If you want to boost your skills and your career with a graduate degree from La Salle University, financial aid can help pay for your education.
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the key to unlocking most financial aid. The FAFSA for the 2024-2025 school year should be available in December 2023.
For graduate students, most financial aid falls into five categories:
It’s a good idea to contact your academic department at La Salle to inquire about financial aid options. Staff and faculty may know about money available for graduate students in your program.
La Salle hires dozens of graduate assistants each semester to support offices across the University. Some job examples include:
La Salle doesn’t offer teaching assistantships because faculty teach all courses.
Graduate assistants receive tuition reimbursement for two courses each semester in fall and spring and for one course in summer semester. They work up to 20 hours per week and receive $12 per hour.
Listings of open graduate assistantships are available online. Graduate assistants must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
If your FAFSA shows you have financial need and you check the box indicating you’re interested in a Federal Work-Study job, it may be included as part of your financial aid package.
Just because your financial aid award letter says you qualify for a Federal Work-Study job does not guarantee you’ll get one. You must look for jobs on Handshake, apply for any you like, and interview if you’re chosen.
Federal Work-Study recipients work 10-20 hours per week in a variety of jobs across campus. They earn at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
If your FAFSA doesn’t show you have financial need, you can still get an on-campus departmental job. As with Federal Work-Study, you look for jobs on Handshake, apply, and interview.
Many graduate students take out loans to complete the financing of their education. The federal government and private lenders such as banks and credit unions offer graduate student loans.
You’ll usually get the best interest rate and repayment terms with a federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. To quality, you must take at least three credit hours, make Satisfactory Academic Progress, and meet a few other eligibility requirements. You do not need to demonstrate financial need on your FAFSA. You can borrow up to $20,500 per year and up to $138,500 over your entire college career.
The federal government also offers the Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. It’s less attractive than the Direct Unsubsidized Loan because the interest rate and loan fee are both higher and it requires a credit check. If you’re considering a Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, compare it with loans from private lenders.
Teachers and employees of a government agency or nonprofit organization who qualify may have part or all of their federal student loans forgiven.
If you work, your employer may help you pay for graduate school. Many employers, realizing that helping employees grow can increase job satisfaction and performance, offer tuition assistance programs. Some pay your tuition up front, while others reimburse you.
Talk to your human resources department about whether tuition assistance is available, how to apply, and what the program requires. For example, some programs require you to remain with your employer for a specified period after graduation. If you leave earlier, you must pay back some or all of the assistance.
You should pursue any fellowships and scholarships for which you qualify because you don’t have to pay them back. Fellowships and scholarships are the same thing; graduate awards are usually called fellowships.
Fellowship requirements and benefits vary widely. They typically cover educational expenses like tuition.
ProFellow is a database of more than 2,600 fellowships and other funding opportunities for graduate school. You’ll also want to check out the national scholarship databases listed on our Scholarships page.
Individual programs may offer merit-based scholarships. Reach out to the program directors directly to learn more.
Some of the best federal publications and resources about financial aid for graduate students include: