Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Completing the FAFSA is the first step in the financial aid process. The FAFSA results, or Student Aid Index (SAI), determine a student's eligibility for federal, state and institutional funding that may help pay for educational expenses. Expenses may include tuition, course and other fees, textbooks, supplies, tools, transportation, housing & meals, and other personal expenses.
Financial aid may include:
| Funding Source | Sample Types of Student Aid |
|---|---|
| Federal (Federal Student Aid) | Pell Grant, FSEOG, Student Loans, Work Study |
| State (Iowa College Aid) | Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, Kibbie Grant, Vocational-Technical Grant, Iowa National Guard Service Scholarship |
| Institutional (NICC) | NICC Foundation Scholarships, NICC Loyalty Awards, NICC Athletic Scholarships |
Students and contributors (parent(s), spouse, step-parent), are required to create their own FSA ID (Studentaid.gov account) in order to apply for, receive, and manage federal student aid.
Northeast Iowa Community College FAFSA Federal School Code = 004587
The FAFSA should be completed each school year that a student plans to attend college. It is available beginning October 1 for the following school year.
The 2025-26 FAFSA is for students attending college this current academic year (fall 2025, spring 2026 and summer 2026 semesters).
The 2025-26 FAFSA filing deadline was extended for Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship eligibility to on or before December 31, 2025.
The 2026-27 FAFSA is available now! Who should complete the 2026-27 FAFSA?
- High School Seniors who will graduate in the spring (Class of 2026)
- Students that will begin college in August 2026 (fall semester)
- Current NICC students who wil continue with their program next year
Planning for the 2025-26 school year is underway at Federal Student Aid and NICC. Use the timeline below to determine important dates in your enrollment process for next year at NICC.
| 2025-26 FAFSA - Next School Year | Important Dates |
|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | 8/21/2025 - 12/17/2025 |
| Spring 2026 | 01/12/2026 - 05/13/2026 (Winterim is part of the spring semester for financial aid purposes. |
| Summer 2026 | 05/19/2026 - 08/12/2026 |
| Iowa College Aid FAFSA Filing Deadline | * On or before July 1, 2025 for Kibbie & Vo-Tech Grant * Subject to change per Iowa College Aid |
| Iowa Last Dollar Scholarship FAFSA Filing Deadline | * On or before December 31, 2025 * Subject to change per Iowa College Aid |
Annual FAFSA Timeline. Prepare now so that you are ready to start college next fall at NICC.
| Month | Action to take | Details & Links |
|---|---|---|
| Ongoing |
Create/Confirm your FSA ID prior to starting the FAFSA Submit your 2025-26 FAFSA Email communication regarding your FAFSA will begin to be sent out to students and parents |
Check your NICC email - NICC MyCampus dashboard |
| Ongoing |
FAFSA - Review your FAFSA Submission Summary data for accuracy Corrections available for Students and Contributors (Make corrections if your FAFSA Submission Summary requires you to take action to update) |
|
| August 2025 |
Fall 2025 Semester Start Date - August 21, 2025 |
|
| September - October 2025 |
NICC Scholarship Application Third & FINAL Deadline - November 1, 2025 - Apply NOW for spring and summer 2026 awards! Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship 2025-26 FAFSA filing deadline - On or before December 31, 2025* FAFSA Filing Deadline subject to change per Bureau of Iowa College Aid State aid will be applied to your account, if you are eligible. If you qualify for a Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, Iowa Kibbie Grant, or Iowa Vo-Tech Grant your NICC Aid Offer will be updated and you will be notified via NICC email. |
Understanding the FAFSA and the important dates associated with your enrollment at NICC is the key to your success.
| 2026-27 FAFSA - Current School Year | Important Dates |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | 08/20/2026 - 12/16/2026 |
| Spring 2027 | 01/07/2027 - 05/11/2027 |
| Summer 2027 | 05/19/2027 - 08/12/2027 |
| The FAFSA is available throughout the school year | Starting October 1, 2025 |
| Iowa College Aid FAFSA Filing Deadline | TBD |
| Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship FAFSA Filing Deadline | TBD |
Annual FAFSA Timeline:
| Month | Action to take | Details & Links |
|---|---|---|
| Ongoing |
Create/Confirm your FSA ID prior to starting the FAFSA Submit your 2026-27 FAFSA (Available starting Oct. 1, 2025) |
|
| November 2025 - August 2026 |
FAFSA - Review your 2026-27 FAFSA Submission Summary data for accuracy Corrections available for Students and Contributors (Make corrections if your FAFSA Submission Summary requires you to take action to update) |
|
| February 2026 |
NICC Financial Aid Offers Available Nelnet Tuition Payment Plan is Available - Sign up early! |
Monitor your NICC email account View Aid Offer in Self Service Financial Aid |
| April 2026 - June 2026 |
Register for fall classes with your Advisor Federal, State and NICC aid will be applied to your account if you are eligible. |
Register for fall 2026 classes |
- Be sure that you have applied to NICC for Admission and have been accepted into a degree program. Financial Aid eligibility can not be determined until your Admissions Application is complete.
- Approximately one week after you submit your FAFSA, Federal Student Aid will email your estimates on the amount of federal financial aid that you may be eligible for based on your Student Aid Index (SAI).
- NICC will notify you via your NICC email, once your FAFSA has been received by the Financial Aid Office.
- Once you receive notification via email, you may log into Self Service for Students, accessible through MyCampus, and review your Financial Aid Checklist. The Checklist will walk you through the step by step process of completing your financial aid file.
- If you have Required Documents to take action on, follow the links and submit the information to NICC as soon as possible. A Financial Aid Counselor is assigned to you to assist you in the enrollment process. You will find their name and contact information at the bottom of your Self Service Financial Aid page.
- Once you have completed the steps in your Required Documents and NICC has finished reviewing and processing the information, we will notify you via email (your NICC email address) that your Financial Aid Offer is ready to review in Self Service Financial Aid.
- Your Financial Aid Offer (Offer Letter) explains the estimated funding you may be eligible to receive based on full time enrollment (12 or more credits) for a typical academic year that includes two semesters (fall and spring). The actual amounts may vary due to:
- Less than full-time enrollment - Enrollment level is based on the number of credits you enroll each semester and your amounts may be prorated
- Program of study - Certain academic programs qualify for state of Iowa Grants (Kibbie, Vo-Tech, Last Dollar Scholarship)
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) - You must meet minimum GPA and completion requirements each semester
- Other eligibility criteria - Contact Student Services for more specifics
- Once you have registered for classes, any grant or scholarship money will be automatically applied to your tuition and fees. If students wish to use student loans to finance their education, additional steps are required to accept and receive loans.
- View your student account balance in Self Service Student Finance in order to determine the cost per semester. Determine how much aid you have to pay towards your tuition and fees. If you do not have enough, be sure to seek out additional funding and/or sign up for the Nelnet Payment Plan. Be sure to make your payment prior to the tuition due date (approximately one week prior to the start of the semester).
- NICC students can use extra financial aid to purchase textbooks, course materials and supplies through the NICC online bookstore. Students can also use excess financial aid for school supplies, tools, NICC apparel and Cafe giftcards at Cougar Store. You must have more accepted aid than your tuition and fee costs viewable on your account each semester
Refer to the FAFSA Help page.