National UniversityReviews of nu.edu

I have tried to extend grace to National University throughout its new system transition, but I have now completed an entire 8-week doctoral course, July 27–September 20, without receiving the financial aid refund associated with it. I am already well into my next course, which began August 17, and that aid remains unresolved too. I have called, emailed, followed up, and escalated repeatedly. I have received conflicting explanations about whether my funds were requested, received, processed, or unable to be requested because of NU’s new system. Most recently, I was told the system has prevented NU from requesting my federal aid from the Department of Education. Meanwhile, my bills did not stop. Transportation did not stop. My moving expenses did not stop. My bank account did not stop overdrafting. NU’s system problem became my financial emergency. And every time I turn around, someone necessary to resolving the issue seems to be unavailable or on vacation. Employees deserve vacations. Students also deserve an institution with enough continuity that thousands of dollars in financial aid do not stall because one person is unavailable. My courses certainly didn’t go on vacation. At NU’s request, I documented my financial hardship and requested a $13,288 institutional advance for my outstanding stipends. I have also filed a formal NU grievance and a formal complaint with Federal Student Aid/U.S. Department of Education. When I called Federal Student Aid, the representative told me they had personally received several calls from other NU students experiencing the same issue. I have now contacted NBC 7 San Diego, ABC 10News Team 10 Investigates, and KPBS Investigations as well. If asking privately cannot get my financial aid processed, I will continue asking publicly until someone capable of getting answers starts asking questions. Making matters worse, I am a continuing doctoral borrower affected by the new federal graduate-loan changes. Because I began borrowing before the July 1, 2026 changes, transferring universities may have serious consequences for the federal financing available to complete my doctorate. So “just transfer” is not necessarily a financially safe solution. Through all of this, I have continued attending class, completing assignments, meeting deadlines, and progressing academically. I have done my job. I expect National University to do its job. What is particularly remarkable is how quickly NU responds to negative Trustpilot reviews. I genuinely wish the infrastructure responsible for processing students’ federal financial aid operated with the same urgency and consistency as the infrastructure responsible for managing the University’s public reputation. So, respectfully, please spare me another apology, another explanation about the system transition, or another email address to contact. I have contacted enough people. I need my financial aid processed. Considering how quickly NU responds here, I suppose we are about to find out which happens first: National University’s response underneath this review or the resolution of the financial aid I have been waiting for. UPDATE — September 23, 2026: National University has now publicly stated that its advising team is “actively working” with me. For the record, this matter remains unresolved and is now documented under National University Grievance #00011934, Federal Student Aid Case #37323390, and California BPPE Reference #C26-1869. My $13,288 advanced stipend request also remains unresolved. I have fully documented this matter on my end and will update this review when National University provides an actual resolution.

1 star. I was accepted less than a week before my course started, and nearly a month into the term, my financial aid still isn't resolved. I've called, emailed, and escalated repeatedly, only to be told conflicting things: first that my aid couldn't be processed without clarifying my housing status (already correctly listed on my FAFSA), then that I supposedly had a graduate loan elsewhere — which turned out to be a completely different loan under my name, unrelated to my own enrollment. Basic data errors like this shouldn't happen, let alone go uncorrected after multiple calls. Staff have been inconsistent and, at times, dismissive of the real hardship this has caused. I've had to escalate this to the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman, the Department of Education, and the school's accreditor just to get any movement. If you're considering this school, know that financial aid processing here has been a serious, ongoing problem.

I am very disappointed with my enrollment experience with National University. I started the process excited about pursuing my doctoral degree and completed all of the requested paperwork with every intention of attending. Unfortunately, my experience changed once I reached the financial aid portion of the enrollment process and learned that I was not eligible for additional federal financial aid. After that, I felt that I was treated differently, almost as though not qualifying for federal financial aid meant that I could not afford to attend the university. What made this especially disappointing is that I was prepared to pay for my education through other means, including my employer's tuition reimbursement program. I expected someone to discuss alternative payment options with me and help me understand how I could continue my enrollment without federal financial aid. Instead, I was left feeling dismissed and as though I was no longer considered a serious prospective student. A doctoral degree is a major commitment, and I believe students should feel supported regardless of whether they are using federal financial aid, employer tuition assistance, or paying personally. I was genuinely interested in attending National University, but this experience has made me reconsider that decision and look at other universities. I hope National University reviews how prospective students are supported once federal financial aid is no longer an option. Sometimes a student not qualifying for financial aid does not mean they cannot pay for school it simply means they need to discuss a different way of paying for their education.

