Home » Graduate Students » Eligibility

Eligibility for Federal Need-Based Aid

• Types of Aid
• How to Apply
• Application Forms
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Tuition & Other Expenses
• Contact Your Counselor

Financial aid is available to help students meet educational costs for graduate study from several federal student loan and employment programs, often referred to as "Title IV" assistance. These programs include the Federal Stafford and Perkins Loan programs, and the Federal Work-Study program. Eligibility for these programs is dependent on demonstrated financial need.

Who Is Eligible

To receive federal financial aid you must meet the following criteria:

• You must be pursuing a degree or certificate. Degree candidates must be enrolled at least half-time, as defined by the Graduate School and the University Registrar. Non-degree students are not eligible for federal financial aid;

• You must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen; eligible non-citizens include U.S. permanent residents who have an Alien Registration Receipt Card and certain others. For further information on this issue you may consult the instructions to the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA). If you are applying for aid as an eligible non-citizen, you must provide documentation of your eligible status with your financial aid application. Students entering the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa, a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, or a G series visa are not eligible for federal financial aid;

• Social Security Number. You must have a valid social security number.

• You must not be in default on a Federal Stafford Loan (formerly GSL), Federal Perkins (formerly National Direct Student) Loan, or owe a refund for a Federal Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) at any institution. If your previous loans were dismissed in bankruptcy you are considered to be in default;

• You must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the Georgetown University Graduate School and your academic department.

• You must demonstrate financial need.

Demonstrating Need

If the cost of attending Georgetown University is greater than your expected contribution from income and assets plus other resources, you may be eligible for need-based financial aid.

Your expected contribution toward educational expenses is calculated using a formula that is mandated in law by the U.S. Congress.

The federal need analysis formula evaluates net income, some net assets (the value of home equity is not considered to be an available asset in the federal need analysis formula), number of dependents you support (if applicable), number of family members in college (including your spouse if applicable), and other relevant factors that may affect your ability to contribute towards educational expenses.

As a result of the 1992 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, all graduate students are considered independent from their parents for purposes of federal aid eligibility.

By federal law, if you will receive benefits from government agencies like the Veterans Administration or the Bureau of Indian Affairs, those amounts must be included as part of your expected contribution.

Other Resources. If you will have other resources to pay for graduate school such as a state or privately sponsored scholarship, or a merit-based scholarship, assistantship, or fellowship from Georgetown University, these must be considered in determining your eligibility for federal financial aid. While it is possible for you to receive both, the Office of Student Financial Services must consider any awards you receive from the University Graduate School or any other sponsor as an available resource when making federal need-based awards.