Free Money
Finding a scholarship, grant or fellowship may take a bit of work, but it's worth the effort. These are college funds you don't repay-it's free money to you.
In addition to the free money options listed below, be sure to check with your employer. Some companies offer scholarships for their employees, and many offer tuition reimbursement programs or other types of educational assistance.
Scholarships
Scholarships are the most often overlooked graduate school funding option. True, there are fewer scholarships available for graduate students. But it's also true that there are fewer students applying for those scholarships. And even fewer within any particular discipline.
Even if you're earning a salary or you didn't graduate at the top of your class, you may qualify for a graduate scholarship. That's because scholarships are not always awarded based on financial need, and not all scholarships are based on academic performance. In fact, your field of interest or your work experience may play a more significant role in your quest for free money.
For immediate access to more than 2.4 million awards worth over $3.4 billion in no-cost aid, visit the NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine. It's fast, completely private, and totally free of charge.
Fellowships
Unlike scholarships, fellowships are almost always based on academic excellence, and are often used to recruit new students for a particular program. Fellowships generally include part or all of your tuition and a stipend to cover living expenses.
Fellowships may be awarded by agencies, foundations, graduate schools, a specific group, or department within a graduate institution. Check with your academic department or your Graduate Financial Aid Office for fellowship opportunities at your school. You can also visit the NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine to search for fellowship awards.
To be considered for a fellowship, you must apply for each of the awards in which you're interested. You also may be required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as part of the qualification process (you should submit the FAFSA each year regardless of any fellowship requirements).
A word of advice-apply for every fellowship for which you may qualify, even if the award is small . You can often build a fairly substantial package from several sources.
Grants
Grants are awarded based on financial need, and are available from the federal government, state governments, schools and private organizations.
Graduate students may also take advantage of graduate student research and teaching assistant positions, many of which are funded by grants. While this grant money does not have to be repaid, students are required to earn these funds through specific work-related responsibilities.
Be sure to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1. Because grant money is based on financial need, it's typically awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and the FAFSA is the only way to mark your place in the queue.
Information for Graduate Students
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