North Dakota State University

Information and instructions for students transferring to NDSU from another college or university.

Student Financial Services

The office that processes your financial aid may have a different name at NDSU than your previous school(s) did.  While we are the financial aid office on campus, our official name is Student Financial Services.  Our office works collaboratively with Bison Connection to offer you the best service possible.

Bison Connection

Bison Connection is an affiliate of Student Financial Services with 6 full-time staff members who are trained to help in the areas of Financial Aid, Customer Account Services (the business office) and Registration and Records.  It is a one stop shop with two convenient locations (NDSU Memorial Union and Barry Hall) and extended hours of service, including evenings and weekends.

In addition to answering questions about your financial aid, Bison Connection can assist you with adding/dropping classes, printing schedules, processing FERPA and Direct Deposit forms, filing your FASFA, collecting scholarship checks, managing your student account, making payments, processing withdrawals and collecting and distributing forms

Campus Connection

Campus Connection is your student portal at NDSU that provides a secure and convenient access point to your personal and campus information. Once you obtain a User ID and Password, you can log in anytime to access a wide variety of information, including viewing/paying your bill, viewing your class schedule, updating your address, searching for and registering for classes, viewing your financial aid award, accessing your grades, the list goes on!  An example of how you would use Campus Connection to accept/decline or change your financial aid award is below.

1. Go to: www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/connect.  Click on the “Enter Campus Connection Student Portal” box.
2. Enter your User ID and Password in the “Campus Connection Sign In” area. If you do not know your User ID or Password, call the North Dakota University System Desk at 1-866-457-6387.
3. When you have logged in, click on the “Student Center” link on the left side of the screen.
4. Click on the “Accept/Decline Awards” link under the “Finances” section.
5. Click on aid year you wish to view in the main body of the page:  2012 - for enrollment periods 7/1/11 – 6/30/12:
   •   Accept your awards by checking the “Accept” box for each award (or click the “Accept All” button). Please note some types of aid may already be accepted on your behalf.
   • Click the “Submit” button.
   • When prompted, click “Yes” to save. If prompted, click “OK” to confirm.
6. To notify Student Financial Services of any scholarships or any awards that are not reflected on your Award Package, click on the “Contact FA” link on the bottom of the Award Package page. You can select what “Request Type” you are making and then “Enter the Request Details” you want to submit to us. When completed with the details, click the “Save” button.
7. Check your Campus Connection Student Center area periodically to view any “Holds” or “To Do Lists.”
8. Monitor the Finances section of your Student Center to check for any charges due or changes to your financial aid award.  You may receive late fees, holds and/or cancellation of your registration if you fail to pay your bill on time.  Reminder: Customer Account Services does NOT send out paper billing statements. 

Resources

THE FAFSA: www.fafsa.gov
SCHOLARSHIPS:

• Department: www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/finaid/aid/scholarships/departmental/

• External: www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/finaid/aid/scholarships/external/

• Websites: www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/finaid/aid/scholarships/resources/

VIEW/ACCEPT YOUR AWARD:  www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/finaid/fastepsonline/
COMPLETE YOUR MASTER PROMISSORY NOTE:  https://studentloans.gov
COMPLETE ENTRANCE LOAN COUNSELING: https://studentloans.gov
ALTERNATIVE LOANS:  www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/finaid/aid/loans/altloans/
PAYMENT PLAN: www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/accounts/payments/paymentplan/
DATES AND DEADLINES: www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/dates/

Getting Your Financial Aid in Order at NDSU

Below you will find a To-Do list for students who are transferring to NDSU from another university.  You may have already completed some of these steps, and depending on when you transfer, some of the steps may not apply to you.

1. If you are transferring mid-year, request that any scheduled disbursements of financial aid proceeds at your previous college/university be canceled.
   
   • If your previous school still has your aid set up for the next semester, your financial aid at NDSU will be delayed. 
   • Funds received at your previous school during the same award year that you transfer to NDSU are considered when determining your remaining eligibility for aid at NDSU.  Students transferring mid-year or summer semester are generally most affected.
2. Apply for federal financial aid.
   
   • If you did not apply for financial aid at your previous college/university or if you are just entering as a new transfer student, you should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the web as soon as possible by going to www.fafsa.gov. 
   • If you have already completed the FAFSA for financial aid consideration at another school for the current academic year, you will need to have your information sent to NDSU.  You may do this by going to www.fafsa.gov and adding NDSU’s school code.  Enter 002997 in the FIRST spot, replacing your other priority school code.  You may also make this request by calling the federal processor at 1-800-433-3243 and asking them to add NDSU’s school code (002997).  The federal processor will ask you for your Data Release Number (DRN), which you will find on your Student Aid Report.
     
   • If you are entering for the summer term, a supplemental Summer School Financial Aid Application must also be completed.  This form can be found online approximately April 1 at www.ndsu.edu/bisonconnection/finaid/.
3. Activate your NDSU email account and make sure your correct mailing address is listed on Campus Connection. Check both regularly for correspondence from NDSU Student Financial Services and Bison Connection.  NDSU email addresses are used as an official means of communication.
4. Watch for an email notification informing you that your award notice is ready to be reviewed online.  You will then have to proceed to Campus Connection to accept or decline your award.

• Review the Transfer Enrollment Guide for more information on Registration, Campus Services, and navigating through Campus Connection.
• Review and pay your bill by the due date.  Financial aid is applied to your account approximately three weeks into the semester.   If you have excess financial aid after your bill is paid, your refund check will be mailed to your dorm/home address or it will be directly deposited into your bank account, if you chose that option.
• Read the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy at www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/bisonconnection.ndsu.edu/sfs/sap.pdf so you are aware of the academic standards you must meet to receive federal financial aid.  As an incoming transfer student, your GPA from prior institutions is included in the SAP calculation.  If your transfer GPA is below 2.0, you could be at immediate risk of a “warning” status for federal aid.  Grades of “F” are also included in the SAP calculation as attempted, but not completed, credits and could affect the 66.67% completion ratio.  Finally, you may be at a higher risk of meeting your maximum attempted credits and potentially losing your financial aid eligibility if you have a significant number of credits that transferred in from other schools.  If you have any questions about the policy, please contact Brigit Sprenger at 701-231-8397 or Brigit.Sprenger@ndsu.edu.
• Continue to check your NDSU email for important notifications and updates.
• Contact Bison Connection at 701-231-6200 or 1-866-924-8969 (toll free) if you have any questions or changes in your status or plans. 

Q: Do I need to re-do Entrance Loan Counseling (ELC) and the Master Promissory Note (MPN) for my Direct Loan(s) if I had one at my prior school?
A: No.  Your MPN and loan counseling both remain on file with the Department of Education if you transfer to another college/university.

Q: If I was selected for Verification at my previous school do I have to do it again at NDSU?
A:  Yes.  Each school has general guidelines for Verification, but individual requirements in terms of the items verified and the documentation needed to complete the process varies.  In addition, you may be selected for Verification at NDSU even if you were not selected at your previous school.  If you are selected for Verification, we will notify you. 

Q: If I have more financial aid awarded to me than what my charges are at NDSU, how do I get the remaining money to pay my rent or other expenses related to my education?
A: If you submitted a Direct Deposit form, your refund will deposit automatically a few days after the Fee Payment Event.  If you did not choose that option, your refund check will be mailed to your dorm/home address approximately 2 weeks after the Fee Payment Event.

Q: Will I get a bill in the mail?  How do I know what my charges are?
A: NDSU does not mail paper billing statements.  It is your responsibility to check your bill on Campus Connection.  If you need help checking your balance or making a payment, Bison Connection will be happy to assist you.