I was looking to take one class for a credit to transfer to my university, and one of the customer service reps, Jess Brosvik was absolutely amazing!! She was so kind and put in tremendous effort to not only help me find the class I was looking for, but also asked me questions about my degree and what my goals were. I didn't end up taking the class at National University, but Jess was extremely supportive anyway and wished me all the best! She is an amazing human!

I've been with NU since November 2024. They have always had problems with the financial aid. The lack of transparency is the WORST IN HISTORY. Why would they switch to a USELESS system? Don't you TEST to make sure all tiles and features work? This is completely unacceptable. They will owe me a whole lot of money. I haven't received a disbursement since MAY 2026, 3 MONTHS. I don't want to switch colleges because I'm almost done with my program. My disbursement will be held up even longer. I rely on these funds; I HAVE MINOR CHILDREN. They are losing students and staff. The counselors have zero information. Lawyer up everyone

I have tried to switch my degree from computer science to program management for a couple months now and there is no headway. I’ve now been out of class for 6 months and need to attend to get my GI bill benefits to support my family. No information from my Academic advisor or anyone else from the school.

My experience with National University has been deeply disappointing and unnecessarily stressful. I enrolled with an open mind, choosing to overlook the school’s widely reported administrative issues because I believe institutions deserve the chance to prove themselves. Instead, the university has repeatedly failed to meet even basic standards of communication, follow‑through, and student support. A simple enrollment correction for a required course has dragged on far beyond any reasonable timeframe, despite multiple assurances that it was being handled. The lack of urgency, transparency, and accountability has directly disrupted my academic progress and created avoidable stress. What concerns me most is that these issues are not isolated. They reflect the very patterns of disorganization and neglect that many students have publicly warned about. When a university cannot execute fundamental administrative tasks or provide timely, accurate updates, it places students at risk academically and financially. I expected professionalism, responsiveness, and respect for students’ time and goals. Instead, I’ve been left waiting, documenting every communication, and questioning the institution’s ability to support its students. National University needs to address these systemic failures immediately, because no student should have to fight this hard just to remain enrolled in the classes they are paying for. Then after making me wait for 3 weeks the schools registrar's office denied the request, put in by the academic advisor, to have the class readded. Finally, after 3.5 weeks they took care of me and got me enrolled into classes. I'm back on track but it has taken lots of effort from me, and I have been blessed with a really good Instructor now. I am appreciative of the staff at the school who pushed to get things rolling for me. Thank you all.

Ran out of space to update so here it is: UPDATE, September 13, 2026 My third course starts tomorrow. It will be the third course I begin with no financial aid behind it. My 2025-2026 disbursement is still unreleased. I authorized it on August 6, nine minutes after I was asked to, in the exact language requested. I set my refund preference on August 12. That was more than five weeks ago. National University's own published policy releases a federal credit balance within fourteen calendar days. My federal loan record confirms the remaining funds are certified and undrawn, and interest accrues on them regardless. My 2026-2027 aid year is still unpackaged, roughly three months after I submitted my FAFSA with both required school codes. In the middle of that, an advance arrived against that same unpackaged year. No corresponding loan appears on my federal record. No one has explained what it covers. I have not touched it. My ledger still shows the full balance outstanding. A payment meant to fix something fixed nothing and made my account harder to read. I escalated to an associate director on August 27. He replied once, committed on September 1 to auditing my ledger with two other departments, and has not responded since. I followed up three times, most recently September 9, after my assigned advisor returned from leave. Not one of my questions has been answered. I have now used every internal channel this university offers. I submitted National University's own feedback form, the step required before a complaint can go to the accreditor, and received no response. My formal grievance of August 25 carried a ten business day response window. It closed September 9 with no response. My cases with the Department of Education and WSCUC remain open. UPDATE, September 1, 2026 Nothing is resolved, and the picture has gotten less clear rather than more. My 2025-2026 loan funds are still missing. My federal NSLDS record confirms the loan is originated and undisbursed. The money exists, National University has not drawn it, and it has been applied to nothing. I continue to accrue interest on it. Separately, a 2026-2027 institutional advance posted and was then refunded to me in full. I will not touch it, because both of my course charges remain unpaid and no one has told me what that money is meant to cover. Both courses were billed at the undiscounted rate with my VA discount left off, $682 more per course. I found each of these issues myself, by reconciling my own ledger. Not one was disclosed to me by the university. Whether staff were unaware of them or chose not to tell me, I still do not know, and that uncertainty is its own problem. I filed a formal grievance through the university’s internal grievance system on August 25 and have received no response. I have also filed with the FSA Feedback Center, the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman, and WSCUC, National University’s accreditor. I am three courses from finishing and currently have a 4.0 GPA. I should be doing coursework, not auditing my own student account line by line.