Financial Aid

Two major types of financial aid are available to graduate students: (1) financial aid based on academic merit, and (2) financial aid based on need.

Graduate Assistantships for teaching or research and University Predoctoral Fellowships are awarded to full-time students primarily on the basis of academic merit. To apply for an assistantship or fellowship, select yes after the appropriate question on the application for admission. Academic departments make decisions on the award of graduate assistantships or fellowships, not the Graduate School. Contact your department for deadlines.

Need-based Financial Aid:
United States citizens or permanent residents of the United States (but not International Students) may apply for need-based financial aid, which includes Federal Stafford Loans (FSL), Federal Work Study, and University of Connecticut Tuition Remission Grant. TO APPLY FOR NEED-BASED AID, AN ADDITIONAL FORM NOT INCLUDED IN THE ONLINE OR PAPER APPLICATION MUST BE COMPLETED.

The required application for need-based aid is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal FAFSA. Application materials should be available on/after December 15. The FAFSA may also be obtained from any high school guidance office or college/university financial aid office. You can also file an electronic FAFSA on the web at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. For more information on FAFSA, visit the University of Connecticut financial aid web site at: http://financialaid.uconn.edu/

NEED-BASED FINANCIAL AID DEADLINES are March 1 for continuing UConn graduate students and May 1 for entering UConn graduate students. The FAFSA must be received and logged in at the Federal Processor on/before the published deadline date. On-time status will not be determined poostmark dates or postage receipts. Priority for the awarding of Federal Work Study as well as University of Connecticut Tuition Remission funds will be reserved for applicants who comply with the above deadlines. Applications received after the deadline will be considered for Federal Stafford Loans only.

Private Loans:

Listing of UConn Graduate Student Fellowships & Financial Aid Opportunities

  • Department of Student Affairs Short-Term Emergency Loan Fund -- the Dean of Student' Office administers this program that can help graduate students who have encountered unforeseen financial difficulties that pose a hardship to their student status. Students must be currently registered and degree-seeking to be eligible. Contact: Dean of Students Office (486-3426), Wilbur Cross Building, Room 221
  • Tuition Assistance Program -- The Graduate School administers this program. There is no application form. Faculty members nominate students in terminal-track master's degree programs and who reside out-of-state. (See the Graduate Catalog or one of the flyers for more information.) The student must be a US citizen or permanent resident. Contact: Office of the Vice Provost for Research & Graduate Education, Joanna Desjardin (486-5854)
  • Departmental/Program Awards -- Additionally, specific disciplines or areas (see listing) have awards. For information concerning these awards, contact should be made with the department that the discipline/area falls under. Availability of these awards is subject to change.
  • Graduate Assistantships/Predoctoral Fellowships -- Each year departments have available a limited number of graduate assistantships and fellowships to disperse. Most awards are based upon merit and financial need. There is a certain credit requirement the student must take each semester based upon whether the assistantship is a whole or a half-time award. There are also different payment rates associated with each stipend level. Also included with at least a half-time assistantship is a tuition waiver and health benefits. The student must pay for all associated University fees. More detail is provided in the Catalog or on our web site. The student should contact the department that the field of study falls under for further information.