Financial Aid Eligibility

To qualify for financial aid, graduate students must be enrolled as degree-seeking students on at least a half-time basis (3 credit hours per term). Eligibility for financial aid requires United States citizenship or permanent resident status. Graduate students may be eligible for $20,500 in loan funds each academic year. It should also be noted that federal legislation frequently modifies requirements and eligibility standards for financial aid.

FAFSA Procedures

Because financial aid is awarded on an annual basis, these procedures must be followed each year. While admission to a graduate program is not required to initiate an application for financial aid, new students will not receive confirmation of their financial aid award status until the Office of Financial Planning is notified that the admission process is complete.

Students are required to file the FAFSA online at studentaid.gov. Electronic filing is an accurate and fast means of filing for financial aid.
Upon request, applicants must submit all pages of completed tax forms for verification by the Office of Financial Planning.

Conditions of Financial Aid Awards

All aid is awarded on an annual basis and aid amounts are credited to student accounts for each semester’s charges.
Refunds of any excess credit will be made approximately halfway through each term through the Business Office. Refunds are generated when the student account reflects a credit balance resulting from direct payments and/or the posting of financial aid.
Since aid is awarded on the basis of annual financial information from students, and college costs change each year, financial aid awards may vary depending on the changing circumstances.
Outside sources of assistance - such as private scholarships and Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - must be reported to the Office of Financial Aid. Financial aid already awarded could be modified as a result.
All awards of federal aid are tentative, pending approval and receipt of funds from the source.
Costs on which financial aid eligibility is calculated include direct expenses such as tuition and fees and indirect costs such as books/supplies, personal expenses, transportation and at-home maintenance.
Costs are estimated on a financial aid offer letter using a good faith estimate of credits per term. Your actual enrollment per term will determine the actual cost.