Financial aid opportunities for Students in Graduate Programs:
Lesley University Dean's Merit Scholarships
Lesley University Donor Scholarships
Private Scholarships
Graduate Assistantships
TEACH Grant
Federal Unsubsidized Student Loan
Student Employment
Additional Financial Options
Lesley University Dean's Merit Scholarships
Applicants for the Dean's Merit Scholarship should have a strong academic background, demonstrated leadership skills, and a commitment to the field of education, social services, the environment or counseling. Visit the Dean's Merit Scholarship page for opportunities, application details and deadlines within the Graduate School of Education and the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences.
Lesley University Donor Scholarships
Through the generosity of donors and organizations, endowed and scholarship funding is made available to the students of Lesley University. These funds are made available to students to assist them with their educational expenses and all currently enrolled Lesley University students should apply for consideration regardless of GPA, financial need, or area of study.
Private Scholarships
Students are encouraged to seek out private scholarship funding. In most cases private scholarships are added to any existing financial aid, and do not result in a reduction of existing financial aid. An adjustment in need-based aid will be required only if the total need-based aid exceeds the calculated need. Self-help aid (such as Federal Loans and Federal Work-Study) will always be reduced before any adjustment to the grant portion of an award. An adjustment in merit-based aid will be required only if total awards exceed the cost of attendance. In order to help you get started on your scholarship search, we have put together a list of specific private scholarships we believe may be of interest to Lesley University graduate students, as well as a list of scholarship search resources.
Graduate Assistantships
The Graduate Assistantship Program offers graduate students in on-campus programs the opportunity to assist faculty and staff in research and academic activities. Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences Assistanceships are open to second year (or above) students only, students interested in GSASS Graduate Assistantships should contact Bailey Ray in the GSASS Dean's Office: bray2@lesley.edu.
TEACH Grant
The TEACH Grant stands for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant. The TEACH Grant provides up to $4,000 per year (depending on enrollment status) to eligible students who agree to serve as a full-time, highly-qualified teacher in a high-need subject area in a designated low-income school for 4 years within 8 years of graduating. If obligations are not fulfilled according to the U.S. Department of Education guidelines, the total grant amount will be converted into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford loan with interest added back as of the day the grant originally posted to the recipient's student account. The maximum TEACH Grant amount for the duration of a graduate degree-seeking program is $8000. More information can be found on our TEACH Grant page.
Federal Unsubsidized Student Loan
Federal loans help students finance a college education by borrowing federally backed funds at a fixed interest rate. These loans are in the student's name only.
The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is available to graduate students who meet basic eligibility criteria: be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen; be accepted into a degree-seeking program; not be in default on a prior federal student loan; not be the recipient of a Pell Grant overaward; be enrolled at least half-time; and not have exceeded the aggregate borrowing limit as an undergraduate or graduate student. The interest for the unsubsidized loan is paid by the student while enrolled on at least a half-time basis or it may be deferred (capitalized onto the principal loan balance) until repayment begins. Congress sets the interest rate every July 1st. The 2013-2014 interest rate for new unsubsidized loan borrowers is fixed at 6.8%. There is an origination fee of 1% that is deducted from each loan type before the funds are sent to Lesley University on the student's behalf. Graduate students may qualify for up to $20,500 per academic year. Repayment begins six months after the student is no longer enrolled at least half-time. Lesley University participates in the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program, which means that the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is borrowed directly from the U.S. Department of Education. You apply for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan by completing the FAFSA.
Student Employment
The Federal Work-Study Program offers eligible students in on-campus programs the opportunity to earn part of their personal expenses through part-time, on-campus or qualifying off-campus employment. Awards traditionally do not do not exceed $1800 per year.
The Lesley Works Program is available to students who have not applied for financial aid or who did not receive Federal Work-Study. On-campus student employment opportunities will be listed by our office. Students may also wish to contact the Career Resource Center for a listing of off-campus employment.
Please visit Student Employment for more details on Federal Work-Study and Lesley Works Programs.
Additional Financial Options
When the types of financial aid discussed above do not meet the full annual expense of your Lesley University program, you may wish to pursue additional financial options such as the Interest-free Payment Plan, a Federal Graduate PLUS Loan, a private alternative loan, or a combination approach. Visit Additional Financial Options for more details on each of these options.
How to Apply
Now that you're familiar with the types of aid available, learn more about the
Financial Aid Application Process for students considering Graduate Programs at Lesley University. It's easy to apply!