SU- Graduate Students

HOW TO APPLY

GRADUATE STUDENTS

This information is for Main Campus entering and returning graduate students. If you are enrolled in one of the programs listed below, contact the appropriate financial aid office for information on financial assistance.

College of Law: College of Law Financial Aid Office at (315) 443-1962
Law: College of Law Financial Aid Office.

Students interested in the Independent Study Degree Programs (ISDP- also known as "Distance Education" by some program areas) and all non-matriculated graduate students should contact the University College of Syracuse University Financial Aid Office at (315) 443-3216 or e-mail: finaid@uc.syr.edu.

Scholarships, Assistantships and Fellowships

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs does not award Scholarships, Assistantships or Fellowships. For more information on how these awards are determined, please go to the Graduate School web site at: http://gradsch.syr.edu/suresources.htm. Information on other sources of Graduate funding may be found at http://osp.syr.edu/FundingOpps.php. To contact academic departments regarding scholarships, assistantships and fellowships please use the SU directory at http://telecom.syr.edu/directory.

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and Other NY State Programs

TAP is available to New York State residents who attend Syracuse University. Students must be enrolled for at least 12 credit hours each semester. The FAFSA begins the TAP application process. The maximum TAP award for graduate students is $550.00 per year. Click for more information about TAP and other NYS aid programs for graduate students.

Federal Financial Aid (Federal Stafford and PLUS Loans)

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs administers financial aid for Main Campus graduate students in the form of Federal Loans. Federal financial aid is based on eligibility determined by the US Department of Education, using the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

You may borrow up to the following amounts per semester (summer is considered one semester):

Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan: $4,250
Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan: $6,000
Graduate PLUS Loan: Up to the Cost of Attendance minus Financial Aid.

The lender deducts up to 4.0% of the loan amount for insurance and origination fees for the Graduate PLUS Loan.

Applying for Federal Financial Aid

Step 1:
If your program begins in the summer, or if you plan to continue your enrollment for summer, make sure you complete a 2007-08 FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov) by
May 1st. After the FAFSA is filed, complete the SU Financial Aid Summer Graduate Application. The summer application will be available by mid-March on your Financial Aid Portfolio (via MySlice).

If you are not enrolling for the summer, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2:
File the 2008-09 FAFSA online using the FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov by July 1st. (Students who filed the 2007-08 FAFSA for summer enrollment and will continue through to the fall semester will need to also file the 2008-09 FAFSA for the academic year).

Step 3:
Complete the Syracuse University Graduate Financial Aid Application. This required application and instructions can be found by clicking on the Task List tab of your Financial Aid Portfolio in MySlice.

Step 4:
Once we receive both your completed FAFSA and Syracuse University Graduate Financial Aid Application, we will update your Financial Aid Portfolio with the amount(s) of your federal loan eligibilitly. Your Financial Aid Portfolio is your official notice of financial aid administered by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs. It will not include any academic awards that you may be receiving. Your Portfolio will be updated as follows:

Students attending summer session will be updated beginning in Mid-March.
Students admitted for the fall semester will be updated beginning April 1, 2007.
Currently enrolled students will be updated beginning June 1, 2007.

Important Note: If you need Federal Loans by the beginning of the academic year, it is strongly advised that you file the FAFSA by July 1st. If you file after this date, we cannot guarantee your funds will be in your SU account by the beginning of the academic year. You may file the FAFSA throughout the academic year or term you are enrolled. However, you must be planning to attend or be in attendance to file for federal aid. You cannot apply for federal aid after the year or term you are attending has ended.

Timeline Summary to Apply for Financial Aid at Syracuse University

January:

Complete and file the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Important items to remember when filing the FAFSA:

If you are attending summer session you must file the 2007-08 FAFSA by May 1st.
File the 2008-09 FAFSA application no later than July 1, 2008.
Do not report parental information on the FAFSA (Graduate students are considered to be financially independent of their parents).
Use Syracuse University’s U.S. Department of Education Title IV code: 002882
If this is the first time you are filing a FAFSA, you will need to request a Personal Identification Number (PIN) from the Department of Education at www.pin.ed.gov. The PIN is your electronic signature and is required to process the FAFSA. You should request a PIN before you complete the FAFSA.
After the FAFSA is processed, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Department of Education. The SAR states the information you submitted on the FAFSA. It is important that you review the SAR to ensure it is correct and complete. You can check the status of your FAFSA or make corrections online by visiting FAFSA on the WEB and using your PIN.

February:

Begin looking for an academic award by contacting SU graduate academic departments. For more information on how these awards are determined, please go to: http://gradsch.syr.edu/suresources.htm. Information on other sources of Graduate funding may be found at http://osp.syr.edu/FundingOpps.php. To contact academic departments regarding scholarships, Assistantships and Fellowships please use the SU directory at http://telecom.syr.edu/directory.

March:

2008-09 Cost of Attendance for graduate students is available now.
Check your Financial Aid Portfolio on MySlice to determine if you have completed required financial aid tasks.
Mid-March - If your program begins in the summer, or if you plan to continue your enrollment for summer, make sure you complete a 2007-08 FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov) and an SU Financial Aid Summer Application by May 1, 2007. Both forms are available on your Financial Aid Portfolio.
Remember to search for outside scholarships at www.fastweb.com or www.petersons.com. This search may be conducted throughout the academic year but you will want to begin your search prior to the term you are enrolling at Syracuse University.

April:

New students: If you have completed your SU Graduate Financial Aid Application and submitted it back to our office, you will receive confirmation on your Financial Aid Portfolio of how much Federal Stafford and/or PLUS Loan you are eligible to receive.
Current students: Check your FA Portfolio on MySlice for the latest on financial aid instructions and completing required tasks.

May:

If you are borrowing a Federal Stafford Loan for the first time at Syracuse University, check your Financial Aid Portfolio on MySlice for instructions on completing a Federal Stafford Master Promissory Note (MPN).
If you are also borrowing a Graduate PLUS Loan through Syracuse University, you must complete the Grad PLUS MPN on line at New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYSHESC). To review more loan information, visit our graduate loans section or your Financial Aid Portfolio.

June:

Last month to file a 2007-08 FAFSA for summer loans.

July:

The last possible month to file a 2008-09 FAFSA and file for a Federal Stafford Loan to have your loan funds here when classes begin for fall. Follow instructions on your FA Portfolio to apply for federal loans.

August:

Remember, you must be registered at least half time before we certify your loan with your lender.
Check your Financial Aid Portfolio to make sure you have complete all required tasks to get your loan funds here by the first day of classes for the fall semester.
Classes begin! As long as you are registered at least half time, you may begin asking for your refund (no earlier than the first day of classes).

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