The Office of Financial Aid is here to assist students in accessing the resources that will help them pay for school. Our office is located in Lewis 120 and we can be reached at (708) 524-6809 or via email at finaid@dom.edu. Our staff of financial aid professionals will work with all students and their families on any questions they may have during the financial aid process.
We can help you know and understand the following:
Or feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.
AmeriCorps: The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award is a post-service benefit received by participants who complete a term of national service in an approved AmeriCorps program. Please visit AmeriCorps for more details on how you can use your AmeriCorps award to help pay educational expenses.
State of Illinois Teaching Scholarships: The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) administers the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois program and the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) program, which provide financial resources for students studying to become teachers. Information on eligibility requirements and application deadlines can be found on the commission's website.
Loans for Study Abroad: Students or their parents may apply to borrow additional loan funds to cover the costs of their study abroad program. Learn more.
Tuition Exchange: Dominican University participates in three tuition exchange programs based on a parent’s employment at participating institutions.
Finding and applying for financial aid can seem confusing at first, but Dominican is committed to helping students and their families navigate the financial aid process. On this page you will find information, contacts and quick links on available resources throughout all of Dominican's website to help make financial aid management a little easier.
A lot goes into a typical financial aid package. This guide explains key terms that will help you understand your aid award and how best to finance the most important investment you’ll ever make.
Cost of Attendance (COA) - Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Financial Need
Cost of Attendance (COA): Direct expenses (tuition, fees and on-campus room and board) and indirect expenses (books and supplies, transportation, and other personal and living expenses).
Expected Family Contribution (EFC): An estimate of your family’s financial strength used to calculate your financial need. It’s determined through an objective need analysis formula developed by the federal government, and is based on information reported on your FAFSA.
Net Price: The amount you ultimately pay after subtracting all financial aid from your direct costs. Our Net Price Calculator lets you estimate what you will end up paying (entering freshmen only).
Grants and Scholarships: Sometimes called “free money,” these funds do not need to be repaid.
Scholarships are generally based on academic merit or enrollment in a specific major:
Institutional scholarships are awarded through Dominican. You are automatically considered for most of these awards when you apply to Dominican.
External scholarships outside of Dominican are another option for many students. These require a separate application process.
Grants are typically awarded on the basis of financial need. You are considered for the following most common types of grants when you fill out the FAFSA:
Student Loans: Loans are an important part of financial aid packages. Yes, they must be repaid, but there are smart ways to borrow. For starters, the federal government student loans included in many aid packages come with many benefits not typically offered with private bank loans:
Parent Loans: Parents of dependent students can also borrow from the federal government’s Parent PLUS Loan program.
Private Loans: Borrowed funds typically offered by private lenders that can help with educational and living expenses not covered by other financial aid. Learn more about private loans.
How to Avoid Default: Default is the failure to repay a loan according to its terms. For most federal student loans, you will default if you fail to make a required payment for more than 270 days. You can lose eligibility for federal student aid and may face legal consequences. There are many repayment plans available including ones based on your income that can help you avoid defaulting on your student loans. Learn about steps to avoid default.
Where to See Your Loan History: All federal loans are reported to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) and this information can be accessed by loan servicers, schools and other authorized entities. Students can view their loan history by logging into studentaid.gov.
Work-Study: Students who have Federal Work-Study (determined by financial need) or Dominican Employment included in their financial aid award letter are eligible to apply for student employment. Resident students are given priority. You receive these funds in the form of a paycheck; they’re not applied directly to your tuition bill. Dominican employs hundreds of students, many of them in jobs that align with their major. Besides the paycheck, these positions offer valuable experience—and a great start to building a resume.
Veterans Benefits: The federal government offers educational benefits to current service members, veterans and their families. Dominican accepts all forms of GI Bill® and is an active participant in the Yellow Ribbon initiative through the Post 9/11 GI Bill®. Learn more.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
The first step in the financial aid process is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It can be completed online at studentaid.gov and you can create your FSA ID, which is needed to sign your FAFSA by following these instructions.
Dominican University's Federal School Code is 001750. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid if you have any questions about completing the FAFSA. The 2022–2023 FAFSA is now open until June 30, 2023.
The FAFSA is your application for federal grants and loans, the state of Illinois MAP grant as well as institutional need-based resources.
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool allows students and parents to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and transfer the data directly into their FAFSA from the IRS Web site.
If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, we highly recommend using the tool for several reasons:
Students or parents who are married and filed as Married Filing Separately, are married and filed as Head of Household, filed an amended tax return, or filed a Puerto Rican or foreign tax return are not eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, and will need to enter their tax return information manually.
If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, then click "Link To IRS" to transfer your tax return information from the IRS Web site into your FAFSA. (Note: If you previously transferred your tax return information from the IRS, then the "Link To IRS" button displays once you click the “View option to link to the IRS” hyperlink.)
If you are ineligible or otherwise choose not to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to retrieve tax information, we may require a copy of your IRS Tax Return Transcript (or your parents’ IRS Tax Return Transcript, if you are a dependent student).
If you were awarded a Federal Direct Loan you must complete the Loan Acknowledgement Form even if you are declining the loan. Go to dom.edu/financialaid > Forms > Student Loan Acknowledgement Form.
Before receiving a student loan, borrowers must complete an online counseling session at studentaid.gov. It only takes 20-30 minutes.
The Master Promissory Note is a legal and binding agreement between you and the U.S. Department of Education—it’s your promise to repay your loan. Sign it electronically at studentaid.gov. You’ll need:
Names, addresses and telephone numbers of two references who live in the United States. References must live at two different postal addresses.
Yes. You need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year to be considered for financial aid. Fill it out as soon as it becomes available (currently October 1) to receive the best possible aid package. Dominican University's code is 001750.
Changes in status, like dropping below a full-time or part-time course load can affect your financial aid package. Talk to a financial aid counselor first!
Before the start of each semester, the Office of Student Accounts emails each student a bill that itemizes school charges. Please contact the Office of Student Accounts at (708) 524-6566 if you have questions about your bill.
In addition to interest, you pay a loan origination fee on each Federal Direct Loan that you receive. The U.S. Department of Education deducts this fee before you receive any loan money so that the loan amount you actually receive will be less than the amount you have to repay. The origination fee for federal student loans is currently 1.057%.
For most aid programs, the amount you have been awarded for a semester will be credited to your account after the start of the semester. The MAP funds are credited at the time we receive payment from the state of Illinois, usually a few months after the term has begun. Federal Direct Stafford loan funds are credited directly to the student’s account.
According to federal regulations, a financial aid package may need to be revised if additional aid is received. Changes in enrollment and/or housing may also result in a revision. Any changes must be reported to the Office of Financial Aid.
Funds remaining in your account after all charges have been paid will be refunded. Refunds will be processed by the Office of Student Accounts after the add/drop period, and are based upon funds actually received and credited to your account.
The schedule for tuition refunds based on withdrawal from courses is published at dom.edu/MyDU.
Students who do not continue to make satisfactory academic progress toward their degree risk losing their financial aid. All students must comply with the federally mandated Satisfactory Academic Progress standards to remain eligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid.
If you have questions about your financial aid award, we hope you will take advantage of the help provided by the Office of Financial Aid. Please call (708) 524-6809 or email us at finaid@dom.edu.