Saint Leo University graduate students may be eligible for the following types of aid:
For help, please contact Saint Leo's Office of Student Financial Services at (800) 240-7658, (352) 588-7403 or finaid@saintleo.edu.
Federal student aid accounts for the largest percentage of aid received by graduate and professional students. For information about types of federal student aid, eligibility criteria, and repaying student loans, and to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), visit www.studentaid.ed.gov.
To find out about funding from agencies other than the Department of Education, take a look at www.studentaid.ed.gov/othersources.
Graduate students enrolled at least half-time in a degree program are eligible to receive federal financial aid. However, federal grants are restricted to students enrolled in undergraduate programs.
Federal Stafford Loan The Federal Stafford Loan program is available to graduate students. All eligible students may receive a Stafford Loan regardless of financial need. Financial need is used to determine eligibility to receive a subsidized Stafford Loan. Graduate students do not qualify for subsidized loans, but may receive unsubsidized loans. Interest accrues on unsubsidized loans while a student is enrolled in school and during grace periods. When a borrower of any Stafford Loan ceases to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis, a six-month grace period begins; then the loan goes into repayment on principal and interest.
GradPLUS Loans The Graduate PLUS loan, or GradPLUS loan, is a low, fixed-interest rate student loan guaranteed by the U.S. Government. The GradPLUS loan is not need-based like other Federal aid, but is a credit-based loan similar to a private student loan, with the benefit of having a fixed interest rate and federal guarantee. GradPlus loans can be used to cover the full costs of graduate school, including reasonable living costs. You may be eligible for a PLUS loan if you are a U.S. citizen enrolled in a graduate program at least half time, and have minimally acceptable credit. Students must exhaust all Stafford Loan eligibility for the academic year before a GradPLUS loan may be processed.
This program may provide loan forgiveness for eligible Federal Stafford Loans—if you and the school where you teach qualify. This is a separate program requiring separate forms and processes. The U.S. Department of Education will determine your eligibility for this program; Saint Leo University is not responsible to verify your eligibility for this program. Please do not base your enrollment on this program, as it can be difficult to ensure qualification for government programs, which are subject to reform and funding changes.
The Department of Defense offers tuition assistance for voluntary, off-duty education programs that support service members' professional and personal development goals. Some branches of the armed services have specific policies on tuition assistance that differ from the general DoD policy. To verify your eligibility and assess resources available, contact your military education office.
Montgomery GI Bill Saint Leo University is an approved university for purposes of Veteran's Administration funding. You can utilize your VA benefits in Saint Leo University online programs. To assess eligibility for benefits under the GI Bill, you may call the VA at 1 (888) GI-BILL-1. Benefits are based on a number of considerations, including the subject matter of your studies, your length of military service, DoD supplements to your MGIB, and other factors. These funds do not come to the school. They will be sent to you on a monthly basis depending on your enrollment status. Discuss your options of payment for your classes with your admissions representative.
Montgomery GI Bill Top-Up Military students enrolled under the MGIB who have been on active duty for at least two years may elect to use part of their MGIB benefit to "top-up" and cover tuition costs that exceed the standard tuition assistance cap.
ThanksUSA.org The nonprofit organization ThanksUSA invites all children and spouses of military personnel to apply for one of nearly 1,000 scholarships of up to $5,000 each for college, vocational and technical schools. Apply by May 30 to qualify. To learn more about the scholarship and to download the application, go to www.thanksusa.org.
