesses and family farms are now considered assets.
- The number of family members in college will still be asked on the FAFSA, but it will be excluded from the SAI calculation.
- Adjustments to the new SAI calculation will expand Pell Grant eligibility to more students.
Before you start filling out the FAFSA, you can do a couple of things to get ready.
- Create your FSA ID on the Federal Student Aid site.
- Help your contributors, such as parent(s), spouses, etc., establish an FSA ID.
Step 1: File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Completing your FAFSA is the first step to establishing eligibility for all federal and state student aid programs as well as Creighton need-based aid. Check out the instructional videos from Federal Student Aid for a step-by-step guide to filing your FAFSA.
The FAFSA can be filed starting in December for the next school year. For example, a student who will begin classes at Creighton in the fall of 2024 can file the FAFSA for the 2024-2025 school year beginning December of 2023. Creighton's school code number is 002542.
Processed FAFSAs should be on file with Creighton by February 1 for priority scholarship consideration but will continue to be accepted through April 1. FAFSA results received after April 1 will be considered as funding allows.
There are some excellent tools, resources and tips for properly completing the FAFSA and avoiding common mistakes at National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).
Step 2: Creighton University contacts you if verification is required.
Some financial aid applicants will be required to verify the accuracy of financial data based upon federal regulations. Creighton University follows the federal verification guidelines.
Once you are admitted and Creighton has received the results of your FAFSA, we will be in touch to let you know if supporting documents are needed to complete your aid application.
If you are selected for verification, you will be instructed to complete the Creighton Verification Worksheet. Other documents may be requested, such as tax return transcripts, W-2 forms and documentation of other forms of income. Be sure to periodically check your NEST account for requested items, as they may change. When verification is complete, you will be notified of your eligibility for financial aid through an email directing you to your NEST account.
Please provide any needed information as soon as possible.
2023-2024 Verification Information
For the 2023-2024 school year, both students and parents can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to import their 2022 tax information. For verification purposes, you can submit a signed copy of your 2020 Federal Tax Return or submit a 2021 IRS Tax Return Transcript. You can request an IRS transcript.
Students and parents will no longer be able to view or update the income information that is imported from the IRS. As a result of this change, schools are now required by the Department of Education to authenticate students and/or parents who inquire about the income information on the FAFSA.
In order to comply with this federal regulation, Creighton University has implemented the following policy: All students and parents who utilized the IRS DRT and contact the Financial Aid Office requesting income information from their 2023-24 FAFSA, will be required to stop by the Financial Aid Office and will need to provide an unexpired valid government-issued photo identification before any income information will be released. No income information will be released over the phone or via email.
For the 2023-24 school year, parents and independent students who did not and are not required to file a 2021 tax return, will need to obtain Verification of Non-Filing from the IRS. This can be requested by completing IRS Form 4506-T (PDF). Dependent students who did not and are not required to file a 2020 tax return can complete a statement of non-filing (PDF).
Understanding Your Net ID, NEST and Creighton Email
Your Net ID is sent to you during the Admissions acceptance process. It is your unique identifier and never changes. It consists of 3 letters and 5 numbers (Example: BLU12345). It appears on your student ID card. New students, please follow these instructions to activate your Creighton account. Your account gives you access to the NEST.
The NEST is your private web-based portal for all your business here at Creighton. It’s where you retrieve information regarding your academic, financial aid and student account information 24/7.
Once you are a student at Creighton, your Creighton email becomes the official way that all offices on campus will contact you.
Step 3: Financial Aid Award notification is sent.
Once your FAFSA results have been reviewed by a member of the Financial Aid Office’s professional staff, an award notification is prepared for you.
New freshman, transfer or graduate students will receive award notification by email.
Returning students will receive an email notice that their award is available in their NEST account.
Some forms of aid, such as the Federal Work Study and loan programs may require additional paperwork or web-based activity. Be sure to read everything we send or list for you to do to make sure your aid is ready when school starts. Any missing information or documents will always be listed on your NEST Financial Aid pages.
Step 4: Accept your aid offer.
Once you’ve reviewed, understand and are satisfied with your aid offer, accept your financial aid package. Be sure to do it at least one month before the start of your academic term so your aid funds will be available when the school year begins. Financial aid offers can be formally accepted in NEST, your personal web-based portal.
How to Accept Your Aid Offer
To accept your award offer visit NEST and then:
- Select: Student/Faculty Login
- Log in to your account using your NetID and the "Blue" password you selected when first activating your account
- Select: Financial Aid
- Select: Award
- Select: Accept Award Offer by Aid Year
- Select: Aid Year
- Select: Terms and Conditions Tab: Read through and then Accept Terms and Conditions
- Select: Accept Aid Offer Tab
- Review the information at the top of the screen. Your award information is at the bottom. You can accept the entire amount, accept a partial amount or decline each type of aid offered.
- Be sure to click Submit Decision when finished.
We also encourage you to view any other missing requirements and forward them to our office as soon as possible.
If your offer includes loans, it’s important to understand the repayment process. Learn more about managing loans and the federal student loan repayment process.
Summer Session Aid
For students wishing to attend summer school and receive financial aid, a FAFSA for the new academic year will need to be on file, and students will need to complete a Summer Aid Application.
Please keep the following in mind:
- You must be enrolled at least half-time over the combined summer sessions to be eligible for student loans. Your loan funds won't be disbursed until you hit the half-time requirement.
- Pell-eligible students are eligible at less than half-time status.
- During the summer, only Federal Pell Grant funds (for eligible undergraduate students) and Federal Direct Student Loans are available. No undergraduate University Scholarships are honored during the summer. Scholarship funds received in the summer will reduce fall and spring eligibility.
- You may need to complete additional loan requirements to borrow during the summer. Those requirements will be communicated once you accept the aid offer.
Important Considerations for School of Law Students
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds – will be split into three disbursements for summer, fall and spring.
- Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan funds will be split into two disbursements for fall and spring unless enrolling in the N2H program for summer.
Qualifying For Aid
To be eligible for federal financial aid, a student must meet all these requirements:
- Be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national or eligible non-citizen
- Be attending a participating school
- Be registered at least half time (For undergraduate programs, 6 hours is half time. Graduate students, check with your school program administrator to see what is considered half time.)
- Be working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program
- Be making satisfactory academic progress
Also:
- You must demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA (except for unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans and PLUS)
- You must not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on a federal education loan
Changing federal, state, third-party or school policies can make the information presented here obsolete, and Creighton University is not liable for misrepresentation under such circumstances.
Contact Financial Aid
Have questions related to tuition or financial aid? We can help! Get in touch, and we’ll be happy to work with you.
Undergraduate: finaid@creighton.edu
Graduate: gpfinaid@creighton.edu
Toll free: 800.282.5835
Local: 402.280.2731
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Types of Financial Aid
Your financial aid offer may include several different types of aid. Explore the different types of aid to get a better understanding of what your offer might include.
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