Types of Aid

Graduate Financial Aid

We know you may have questions about funding your graduate or professional education, and we are happy to point you in the right direction. Knowing the basics will help you get started.

Please note: the Office of Financial Aid only facilitates loans for graduate and professional students. 

Scholarships and Fellowships

Academic fellowships, assistantships, and scholarships are offered by your admitting department, typically at the time of admission. The Office of Financial Aid will receive notification of the award and include it in your Financial Aid Offer (FAO). If you have questions regarding a scholarship or fellowship, please contact your admitting department directly.

Private Scholarships

Scholarship information may be obtained by contacting civic, professional, religious, and other community organizations. The College Board's Scholarship Search and FinAid! websites provides scholarship search information, and BestColleges.com provides a significant scholarship database. Caution is advised with respect to the use of fee-based scholarship search enterprises. The receipt of funds not listed on your FAO may result in a change to your financial aid. Scholarships not listed on the FAO must be reported to the Office of Financial Aid at finaidgr@nd.edu.

Earned Assistance

Graduate and professional students working on campus are typically employed on assistantship agreements arranged directly with their academic department. Part-time employment opportunities may be found on the JOBboard at studentjobs.nd.edu. 

Federal Direct Loan Programs (domestic students only)

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan 

The non-need-based Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is offered on your FAO based on the review of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The terms of this loan require that the student borrower repay with interest.

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan 

The Federal Direct PLUS Loan provides a borrowing option in excess of the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for Graduate and Professional Students. Based upon your credit history, you may borrow through this federally guaranteed, non-need-based loan program.

Private Loans

After exhausting the opportunities available from the federal aid programs, you may consider private loan programs as a source of funding. You may apply for the full cost of education (minus other student aid) from this non-need-based loan option. As always, taking on debt for any reason should be done deliberately and only for the amounts needed.

Monthly Payment Plan

The Office of Student Accounts has partnered with Nelnet to offer a monthly payment plan. For more information, visit the Monthly Payment Plan section of studentaccounts.nd.edu.