Federal Student Aid

Types of Federal Aid Available

Students must be enrolled at least half-time during a quarter to be eligible for federal aid. Half-time is 4 quarter units for MA programs and 3 quarter units for PhD.

Direct Unsubsidized Loans

• Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available to graduate and professional students who file the FAFSA; there is no requirement to demonstrate financial need.
• $20,500 annual limit.
• $138,500 lifetime limit, which includes any subsidized or unsubsidized loans borrowed for an undergraduate degree.
• Students must complete the Loan Entrance Counseling and sign the Master Promissory Note for Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans before they can be disbursed:
  • MPN: https://studentaid.gov/mpn/
  • Entrance Counseling: https://studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling/
• Interest begins to accumulate when the loan is disbursed, unpaid interest will be capitalized.
• Interest rate of loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2025 and before July 1, 2026:
  • Direct Unsubsidized Loans for Graduate and Professional Students: 94%

Graduate PLUS Loans

• Must be a graduate or professional student enrolled at least half-time.
• Not have an adverse credit history.
• meet the general eligibility requirements for federal student aid.
• File the FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
• Submit a Grad PLUS Loan application: https://studentaid.gov/plus-app/
• If approved, you must also sign the Master Promissory Note and complete the Entrance Counseling for PLUS loans:
• https://studentaid.gov/mpn/
• https://studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling/
  • If denied, students can obtain an endorser (cosigner) or appeal the credit decision by providing supporting documentation to the Dept. of Ed. Both options require completion of PLUS Credit Counseling.
  • Interest rate of loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2025 and before July 1, 2026:
    • Direct PLUS Loans for Graduate or Professional Students: 94%

How to Apply

File the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

• FAFSA Application: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
• The FAFSA application for the upcoming academic year is available on October 1st of every year. Although graduate students can apply at any time during the year, we ask that students have their FAFSA completed by June 1^st to allow time for processing before Fall.
• To file a FAFSA, you must create a FSA ID
• Our Federal School Code is 03076100
• The 2025-2026 FAFSA is to apply for aid for the 2025-2026 Academic Year (Fall 2025 through Summer 2026)
  • Grad PLUS Loans are credit-based and require a separate application: https://studentaid.gov/plus-app/

Basic Student Eligibility Criteria

• be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
• have a valid Social Security number (with the exception of students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau);