Financial Aid and Scholarships for Online Graduate Students

For most prospective students, completing the FAFSA® is the first step in obtaining financial aid for school. Completing this Free Application for Federal Student Aid determines a student’s eligibility for financial aid that comes from the federal government. This includes subsidized and unsubsidized loans, as well as grants. Though many prospective students may know they must complete the FAFSA® for undergrad, many don’t realize they need to complete it for master’s programs as well.

Even though the FAFSA® is officially needed for applying for federal student aid, the vast majority of states and schools that have their own financial aid offerings will require applicants complete the FAFSA® as well, even if the applicant has no intention of obtaining any federally based financial aid.

When applying for federal financial aid, the FAFSA® must be completed by June 30 of the year the student intends to enroll in classes. If a prospective student wants to start classes in the Fall of 2023, they must complete the FAFSA® by June 30 of 2023. However, it’s strongly recommended that applicants do not use this deadline as a guide for completing the FAFSA®. This is because it is available for completion starting October 1, the year before the student intends to start classes. Using the above example, a student can complete their FAFSA® as early as Oct. 1 of the previous year.

It’s strongly recommended applicants complete the FAFSA® as soon as they can once it’s available. This is because many federal, school and state-based aid options are limited and only available on a first come, first served basis. By waiting too long, students may not have access to financial aid they would otherwise have been eligible to receive had they applied sooner.

A Note on Accreditation

When it comes to applying for financial aid, one of the most common eligibility criteria is attendance of an accredited school or program. Accreditation is the process by which an independent body reviews a school’s curriculum and makes sure it provides a minimum level of education for its students. Schools can have accreditation at the institutional or programmatic level.

For example, most schools offering graduate programs are accredited at the institutional level by a regional accrediting body that’s recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. However, individual graduate programs might also have programmatic accreditation. For example, many graduate nursing programs are accredited at the programmatic level by the CCNE or the ACEN. A searchable database of schools and their accrediting bodies can be found at the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.

By attending a school that’s not accredited, finding financial aid from sources outside the school itself will be almost impossible. Even if paying for graduate school isn’t a concern, prospective graduate students should only consider accredited schools to ensure they get the most from their hard-earned education.

Find out about FAFSA Appeals. Read about FAFSA for Graduate School.

There are so many types of financial aid that it can be confusing to figure out what’s what. The following is a comprehensive list of the different terms often thrown around in the financial aid realm, as well as an explanation as to what they are or how they work.

What kind of scholarships, grants and other forms of gift-based aid are out there?

Here’s a small sampling of what’s potentially available.

AAUW International Fellowships

Sponsored by the American Association of University Women, these fellowships provide up to $30,000 in funding for graduate students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

AGBU Scholarship Program

Sponsored by the American Association of University Women, these fellowships provide up to $30,000 in funding for graduate students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship

This scholarship provides up to $2,000 for applicants who are NAACP members, demonstrate financial need and are below the age of 25 at the time of the application deadline.

American Nuclear Society Scholarship Program

Available to members, this scholarship goes to those who demonstrate excellence in academics, leadership and service.

Casey Scholars Program

Offered by Suburban Hospital, this scholarship program is for nonemployees who are accepted or enrolled in an advanced practice nursing program. Employees may also apply, but only if they are studying in a field where there is an identifiable need at Suburban Hospital.

David H. Clift Scholarship

Sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), this scholarship provides $3,000 to a student seeking their MLS degree from an ALA accredited program.

Feeding Tomorrow Graduate Scholarships

Sponsored by the Institute of Food Technologists, these scholarships are designed for students planning on a career relating to the science of food.

JFCS Educational Loans and Grants

Jewish Family and Children’s Services has education grants and subsidized loans available. Applicants must be Jewish, demonstrate community involvement and be permanent residents of San Francisco or the surrounding areas.

Trent R. Dames and William W. Moore Fellowship

Created in 1990, this fellowship helps student members of the American Society of Civil Engineers pay for graduate study research.

Warren/Sanders/McNaughton Oceanographic Scholarship:

The Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association sponsors this scholarship, which goes to help pay for graduate study in oceanography or a related field.

Online Masters Colleges (OMC) Scholarships:

This site – Online Masters Colleges (OMC) offers two types of scholarships – Graduate Scholarships and Diversity Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded twice an year. Read more about OMC Scholarships.