Graduate students who apply for financial aid are considered for the following federal loan and Work-Study programs:
- Graduate Nursing Student Loan
- Health Professions (Pharmacy/Dental) Loan
- Federal Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan
- Federal Work-Study
With the exception of the unsubsidized Stafford Loan, all of these programs are awarded based on financial need. Students who don’t qualify for need-based aid may be awarded the unsubsidized Stafford Loan. For more information, select one of the links above for information specific to your program.
Federal Work-Study is a financial aid program that provides funds for part-time jobs for students, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses. A percentage of students’ earnings is paid through federal funds, and the remainder is paid by the student's employer. For more information see Work-Study & Other Jobs.
Graduate students may also apply separately for Federal Direct PLUS loans or private education loans.
Complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for each year that you attend and need aid. The FAFSA is available on October 1 each year and we must receive your valid FAFSA from the federal processor by March 31. Be sure to allow time for any corrections that might be needed to your FAFSA so we receive it in a timely manner. If you are entering U-M during spring/summer terms, complete a FAFSA for the current year (for example, students starting their academic program in spring/summer 2020 would complete a 2019-2020 FAFSA).
Current students who want to attend spring/summer and receive aid must also complete a Request for Funds form, found on our Forms page from Feb. 1-July 31 each year. Detached study semesters will count as the equivalent of eight credit hours attempted and completed when calculating both pace and 150% of program length completion.
Graduate Undocumented or DACA students: Are you an undocumented student or do you qualify for a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) status? See the frequently asked questions section on the Rackham Graduate School website.
Alternative Payment Option: U-M offers a payment plan that allows students to pay their bills in installments. For information, read more about the U-M Payment Plan or contact the Student Financial Services office at 877-840-4738 or by email at UM-SFO@umich.edu.
After funding is distributed, financial aid is sometimes reduced if additional resources from a non-university donor or a university department are added, you have a change in your financial situation, a GSI/RA appointment is considered or you drop to less-than-full-time enrollment.
The Office of Financial Aid is required to consider all funding sources when reviewing aid eligibility. These include: departmental scholarships, outside fellowships and GSRA/GSI tuition waiver amounts. Total financial aid cannot exceed a student's budget which includes tuition, fees and allowances for books/supplies, food, and rent. Since the Office of Financial Aid is often unaware of GSRA/GSI appointments until they are processed by University Human Resources, these appointments can reduce federal aid once they are processed. We monitor all financial aid on a daily basis and adjust it, as required.
