• Apply for admission to a Graduate program at Salisbury University

• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after January 1st for the upcoming year, and include our school code (002091) in the list of schools to send the FAFSA results to. Be sure to submit the FAFSA before March 1st to meet the Salisbury University and the State of Maryland priority funding deadline in order to increase your chances of receiving non-loan aid.

SU Financial Aid reference:

• Federal Financial Aid Programs
• Additional Financial Aid Resources
• Cost of Attendance for Graduate Students
• Satisfactory Progress Policy for Graduate Students

Federal Financial Aid Programs

TEACH Grant Program -- Through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Congress created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides grants to students who intend to teach full-time, as a highly qualified teacher, in a high-need subject, in a school that serves low-income students. Click here to learn more about this program.

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Programs -- Salisbury University participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Student Loan Programs (Direct Loans). Available for graduate students enrolled at least halftime (5 credit hours a semester).

Effective July 1, 2012: The Budget Control Act of 2011 signed into law by President Obama  eliminates the in-school loan interest subsidy for graduate students.

• Effective for the academic year of 2012-2013, all graduate students will lose the interest subsidy on the Direct Stafford Loan.
• This loan will become the same as the current unsubsidized loan.
• Students will be responsible for the in-school interest accrual.

Q&A

1.    Will this new law affect the loans that I have borrowed previously?
No, the elimination of the interest subsidy will begin for new loans in the 2012-2013 academic year.

2.    Will the new law affect my loan repayment in the future?
No, subsidized loans previously borrowed will still be eligible for the same repayment.

The Direct Loan Programs enable Graduate students enrolled in at least five credit hours to borrow money directly from the Federal government rather than private lending institutions (i.e. banks, credit unions). Loans can easily and quickly be obtained by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and completing an Electronic Promissory Note on-line. As a Graduate student, you are able to borrow up to $20,500 per annum in the unsubsidized loan program. Loans may be prorated for enrollment less than full-time (9 credits). Graduate students who are taking some undergraduate coursework are only eligible for graduate loan limits if at least 50% of their course load is in graduate level courses in a given semester. Loan repayment begins six months after recipients leave the institution or drops below half-time.

Grad PLUS Loan Program -- Graduate students also may borrow through the Grad PLUS loan program. Graduate students may borrow up to the cost of attendance at the institution minus other estimated financial assistance for the student. The interest rate is capped at 7.90 percent. Students may choose to defer Grad PLUS loan payments until 6 months after the date the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time.  Accruing interest can either be paid by the borrower monthly or quarterly, or be capitalized quarterly.

Information on the William D. Ford Federal Direct Student Loan Programs is available in the Financial Aid Office.

Direct Loan Servicing System Web Site

Additional Financial Aid Resources

Graduate Assistantships -- Salisbury University offers a number of Graduate Assistantships on a competitive basis.

Graduate Assistants are eligible to receive a salary and tuition waiver of up to 18 credits per academic year. To be eligible for the tuition waiver students must enroll for a minimum of six credits in both the fall and spring terms. Tuition is waived only for courses applicable toward Master’s degree requirements. The waiver of tuition does not include waiver of fees. Below is a link for additional information on Graduate Assistantships.

• Graduate Assistant Information

Veteran Benefits -- Information regarding Veteran Benefits for Graduate Students can be found by visiting the Salisbury University Veterans Affairs Office as well as The United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Scholarships -- Graduate students at Salisbury University are awarded a variety of scholarships from Federal, State, and institutional resources to help defray the student’s cost of education. Scholarships are awarded based on merit, financial need, or sometimes a combination of merit and need. Carefully review the deadlines and requirements when you apply for a scholarship. Additional information regarding Financial Aid and scholarship searches for graduate degrees can be found at the websites listed below.

• GradView - Graduate School Scholarships
• CollegeDegrees.com - Find Graduate School Scholarships
• Salisbury University Scholarships

Graduate Cost of Attendance (fall/spring)

There are three types of costs involved in the financial aid process. They are called direct costs, indirect costs and the cost of attendance.

Direct costs are those funds which are charged directly to your student account and payable to the university. For Graduate students, this always includes tuition and fees.

Indirect costs vary per student and are not included in your bill. For Graduate students these include room and board, books/supplies, transportation, and personal expenses.

