You can’t put a sticker price on the value of a good education. But, that doesn’t change this reality: graduate school can be expensive — especially in today’s climate of inflation.
The expense of graduate school can seem overwhelming, but with some careful planning and creative thinking, you can absolutely afford graduate school without breaking the bank.
Let’s talk about several practical options for financial aid for graduate students.
Ready to learn more about choosing Mount Saint Mary's University for graduate school? Attend one of our online information sessions to learn more.
1. Evaluate your finances and make a plan
When planning to make a significant financial decision, it is critical that you first take a look at your income and expenses and then develop a plan based on those numbers. Be sure to determine the cost of your program and factor in costs like classroom materials, transportation and housing.
Once you have a good understanding of how much financial assistance you will need, you can start looking into the financial aid options that make the most sense for your specific situation.
2. Fill out the FAFSA
Did you know that graduate students are eligible to submit the FAFSA? In fact, if you are hoping to help fund graduate school with a federal loan, you must fill out and submit the FAFSA. Once you submit the FAFSA, you will be able to see your government loan options.
3. Take advantage of scholarships
Scholarships are one of the most popular forms of financial aid for students. Scholarships are awarded based on a variety of reasons: academic merit, area of focus or unique life circumstances. Start by researching general and university-specific scholarships to take advantage of as many relevant options as possible.
Scholarships are a gift of money that do not need to be repaid.
4. Explore your options for grants
Grants are a fantastic option when trying to offset the cost of grad school. A grant is money provided by federal, state or higher education institutions based on financial need. Some institutions offer research and program-specific grants.
Like scholarships, grants do not have to be repaid.
5. Explore graduate assistantships
Graduate assistantships are some of the most sought-after funding opportunities for graduate students today. Graduate assistantships allow students to obtain real-world, practical work experience while receiving a stipend or tuition discount in return for research or teaching assistance.
Gaining on-the-ground industry experience in your field is critical to your development as a graduate student, and offsetting the cost of graduate school at the same time combines the best of both worlds.
Become UNSTOPPABLE with one of MSMU's Graduate Programs; Connect with Us!
At Mount Saint Mary’s, we are committed to making graduate education affordable and accessible to the driven, empathetic leaders who want to become a part of our Unstoppable community.
We offer a variety of respected graduate degree programs — each one designed with your specific needs and goals in mind. We invite you to visit our website and consider which graduate program aligns with your long term career aspirations!
You can also visit our graduate scholarship and aid page to learn more.
If you are ready to experience one Unstoppable education at the Mount, then please request more information, schedule an appointment with us or start your online application today.
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Are you ready to join a strong community of change agents at the Mount?Start your online application today.
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