Graduate Students

What graduate students need to know!

A graduate student is one who is working on a Master's, Doctorate, Law or Medical degree. Degrees includes:

  • Master's (M.Ed., MA, MS, MST, MAT, MFA, MSN, MSW, MPA, MNM, MAC, MTX)
  • Specialist (Ed.S)
  • Professional (Medicine, Law)
  • Doctorate (Ed.D., PhD, DNP)


IMPORTANT NOTE:

Please notify the Office of Student Financial Aid as soon as possible if you are a financial aid recipient and you have been offered an assistantship position which includes a tuition waiver, stipend or other external fund or scholarship. These funds are considered resources and may impact your eligibility for other types of aid, such as loans. To report these types of offers, please contact your financial aid counselor.

Cost of Attendance

REVIEW THE COST OF ATTENDANCE

Critical Steps for Timely Disbursement

  1. Apply for Financial Aid early by submitting the FAFSA

    Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in the financial aid process. Use it to apply for federal student financial aid, such as Direct Unsubsidized loans and Federal Work Study. If you are transferring in the SPRING or SUMMER terms, make sure you go back to your FAFSA and add FAU as one of the schools to your school choices (Under 'School Information'). (When filling out your FAFSA also make sure you click on the 'FSA ID' link to create an FSA ID - a username and password which has replaced the Federal Student Aid Pin and must be used to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education websites [Create FSA ID].)

    Our school code is:

    • 001481 - Boca Raton Campus

    Complete the FAFSA online to be eligible for most forms of aid. If you are unable to complete the FAFSA due to extenuating circumstances please contact the financial aid office. View “Contact” link at the top of this page.

    NOTE: Students must be admitted to Florida Atlantic University into a degree-seeking program in order to be eligible to receive most forms of financial aid (such as grants, loans and work-study).

  2. Apply for Scholarships

    There are a host of available scholarships that will assist students in paying for their college education. It just takes time and patience to read through each scholarship. Apply for those scholarships in which you are meeting the criteria. Be sure to keep in mind the application deadline date of each scholarship when applying.

    Review our database of Scholarships, which includes FAU specific scholarships as well as scholarships from other entities for various achievements.

    There is no need to pay a search service to find scholarships for you because there is a wealth of information available free of charge on numerous websites.

    FAU Scholarships are offered right before the Fall semester begins for Fall/Spring semesters. Make sure that you submit your scholarship application and other documents by each scholarships deadline date. Most scholarships are not available during summer semesters.

  3. Estimating Your Costs

    Review the Net Price Calculator to estimate your cost of attendance – including tuition, required fees, books, supplies, room, board (meals) and other related expenses.

    For those students who have been accepted to FAU and received financial aid offers, the Financial Aid Disbursement Estimator tool gives you an estimate of what financial aid may disburse based on your FAU enrollment and financial aid offer status at that time. This tool is available on FAU Self-Service under Financial Aid.

    There are various Offer Projection Estimators that will give estimates on college costs.

  4. Complete All Student Requirements

    Students will not receive a financial aid offer until all required documents have been submitted and satisfied. Students will receive an email at their FAU email account to view these requirements or students may review student requirements online via FAU Self-Service to make sure that you do not have any unsatisfied requirements:

    STEP 1: Access Financial Aid section of FAU Self-Service via MYFAU

    Method 1:

    1. Sign into MYFAU with your FAU credentials
    2. Click/tap the "Money Matters!" tile
    3. Click/tap the "Your Financial Aid" tile to go directly to Financial Aid within FAU Self-Service

    Method 2:

    1. Sign into MYFAU with your FAU credentials
    2. Click/tap the "FAU Self-Service" tile to access FAU Self-Service
    3. Click/tap the "Financial Aid" tab to access Financial Aid within Self-Service

    STEP 2: Reviewing requirements within FAU Self-Service

    1. Click/tap the "Financial Aid Status" tile
    2. If prompted, select "Academic Year" from the drop-down list
    3. Click/tap the "Student Requirements" link

    If you have been selected for Verification by the U.S. Department of Education or the FAU Office of Student Financial Aid, you will need to submit the Verification Worksheet and/or other documents ASAP, to avoid further delays in the offer process. Learn more about the Verification Process.

  5. Accepting your Financial Aid Offer

    Students will receive an email at their FAU email account to review/accept/decline their financial aid offer online via FAU Self-Service.

    The financial aid offer package will be based on full-time enrollment (Undergraduate = 12+ credit hours, Graduate = 9+ credit hours). Most financial aid offers will be prorated down if you are enrolled less than full-time. Most financial aid offers require a student to be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours.

