Financial Aid
Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) tries to ensure that testing is available to all students who wish to take part, regardless of financial circumstances.
NUMATS registrants seeking financial aid may receive one or more of the following:
NUMATS Fee Waiver
The Center for Talent Development (CTD) waives the NUMATS fee for students who qualify for a federally funded program, such as free or reduced-fee lunch.
To receive a NUMATS fee waiver, students register online or with a paper form and submit the following two items:
Test Fee Rebate
The testing agencies offer a limited number of test fee rebates, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Any student who requests a NUMATS fee waiver and submits a fee waiver eligibility letter and the test fee payment (see items 1 and 2 above) will automatically receive a test fee rebate if one is available. The earlier you register the better your chance of receiving a test fee rebate in addition to the NUMATS fee waiver!
For registrants receiving rebates who pay by credit card, your credit card account will be credited the test fee amount, usually several weeks after we receive your fee-waiver eligibility letter.
For registrants receiving rebates who pay by check or money order, your check or money order will be returned to you by mid-December. If you pay by money order, keep the receipt to facilitate refund.
If payment is not returned, you can assume that a test fee rebate was not available.
Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Fee Waiver
CTD partners with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation's Young Scholars Program to make NUMATS and the ACT or SAT test available to exceptional students in grade 7 who have financial need. Students in grade 7 who qualify for a federally subsidized program such as free or reduced-fee lunch may register for NUMATS and the ACT or SAT test at no charge or at a reduced cost depending on the availability of funding. These students must submit a fee waiver eligibility letter from their school (see item 1 above) when they register for the ACT or SAT test through NUMATS. CTD waives the NUMATS fee and, if funds are available, the Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program pays the test fee. This funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. When the funds have been exhausted, students will be required to pay the ACT or SAT test fee.
Learn more about the Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program.
Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) tries to ensure that testing is available to all students who wish to take part, regardless of financial circumstances.
NUMATS registrants seeking financial aid may receive one or more of the following:
- NUMATS fee waiver
- Test fee rebate
- Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars fee waiver (for students in grade 7)
NUMATS Fee Waiver
The Center for Talent Development (CTD) waives the NUMATS fee for students who qualify for a federally funded program, such as free or reduced-fee lunch.
To receive a NUMATS fee waiver, students register online or with a paper form and submit the following two items:
- Letter written on school letterhead and signed by a school official stating that the student qualifies for a federally subsidized program. The letter may be faxed to CTD at 847/467-4283; mailed to NUMATS Financial Aid, 617 Dartmouth Place, Evanston, IL 60208; or scanned and e-mailed to numats@ctd.northwestern.edu. Click here for an example of a fee waiver eligibility letter.
- Payment of the test fee. Online and paper registrants pay with a credit card, or check or money order payable to Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search or NUMATS.
- The fee waiver eligibility letter and test fee payment must be received by the test registration deadline in order for the registration to be processed.
- Qualified students are eligible for no more than one fee waiver and one fee rebate per academic year. If a student wishes to register for more than one test, the total cost must be paid for the additional test(s).
Test Fee Rebate
The testing agencies offer a limited number of test fee rebates, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Any student who requests a NUMATS fee waiver and submits a fee waiver eligibility letter and the test fee payment (see items 1 and 2 above) will automatically receive a test fee rebate if one is available. The earlier you register the better your chance of receiving a test fee rebate in addition to the NUMATS fee waiver!
For registrants receiving rebates who pay by credit card, your credit card account will be credited the test fee amount, usually several weeks after we receive your fee-waiver eligibility letter.
For registrants receiving rebates who pay by check or money order, your check or money order will be returned to you by mid-December. If you pay by money order, keep the receipt to facilitate refund.
If payment is not returned, you can assume that a test fee rebate was not available.
Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Fee Waiver
CTD partners with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation's Young Scholars Program to make NUMATS and the ACT or SAT test available to exceptional students in grade 7 who have financial need. Students in grade 7 who qualify for a federally subsidized program such as free or reduced-fee lunch may register for NUMATS and the ACT or SAT test at no charge or at a reduced cost depending on the availability of funding. These students must submit a fee waiver eligibility letter from their school (see item 1 above) when they register for the ACT or SAT test through NUMATS. CTD waives the NUMATS fee and, if funds are available, the Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program pays the test fee. This funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. When the funds have been exhausted, students will be required to pay the ACT or SAT test fee.
Learn more about the Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program.
