Financial Aid

Financial Aid – Graduate Students

First Floor, Sorenson Language and Communication Center

Website: https://gallaudet.edu/financial-aid/

Overview

The Financial Aid Office administers federal, institutional, and private financial aid programs to assist eligible graduate students with financing their educational expenses.

Financial aid is available to degree-seeking graduate students who meet applicable federal and institutional eligibility requirements.

Students are encouraged to apply for financial aid each academic year by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial aid eligibility is determined based on federal regulations, institutional policies, and the availability of funding.

Determining Financial Need

Eligibility for need-based financial aid is generally determined using the following formula:

Cost of Attendance (COA)
minus (-) Student Aid Index (SAI)
minus (-) Estimated Financial Assistance (EFA), including outside scholarships, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) benefits, and other educational resources
equals (=) Remaining Financial Need

The Student Aid Index (SAI) is calculated from information reported on the FAFSA and may consider taxable and nontaxable income, assets, household information, and other factors established by federal law.

Students receiving Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) educational benefits should notify the Financial Aid Office so all sources of educational assistance can be coordinated appropriately.

Students should review their financial aid offer in Workday together with their student account (eBill) to understand their financial aid eligibility, how aid is applied to educational charges, and any remaining balance they may be responsible for paying.

Students may estimate educational costs and financial planning information using the Gallaudet Tuition and Aid Calculator.

Educational Costs

Financial aid is intended to assist with educational expenses associated with attending Gallaudet University. The Cost of Attendance (COA) includes estimated expenses such as:

Tuition and mandatory fees
Housing and food
Books, course materials, supplies, and equipment
Transportation
Personal and miscellaneous expenses

Cost of Attendance budgets are established annually and may vary based on enrollment status, housing arrangements, academic program, and other individual circumstances.

Current Cost of Attendance information is available on the Financial Aid website.

Application Process

Graduate students seeking financial aid must complete the FAFSA for the applicable academic year to be considered for federal need-based financial aid, including Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans, and Federal Work-Study.

New Students

Students may apply for financial aid after applying for admission to Gallaudet University. Financial aid eligibility is determined after admission and completion of all required financial aid applications and documentation.

Award notifications are provided through Workday and Gallaudet University email. Students are responsible for reviewing their financial aid awards, outstanding requirements, and any requested documentation.

Returning Students

Currently enrolled graduate students must complete the FAFSA each academic year to be considered for need-based financial aid.

Students are responsible for reviewing financial aid notifications, requests for additional documentation, and award revisions through Workday and their Gallaudet University email account.

Application Deadlines

Students are encouraged to submit the FAFSA and all required documentation as early as possible each academic year.

The FAFSA and all outstanding financial aid requirements must be completed four weeks before the last day of each term to allow sufficient processing time.

Federal Work-Study and institutional financial aid programs are awarded based on eligibility and availability of funds. Because funding for some programs is limited, students are encouraged to complete all financial aid requirements by published priority deadlines.

Applications submitted after priority deadlines will continue to be reviewed for available federal financial aid eligibility, provided all required documentation is received before the applicable enrollment period ends.

Merit-Based Aid

Graduate merit-based awards are generally awarded by the student’s academic department, typically during the admission process.

Students must maintain the requirements established by their academic department to continue receiving these awards. Updates or changes to departmental merit awards are communicated by the appropriate department and/or the Financial Aid Office as needed.

Financial Aid Eligibility

To be considered for federal Title IV financial aid programs, graduate students generally must:

Be admitted to and enrolled in an eligible degree-seeking graduate program at Gallaudet University;
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, as defined by federal regulations;
Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward completion of their degree;
Complete all required financial aid applications and documentation;
Not owe an overpayment on a federal grant;
Not be in default on a federal student loan; and
Meet all additional federal Title IV eligibility requirements.

Continued eligibility for financial aid requires students to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as described in the University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.

Except for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans, and most private educational loans, federal financial aid programs are awarded based on demonstrated financial need.

Eligibility for University and Federal Aid Programs

Enrollment status may affect financial aid eligibility. Certain federal and institutional programs require students to be enrolled at least half-time, while others may be available to students enrolled less than half-time.

Program	GR	U.S.	INT'L	F/T	H/T	P/T	REPAY	GIFT	DEG
Federal Work-Study (FWS)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔			✔	✔
Need-Based Aid	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔		✔	✔
Merit-Based Aid (GU)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔			✔	✔
Merit-Based Aid (Endowed/Donor)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔		✔	✔
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔		✔		✔
Federal Graduate PLUS Loans	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔		✔		✔
Private Loans	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔		✔

Abbreviation Key

Abbreviation	Meaning
GR	Graduate Student
U.S.	U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen
INT'L	International Student
F/T	Full-time (9+ credits)
H/T	At least 6 credit hours
P/T	Less than 6 credit hours
REPAY	Loan, must be repaid
GIFT	Does not require repayment
DEG	Must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program
SPEC	Non-degree or not eligible for aid