Financing Graduate School

Focus on the direct costs you will owe to UNI

• Tuition and fees

• Room and board (if living on campus)

Consider any other education-related expenses you may need pay

• Books and supplies

• Rent

• Utilities

• Groceries

• Car insurance and gas

• Childcare

• Cell Phone

Consider any financial resources you already have:

• Savings

• Current Income if you are employed full- or part-time

• Campus departmental and off-campus employment—visit the UNI Job Board

  • Graduate students enrolled at least half-time are eligible for work positions supported by departmental funds

  • Note:  If you have a graduate assistantship, you cannot work as an hourly employee on campus

  • The job board also lists openings for off-campus employers

• There is an excellent budget calculator included in the Financial Awareness Counseling at studentaid.gov

• The Grad Senses Budget Calculator by the Council of Graduate Schools is another great online resource.

Graduate Assistantship

• Graduate Assistants can work full-time (20 hours per week) or half-time (10 hours per week). 

• There are approximately 300 Graduate Assistant positions in a variety of campus departments and offices

• Only full-time students (enrolled in at least 9 hours per semester) are eligible for assistantships

• Out-of-state students holding graduate assistantships may qualify for in-state tuition

• For more information on Graduate Assistantships and the Graduate Assistantship application, visit the Graduate College website.

• The 2020-21 Graduate Assistantships in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships have been filled

Graduate College Tuition Scholarship

• This scholarship is awarded on a semester basis as a half or full scholarship at the in-state tuition rate

• Does not cover student fees, books, or other expenses

• This scholarship does not qualify a student for the in-state tuition rate

• Awarded scholarships are processed through financial aid and do not require any work or services to receive the award

• For more information on the Graduate Tuition Scholarship, visit the Graduate College website.  The application can be found in the Forms section.

Departmental Scholarships

• Contact your academic department to learn if scholarships are available

• Review the UNI Scholarship Directory

Outside scholarships

• There are numerous free websites where you can search for scholarships such as FastWeb and Graduate School Scholarships

• Also look for scholarships from your home community, employer, etc.

In order to receive financial aid, graduate students must be a degree-seeking student and enrolled at least half-time (5 semester hours in the fall or spring or 4 hours in the summer). 

If you choose to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (available starting October 1), you may qualify for:

Grants

• Limited funds are available to graduate students, so complete your FAFSA as early as possible to maximize the possibility of receiving grants

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

• Fixed interest rate of 6.079% for the 2019-2020 academic year

• Fixed interest rate of 6.60% for the 2018-2019 academic year

• Borrowing limit of $20,500 per year

• Available for all graduate students

Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students

• Fixed interest rate of 7.079% for the 2019-2020 academic year

• Fixed interest rate of 7.60% for the 2018-2019 academic year

• Available for graduate students who have exhausted their Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

• Borrower is subject to a credit check prior to approval

Private Education Loans

• Offered through private banks and lenders

• This is a last-resort option

• Financial aid counseling is required with the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships

Remember that you will be charged interest on your loans as soon as you receive them. You will be responsible for paying back the amount of your loan plus any interest that has accrued.