Grants
Grants are funds that can be used for your undergraduate college education, and they do NOT need to be repaid. Opportunities include:
- Federal and state grants (available to all full-time and part-time undergraduate students)
- Northwestern grants (available only to traditional full-time undergraduate students)
- Legacy Grant (available only to traditional full-time undergraduate students)
When you complete the FAFSA, you may become eligible for federal and state grants based on your financial need:
- Available to eligible full- and part-time undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need
- Awards up to $6,345 for 2020-21
- Available to full- and part-time undergraduate students with significant financial need who also qualify for a Pell Grant
- Learn more about the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
- Available to full- and part-time undergraduate students who intend to teach in a high-needs field (bilingual education or English language acquisition, foreign language, math, reading specialist, science, special education) in a school that serves students from low-income families
- Awards up to $3,728 per year
- Requires a 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Recipients who fail to meet the conditions for the TEACH Grant must repay the grant
- Learn more about the TEACH Grant Program
- Available up to four years to Iowa undergraduate students (full and part time) who attend a private college in Iowa
- Awards are $6,200 during 2019–20 for students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $15,000 or less
- Learn more about the Iowa Tuition Grant
- Available to traditional full-time undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need and evidence of academic potential
- Award amounts are determined after we review your FAFSA information
- Amounts are renewable each year
Legacy Grants are available to traditional full-time undergraduate students with a family or church connection to Northwestern. They are not given based on FAFSA information. Students are eligible for a Legacy Grant if they meet any of the following criteria:
- A parent or grandparent attended Northwestern full time for at least 3 semesters
- A sibling is currently enrolled full time or has graduated from NWC
- A parent is currently an ordained pastor/overseas missionary
- The student participated in a Reformed Church in America (RCA) congregation immediately prior to enrolling at Northwestern
Students receive a $1,500 Legacy Grant if they meet any of the above criteria, and the grant remains in effect for up to 4 years.
