The certification of private loans can take 2 to 3 weeks to finalize depending on the completion of the steps below. We recommend that students apply for a private loan at least 1 month prior to the start of their given term. Each lender has their own requirement on eligibility criteria and enrollment status (half-time, less-than-half-time, or full-time) within a given term of study will determine your eligibility for that loan.
Note: If you are recently admitted and do not have a student ID, please check with your Admissions office.
Note: Financial Aid communications from the Chicago Financial Aid office will go to your Northwestern email account.