Graduate Students
The Purdue University Division of Financial Aid can assist graduate students in obtaining student loan funding to supplement graduate assistance received through individual academic departments. Research assistantships, teaching assistantships, fellowships and scholarship assistance are only offered through the individual academic departments. Information on how to obtain assistantships and fellowships can also be obtained at this Graduate School link.
The Division of Financial Aid does NOT award graduate assistantships, fellowships, or gift assistance to graduate students. The Department of Education requires all fee remissions and the stipends that grad fellows receive to be included as a resource that offsets the estimated cost of attendance. As a result graduate students are required to report this type of assistance to the Division of Financial Aid, which can be done online on the myPurdue account or via our Graduate Assistantship/Fellowship Reporting Form. If our office is are aware that a graduate student is receiving a graduate assistanship or fellowship the aid from the anticipated tuition remission and fellowship stipend will appear as a financial aid resource in the aid package and will reduce student loan eligibility.
The Division of Financial Aid helps graduate students through the Federal Stafford Loan Programand the Graduate PLUS Loan Program. To create Federal Stafford Loan or Graduate PLUS Loan eligibility, students are required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (the FAFSA) and meet other criteria (be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, not be in default on a federal loan, etc.).
Beyond federal student loans, Private "Alternative" Loans may be an option for graduate students. Graduate students may want to consider Private or Alternative Loan options available to offset graduate school expenses. Just as with the Federal Stafford Loan, Alternative Loan amounts are limited to the estimated cost of attendance less student resources. Students must meet the credit requirements set by the lending institution in order to qualify for private student loans and may be required to use a credit worthy co-borrower. The Division of Financial Aid helps determines eligibility for alternative loan programs by submitting certification of eligibility to apply to the student’s chosen lender. The student should contact their lender for rates, terms and application instructions.
Graduate students may want to research the possbility of applying for a GAANN or Javits Fellowship Program. Individual academic departments may be able to offer graduate students aid through the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship Program or the Jacob Javits Fellowship Program. The academic department selects recipients. To be eligible, students of superior ability must demonstrate financial need as determined by the Division of Financial Aid. These students are required to file the FAFSA, demonstrate financial need, be a US citizen (or eligible non-citizen),meet satisfactory academic progress standards, etc.