Graduate Students
Financial Aid Application Process
Eligibility
To be eligible for federal student aid a student must be a citizen or eligible non-citizen of the United States with a valid social security number. In general, students must be degree-seeking and enrolled on at least a half-time basis. Additionally, students may not owe a refund on a federal student grant, nor be in default on a federal student loan.
Financial Aid Application
Applying for financial aid is an annual process. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) serves as the official application for all sources of federal aid for graduate/professional students. The University of Notre Dame's FAFSA code is 001840. The Federal Student Aid ID is a username and password created to give you access to Federal Student Aid's online systems including the FAFSA.
- Students enrolling in programs beginning summer 2023 should complete the 2023/2024 FAFSA
- A student should not wait for an admission decision before completing the financial aid application process
- Independent students are not required to provide parental information
- Please do not send a Verification Worksheet, tax return, etc. unless the information is requested
- For admitted students completing their FAFSA by February 28th, notifications are emailed late March/early April
- Students will typically receive the annual borrowing limit for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program, $20,500 (however, the amount of the loan may not exceed the program's cost of attendance)
IRS Data Retrieval Tool
If eligible, students are strongly encouraged to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool option when completing the FAFSA. Choosing this option will streamline completion of federal verification requirements and expedite the review of your financial aid application. More information regarding this process can be found here.
Financial Aid Notification (FAN)
For students who apply for financial assistance, the Office of Financial Aid will provide a Financial Aid Notification (FAN) outlining their eligibility for financial assistance. Official notification of academic fellowships, assistantships, and scholarships is sent by the student’s academic department and will be included on the FAN, if provided. Students are asked to notify the Office of Financial Aid of the receipt of any other financial assistance beyond that outlined in the FAN.
International Students
Financial aid opportunities for international students are limited. In general, international students should be prepared to finance, either privately or through a sponsor, the cost of their Notre Dame education.
The Office of Financial Aid only facilitates loans for graduate students at Notre Dame, all scholarship and fellowship assistance is offered and administered by your admitting college or school.
Students may wish to investigate the Additional Sources of Financial Aid at the bottom of the undergraduate International Students page. Please note, this is the only section on the page that may apply to graduate students.