Get Your Graduate Degree without Breaking the Bank
Think Going to Graduate School will Break the Bank?
A graduate degree from Trevecca is an investment in your future. Furthering your education can open the door for leadership opportunities, raises and new career paths. There are a number of ways to finance your degree affordably, and a financial aid counselor at Trevecca can work with you to determine your best path forward.
Here are some options and resources to consider as you begin to plan and budget for graduate school tuition.
The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
This is the largest federal student loan program. There are two types of direct loans that graduate or professional students enrolled in a degree or certificate program can receive:
Direct Unsubsidized Loans—Eligible students may borrow up to $20,500 per school year.
Direct PLUS Loans—Eligible graduate or professional students who need to borrow more than the maximum unsubsidized loan amounts to meet their education costs may apply for a PLUS loan.
More information about federal student loans is available at studentaid.gov.
Aid is also available at the state level. Many states offer assistance for graduate school, and contact information for state grant agencies can be found through the U.S. Department of Education’s website.
Eligibility
All federal student aid (grants, loans and work-study funds) has eligibility guidelines requiring students to be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens, accepted for enrollment in a degree or certificate program and able to demonstrate financial need (for most programs). You can also contact Trevecca’s financial aid office if you have questions about federal loan eligibility.
To apply for federal student aid, you first need to complete the FAFSA® form.
Scholarships and Grants
Beyond loans, grants and scholarships can be a great way to fund your degree. These are available for a wide range of students in different demographics and degree programs. Foundations and organizations that are religious, community, professional, occupational or ethnicity-based are a great place to start looking.
Register for the Sallie Mae scholarship search to access a nationwide database of 950,000 graduate scholarships with up to $1 billion in total funds.
Employer Tuition Assistance
Many companies offer tuition assistance or reimbursement, helping you to complete your degree with minimal debt. Often, these plans require you to have worked at the company for a certain amount of time to be eligible and also may require that you stay at the company for a certain amount of years following the completion of your degree. This can be a great option for you as well as your employer, who may receive a tax benefit and profit from your newly acquired skills and knowledge that will contribute greatly to your team and your organization. Gograd.org provides some information about these benefits and how to speak with your employer about potential opportunities.
Military Benefits
Trevecca is proud to support our servicemen and women and their families and offers a military scholarship equal to 10 percent of tuition per semester for all military service members, veterans, military spouses and dependents 23 and younger.
Trevecca also participates in the Yellow Ribbon program to honor and support the men and women who have courageously served in our nation’s military forces. Eligible students are those utilizing the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and who qualify for the 100 percent level. Trevecca makes unlimited participation slots available for all academic programs, including graduate and doctoral programs. We also provide matching funds for tuition and mandatory program fees through the Yellow Ribbon Program for eligible students whose tuition and fees exceed the VA’s annual reimbursement cap.
Trevecca’s military admissions page provides more information about student military benefits.
Financial Aid Contact
Reach out to Trevecca at FinancialServices@trevecca.edu or 615-248-1242 if you have any questions about financing graduate school. We’re here to help!