Financial Aid Offer

[1] Estimated Direct Cost of Attendance

Your direct cost of attendance is an estimate of the standard cost for a student to attend Nebraska. This estimate includes 15 credits per term at the base tuition rate with estimated fees. If you live on campus, housing and meals will be directly billed to you from the university. Your actual cost of attendance may be different, depending on the number of credit hours for which you register, your specific courses and where you choose to live. You must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours to qualify for most scholarships and financial aid.

[2] Other Estimated Costs

Beyond paying for classes and housing, we also estimate other costs related to college attendance you will likely need to cover. These costs are not billed by the university, but include expenses for personal items, transportation, books and supplies. As these costs are estimates, we strongly encourage you to plan your own specific budget.

Note: Beginning in 2024-25, these estimated costs will be separated out on the aid offer to help you better budget for college costs.

[3] Scholarships & Grants (If Offered)

Grants and scholarships are considered “gift aid” and do not need to be repaid, though most scholarships have specific eligibility requirements—like academic achievement, financial need or special characteristics.

Some scholarships can be renewed each year, but you must meet specific requirements—like filing the FAFSA each year, maintaining a certain GPA or taking specific classes. Make sure you understand what awards you've received, if you can renew them, and how. Visit the Scholarship Guidelines page for information on university campus-wide renewable scholarships.

Note: Beginning in 2045-25, there will be a new net price calculation below your Estimated Direct Costs After Gift Aid. Your Estimated Net Price is calculated by using your total estimated cost of attendance (estimated direct costs plus indirect costs) minus scholarships and grants.

[4] Student Loan Options (If Offered)

Educational loans are a useful tool to pay for college, but we encourage you to borrow only enough to cover your necessary education-related expenses. Loans from federal and private resources must be repaid with interest, even if you do not graduate. Interest rates are market-based and will be determined each year by June 30. You can find loan details (terms and conditions) at studentaid.gov.

We encourage you to only borrow what you can reasonably afford to repay each month based on your expected income after graduation. You can find income estimates for possible careers in your field on the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

[5] Estimated Direct Cost After Gift Aid and Student Loans

This is an estimate of how much you might owe to attend Nebraska if you accept all gift aid and loans (remember, loans must be repaid). Listed below this section on your award offer are additional options for you to cover your remaining expenses. Review them carefully and contact us with any questions.

[6] Additional Aid Options (If Offered)

Federal Work-Study
The Federal Work-Study program provides part-time jobs for students who demonstrate financial need and who desire to earn a part of their educational expenses. Jobs average 10-20 hours per week and may be on or off-campus. Work-study will be listed as an option on your award offer if you are eligible.

To view job postings, visit our Career Services website at go.unl.edu/work-study. Please be aware that while employers are able to post job openings any time, the majority will begin posting positions for the upcoming award year in early August.

Parent PLUS Loan
The Federal Direct PLUS Loan Program assists eligible parents in meeting educational expenses. The Federal Direct PLUS Loan allows parents to borrow up to the cost of attendance minus other resources. The U.S. Department of Education is the lender and delivers the loan money to you through the university. The PLUS Loan will be listed as an option on your award offer if you are a dependent student.

Note: Beginning in 2024-25, the amount of the PLUS loan option available will not be listed on the aid offer, but will be available for reference in MyRed. Students cannot accept a PLUS loan on a parents behalf. Parents can apply online at studentaid.gov.

External Scholarships
We encourage you to apply for outside scholarships to help you pay for your education. You can search for external scholarship options at go.unl.edu/ext-scholarships.

Husker Payment Plan
Nebraska partners with Nelnet Business Solutions to allow students to pay their charges in monthly installments, rather than all at once. Learn more at go.unl.edu/pay-plan.

Alternative Loan
Nebraska partners with ELMSelect to offer a tool to help students and families browse private loan options as an alternative to federal loans. Learn more at elmselect.com.

Could My Aid Change?

Scholarship and financial aid eligibility is not necessarily fixed. Other financial assistance not listed on your financial aid offer, such as other institutional and private scholarships, tuition waivers, Vocational Rehabilitation, etc. may impact other awards. Report any other scholarship or financial aid in MyRED to ensure all resources are properly calculated in your overall financial aid package. Let us know if you experience a sudden change in income or expenses - we may be able to reassess your family's aid eligibility in the event of loss of income, divorce, death in the family, layoff, etc. through special or unusual circumstances.