Graduate Financial Aid
Get support for your graduate studies with graduate financial aid
Student Financial Services, located in Mercy Hall, helps graduate students identify sources of financial assistance to help meet the cost of graduate education.
Our regular office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and special arrangements can be made for appointments outside of the regular hours.
All graduate students must complete the FAFSA to be considered for aid.
If you are an Off-Campus Master's Degree student in the Education Cohort program, please visit the Off-Campus Master's Degree Financial Aid page.
FINANCIAL AID OPPORTUNITIES
LOAN PROGRAM AND LIMITS
USJ graduate students who have been accepted and matriculated into a graduate degree program or into the Teacher Certification program may apply for Federal Direct Loans by completing the following steps:
- Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Before you begin, you will need your FSA ID. You can create an FSA ID when logging into certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites, including fsaid.ed.gov. Your FSA ID identifies you as someone who has the right to access your own personal information on ED websites such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You will also need the University of Saint Joseph school code: 001409.
- Follow the instructions for completing the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling under the Federal Student Loan section of our website.
Please keep in mind
You must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours in each of the semesters for which you wish to receive financial assistance.
Acceptance or matriculation into your program and your application for financial aid must be complete and in place by August 15 for the fall semester and December 15 for the spring semester.
Students who become matriculated or are accepted into the Teacher Certification program after these days will be processed by Financial Aid as quickly as possible, but without guarantee of completion for the upcoming semester.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
To remain eligible for financial aid, you must be making satisfactory academic progress toward your degree as outlined by your academic program/major.
University of Saint Joseph students who received their undergraduate degree prior to completing their student teaching will be considered Teacher Certification students as outlined in column B (below) during their semester of student teaching.
Students who have applied to a graduate program but will not be matriculated prior to the mid-point of the semester are not eligible for the Federal Direct Loan. You may, however, apply for an Alternative Education Loan. Please visit our Alternative Loans page.
Borrow wisely
Direct Subsidized Loan
- Accepted to a Graduate Degree Program: No longer eligible*
- Teacher Certification Only (not accepted in a graduate degree program, but accepted into the Teacher Certification program): $5,500
Direct Unsubsidized Loan
- Accepted to a Graduate Degree Program: 20,500
- Teacher Certification Only (not accepted in a graduate degree program, but accepted into the Teacher Certification program): $7,000
Note: The loan amounts presented below are the annual program maximums. The actual amount you may borrow will depend on your financial aid need and actual cost of attendance. You should contact Financial Aid for additional information on application requirements and procedures. *Beginning with the 2012/13 Award Year, Graduate Students are no longer eligible for Federal Direct Subsidized Loans.
APPLYING FOR FEDERAL DIRECT LOANS
- Your graduate debt limit includes loans for undergraduate study.
- If you reach your Federal (Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized) aggregate loan limit, you cannot receive more of that type of loan. If you exceed your limit, aid already disbursed will be billed back. You will have to find alternative ways to finance your education. Therefore it is to your advantage to borrow only what you need for educational expenses, and to keep track of your cumulative debt.
- The Financial Aid staff is happy to work with you to find ways to minimize your borrowing.
- Lifetime limits – Graduate/Professional $138,500 (maximum $65,500 subsidized)