The cost of attendance (student budget) is the combination of direct and indirect costs.

The figures below are ESTIMATED 2013-2014 costs per year for fulltime (9 credits) Graduate students.

Financial aid for graduate students is packaged under the assumption that a student is attending full-time (nine credits per semester).  A student who is attending less than nine credits per semester will have a lower cost of attendance and will be eligible for less financial aid than a full-time student.  Conversely, a student who is attending more than nine credits per semester will have a higher cost of attendance and may be eligible for additional financial aid.  An audit of enrollment and financial aid will be performed each semester at the end of the drop/add period to insure the amount of aid received coincides with the number of credits enrolled in for the semester.  If you already know your attendance will be different than nine credits per semester, please complete the change of enrollment form and return it to the financial aid office.  We will adjust your aid offer to your intended enrollment status.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Policy for Graduate Students

2012-2013

Federal regulations require that institutions of higher education establish minimum standards of "Satisfactory Academic Progress" for potential and current financial aid recipients. Financial Aid Applicants must comply with the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy as a condition of initial or continued eligibility. Please note that your prior academic progress will be measured to determine your eligibility. Our office will review SAP at the end of each payment period. (fall, spring and summer)

Financial aid programs which are affected by the SAP Policy include the Federal Direct Stafford Loan and State grants/scholarships.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for graduates is measured in three areas: maintaining a satisfactory cumulative grade point average, successfully completing a required percentage of attempted credits, and receiving a degree within a maximum timeframe.

Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average Requirement

Graduate students must maintain the required cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0.

Minimum Credit Requirement

All graduate students must have successfully completed at least 67% of all credits attempted.

How do I calculate my percentage completed?

An attempted credit includes graded courses (A, B, B+, C, C+, D, F,) and non graded courses (I, AU, W, WF, WP, NR, IP, RA, RB, RB+, RC, RC+, RD, RF, Departmental Challenge Exams, all Study Abroad and Transfer Credits accepted to your program.)

To calculate the percentage of credits you have completed, total all attempted credits and total all completed credits. (See Repeat Course section in the University Catalog for further information regarding repeating of courses). Then, divide the number of completed credits by the number of attempted credits.

Total Completed Credits / Total Attempted Credits = Percentage Completed

Students placed on warning after the first occurrence for one or both of the above requirements (Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average/Minimum Credit Requirement) must meet all SAP requirements after the next consecutive payment period in which they are enrolled or financial aid eligibility will be terminated.

Maximum Time Frame Requirement

The federal government requires a graduate student to obtain his/her degree within a given time frame to remain eligible to receive financial aid. A student is allowed to have attempted up to 150% of the required credits for a graduate degree and still receive financial aid. The published length for a student to obtain his/her degree varies according to the degree sought. Refer to the SU Catalogue to determine the published length required for the degree you are seeking.

What Counts as Attempted Credits?

An attempted credit includes graded courses (A, B, B+, C, C+, D, F,), non graded courses (I, AU, W, WF, WP, NR, IP, RA, RB, RB+, RC, RC+, RD, RF, Departmental Challenge Exams, Study Abroad attempted credits and all transfer credits accepted by SU.)

Ex. John has 3 transfer credits accepted by SU and had registered for 9 credits at SU for the fall 2010 semester but only obtained 6 credits at the conclusion of the fall 2010 semester. His attempted credits are 12.

A financial aid eligibility termination letter will be sent to those students of have attempted more than 150% of the required credits necessary to obtain a degree.

Appeal Process

If a student is placed on warning, he or she does not need to appeal, because financial aid eligibility has not been revoked. A student who has had his/her financial aid eligibility terminated has the right to make a written appeal if extenuating circumstances exist and can be documented.

Additional Information

Academic dismissal or disciplinary suspension from SU will result in the automatic cancellation of financial aid eligibility.

Only matriculating (formally admitted) students can receive financial aid.

Federal regulations prohibit us from excluding the credits and grades removed in Academic Clemency.

Students ceasing attendance at SU, either officially by withdrawing through the Registrar's Office or unofficially by dropping out, will have their financial aid adjusted in accordance with the Federal Return of Title IV Funds Refund Policy.