    You may accept all or a portion, or completely decline student loans. Private loans require application to the lender of your choice. Click on each fund name to read messages regarding each fund. To accept or decline your financial aid offer:

    INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCEPTING FINANCIAL AID OFFER

  6. Complete Entrance Counseling

    (Only complete if student is accepting a Direct Loan for the first time)

    If you accepted or requested a loan, you will receive an email to your FAU email account directing you to complete the 20-30 minute online tutorial that serves to educate you on your rights and responsibilities as a loan borrower. Upon completion, print the confirmation page for your records. If you are a first time borrower, your student loans will not disburse until the Entrance Counseling is complete. Log on to Studentloans.gov to complete and satisfy this requirement. After completing the Entrance Counseling, FAU will receive your submission electronically within 3-5 business days and update this requirement as satisfied on your financial aid account.

  7. E-Sign your Master Promissory Note (MPN)

    (Only complete if student is accepting a Direct Loan at FAU for the first time)

    If you accepted or requested a Federal William D. Ford Direct Loan or PLUS Loan, you will receive an email via your FAU email instructing you to sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN). This serves as your loan agreement contract. Visit Studentloans.gov to complete and electronically sign your MPN. After completing the MPN, FAU will receive your submission electronically within 3-5 business days and update this requirement as satisfied on your financial aid account.

    If you have requested a private loan with a private lender you will need to sign an MPN with your chosen lender. Contact the lender or visit their website for more information.

  8. Step 8: Sign up for Direct Deposit Online

    Direct deposit is a fast, safe and convenient way to receive your financial aid refunds. It's easy! Students sign up online with your existing bank account! For more information regarding the direct deposit online form and FAQs. View Disbursement Information.

  9. Need Money to Buy Books?

    Two options students have for assistance purchasing textbooks before the disbursement of financial aid include:

  10. Submit the Mandatory Course Entry Quiz

    Students will be required to complete the Mandatory Course Entry Quiz for ALL classes enrolled. According to Federal Regulations, a student is considered not to have begun attendance if a school is unable to document the student's attendance in each class. The quiz must be completed for each course in order for financial aid to disburse.

    In addition to completing the Mandatory Course Entry Quiz, students are required to maintain eligibility for Title IV funding by displaying documented academic activity in the course. Examples of valid forms of documented activity include faculty attendance rosters, graded assignments, quizzes, or exams. Students should be aware that they may be required to repay any aid disbursed for a course for which they have no documented academic activity, even if the Mandatory Course Entry Quiz was completed.

  11. Stay informed

    Make sure that you have read the Terms & Conditions of Offers. These terms are outlined for you to understand how financial aid may impact the amount of money you are eligible to receive.

    Email notifications will be the primary method of communication between students and the Office of Student Financial Aid. It is the responsibility of the students to frequently monitor their FAU email account for notifications sent from this Office. It's to your benefit to regularly check your status, student requirements and financial aid offers. Offers may be modified if this Office receives updated information.

    Students must adhere to policies and rules/regulations set forth by the Office of Student Financial Aid. Click for more information on these policies.

    Keep your information up-to-date with the Registrar's Office (i.e. phone numbers, mailing address, etc.).

Enrollment

Financial Aid is based on actual enrollment. It is your responsibility to be aware of the Terms and Conditions of all financial aid offers, including all requirements regarding tuition deferment and aid disbursement. The credits below are based upon both FALL and SPRING semesters.

FULL TIME ENROLLMENT = 9 or more credits
3/4 TIME ENROLLMENT = 7 - 8 credits
1/2 TIME ENROLLMENT = 4.5 - 6 credits

  • Graduate students should apply for financial aid by following the same procedures as undergraduates. Submit your FAFSA early! The FAU priority deadline is January 1st each year.
  • Graduate students may be eligible for Federal Work Study, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Graduate Plus Loans, Fellowships, and Assistantships. Graduate students are NOT eligible to receive certain grants, such as the PELL, SEOG and FSAG grants. It is recommended that students investigate the above options in order to cover the cost of their education.
  • Graduate students may qualify for a need-based Florida Atlantic University Graduate Grant (FAUGG) by applying for aid through the FAFSA. Funds are limited and offered based on the availability of funds, so early completion of the FAFSA is encouraged.
  • For more information on these opportunities, contact your department or the FAU Graduate College Office.
  • View more information on Fellowships & Financial Aid Offers.

For more information on enrollment criteria for SUMMER, please visit the Summer Financial Aid webpage.

FastWeb Scholarship Search

If you need money for graduate school, look no further. FastWeb is the leading Internet scholarship search!Get more details and topics on:

  • Scholarships
  • All About Grad School
  • Get a Grip on your Student Finances
  • Financial Aid Tips from an Expert