Financial Aid for Graduate Students

Types of financial assistance available for graduate students include the Federal Direct Loan, the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan, private loans, and campus employment. To receive consideration for all available financial aid, you must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by Miami University’s priority deadline.

Full-time teachers may be eligible for the Ohio Teacher Education Access at Miami (TEAM) Scholarship or the TEACH Grant. Please visit our Scholarships and Grants for Graduate Students page for more information.

Graduate students can apply for the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan at StudentAid.gov. After completing the application, a Master Promissory Note will also need to be completed at StudentAid.gov. Private loans are also available to graduate students, subject to individual eligibility requirements of the selected lender.

Miami’s Graduate School provides numerous assistantships, associateships, scholarships, and grants-in-aid. Because these awards vary with each area of study, check with your program for specific information regarding deadlines and requirements.

Federal Direct Loan »

The funds for a Federal Direct Loan are provided by the U.S. Department of Education and are credited to your student bursar account. Beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year, graduate students are no longer eligible for Federal Direct Subsidized Loans. Instead, graduate students can only borrow Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans. Unsubsidized loans are not need based.

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan »

Graduate students can borrow a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan up to their cost of attendance minus other estimated financial assistance.

Private Loan »

Miami will certify a private loan from any lender. Terms, fees, and borrowing limits of private loans differ. Private loans are not federally guaranteed and do not require that you file the FAFSA. The yearly amount cannot exceed the annual cost of attendance minus other financial aid and resources. Borrowing a private loan is a decision that should be made with careful consideration.

Financial Aid Guidelines

Helpful information about financial aid guidelines for graduate students is below. For more detailed information about financial aid, visit the Funding Opportunities page.

Full-time Enrollment Definition

Graduate students enrolled for 9 credit hours are considered full-time. Graduate students must be enrolled for at least 5 credit hours to receive federal loans. Your enrollment status is a factor when determining your eligibility for financial aid.

Receiving a GRE Fee Waiver

Some graduate programs require their applicants to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). To be eligible for the GRE fee waiver, you must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien and one of the following:

• Dependent senior with a parent contribution of no more than $1,500
• Self-supporting senior with a contribution of no more than $1,900
• Self-supporting unenrolled college graduate with a contribution of no more than $1,900

Determining Your Award

If you filed a FAFSA, your financial aid award notification will be sent on or before July 1. You must notify the One Stop (OneStop@MiamiOH.edu or 513-529-0001) of any additional awards you are receiving (e.g., graduate assistantships, outside scholarships, dissertation scholarships, fee waivers, tuition assistance). These additional awards may impact your Federal Direct Stafford Loan eligibility. Assistantship notifications are sent by the Graduate School.

Deferring Your Undergraduate Loan Payments

If your undergraduate federal student loan is in its six-month grace period and you are still enrolled as at least a half-time student, your enrollment records with the U.S. Department of Education should be updated to reflect your continued enrollment. If your grace period has expired and you have entered repayment on your loan, you may still be eligible to postpone your payments with an in-school deferment if you begin re-attending an eligible school on at least a half-time basis. You must continue making payments until you are notified that the deferment has been granted.

Miami electronically notifies the National Student Clearinghouse monthly with student enrollment information. This information is disseminated for Federal Direct Stafford Loans and some private loans. When this information is received, your records will be updated to show your in-school status. Note that not all private loan lenders receive this information electronically; you should contact your private loan and/or your FFELP lender to find out what is required to update your enrollment status.

Attending Summer Session

If you are interested in attending the summer session, note that the summer session counts as part of the previous academic year and your federal loan eligibility is determined by the amount you did not receive in the fall and/or spring semester(s). Private loans may also be an option for summer session. If you are receiving a graduate fee waiver for the summer, you need to notify the One Stop (OneStop@MiamiOH.edu or 513-529-0001). Contact the Graduate School regarding graduate summer scholarships.

You must complete the following before summer aid will be processed:

• FAFSA
• Registration for summer hours
• All outstanding requirements for federal aid

Submitting an Alternative Programs Form

If you are a conditional graduate student, you are eligible only for federal and/or private loans (not federal or state grants). Submit the Alternate Programs Form with the required information to the One Stop, 301 S Campus Ave, Oxford, OH 45056.

If you are pursuing a teacher certification/licensure, you are eligible for federal and/or private loans (not federal or state grants). Submit the Alternate Programs Form with the required information to the One Stop, 301 S Campus Ave, Oxford, OH 45056.

You can also apply for the Ohio TEAM Scholarship, a 50% reduction in tuition and fees offered to Ohio's professional educators for graduate coursework at Miami. 

Student Loan Code of Conduct

The guiding principles for ensuring the integrity of the student aid process and the ethical conduct of employees in regard to student loan practices are provided in the Miami Student Loan Code of Conduct.