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Graduate Students

Application deadlines

All students applying for federal assistance must submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

  • Deadline: Returning graduate students should complete their FAFSA for the new academic year by March 15, 12 a.m. (midnight) ET. It is recommended that incoming graduate students complete their FAFSA as they apply for admission to the University of Rochester.
  • The FAFSA for the 2023-24 academic year became available on October 1, 2022
  • The FAFSA for the 2023–24 academic year can only be submitted until June 30, 2024
  • The FAFSA for the 2024–25 academic year will become available in December 2023
  • The 2023–24 FAFSA will allow students to apply for aid for the fall 2023, spring 2024, and summer 2024 terms
  • The 2024–25 FAFSA will allow students to apply for aid for the fall 2024, spring 2025, and summer 2025 terms

FAFSA

The FAFSA is used to help determine your eligibility for all federal aid programs.

Our school code: 002894.

FAFSA details

Types of aid

Tuition scholarships

Tuition scholarships are granted by the University of Rochester academic department to which the student is applying. These typically cover a specific percentage of tuition costs and are based on merit. Domestic and International students are eligible for these awards.

Assistantships and fellowships

An assistantship is a form of financial assistance provided to graduate students in support of the student’s program, through either research assistantships or teaching assistantships.

Special fellowships

Graduate fellowships are recognized nationally as a means to acknowledge and support outstanding graduate students in pursuit of their advanced degree objectives.

Tuition benefits

Employer tuition benefits may be available to you. Contact your employer’s benefits office for details. You are required to notify your financial aid counselor of any expected tuition benefits.

Outside scholarships

Our students are often excellent candidates for outside scholarships. Look to family employers, local foundations, clubs, and community agencies for scholarship opportunities. Students are required to notify our office of any outside scholarships that will be received during the academic year.

Listed below is information on several types of federal loans available to students, including the criteria associated with borrowing each type of loan.

It is important to pay attention to the academic year dates when applying for federal loans. For financial aid purposes, an academic year starts in the fall semester/quarter and extends through the summer of the following year. Depending on when you will be enrolling in your program, multiple applications may be required.

For example, if you start a program in the summer term, you will need to complete two FAFSAs, as your enrollment will cross two academic years. You’ll need to complete one FAFSA for the summer term, the end of one academic year, and one FAFSA for the fall term, the beginning of a new academic year. Fall 2023 is the start of the 2023–2024 academic year. Fall 2024 is the start of the 2024-2025 academic year.

Federal TEACH Grant*

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides grants of up to $2,000 per term to academically qualified students who intend to teach a high-need subject in an elementary or secondary school or an educational service agency that serves students from low-income families. To receive the grant, students must complete the Agreement To Serve application, the FAFSA, as well as TEACH grant counseling.

For more information, review the federal TEACH grant website. To apply for the federal TEACH grant, submit the TEACH grant application directly to the Financial Aid Office. Be aware that failure to complete the service obligation will result in the grant being converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest accrued and capitalized from the date of the original disbursement.

*Please note that TEACH grant funding and continuance is not guaranteed and is subject to federal budget approval.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans

To be eligible for federal student loans, you must be:

  • US citizens or permanent residents
  • Matriculated
  • Enrolled at least half time (six credit hours per term) in a degree-granting program

Please note: Audited courses do not count in determining enrollment status.

Review additional information on the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan option, including interest rates, fees, and borrowing limits on the loans page.

Federal Graduate PLUS Loans

Graduate students can borrow a PLUS Loan to help pay for their education expenses as long as they:

  • Have already applied for their annual federal Direct Student Loans.
  • Are matriculated in a master’s or PhD program (certificate programs are excluded).
  • Are enrolled at least half time (at least 6 credit hours per term).

Review additional information on the Graduate PLUS loan option, including interest rates, fees, and borrowing limits on the loans page.

State educational loans

State educational loans:

  • Are available to both undergraduate and graduate students (and possibly to parents and relatives), as long as the student is matriculated and enrolled at least half time in a degree program.
  • Are credit-based and offer interest rates and terms that may be competitive with PLUS loans and alternative loans.
  • May have both fixed and variable interest rates available, depending on the state.

Review additional information on the State Educational Loan options on the loans page.

Alternative educational loans

These educational loans are offered by banks and educational lenders as a supplement to (not a replacement for) federal student loans. Alternative loans may also be referred to as “private educational” or “supplemental” loans, as they are not affiliated with federal or state loan programs.

International students will most likely need to secure a private/alternative loan with a US cosigner. If you do not have a US cosigner, please try to obtain a loan through a bank in your native country, especially if they offer students loans in the United States.

Please note: The following types of students should speak to a financial aid counselor before pursuing alternative loans:

  • Non-matriculated
  • Students seeking to pay past-due balances
  • Students not meeting satisfactory academic progress
  • Students denied on previous alternative loan applications due to poor credit

Review additional information on the Alternative Educational Loan options on the loans page.

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