Graduate School Financial Aid and Planning

The Payoff

Grad School Can Be Pricey. Is It Worth It?

The benefits are undeniable, but consider your future salary and lifestyle before you take on too much debt.

FREE MONEY: GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND FELLOWSHIPS

Paying for Graduate School: Grants and Scholarships (Photo Illustration by USN&WR)

6 Steps to Getting Free Money for Grad School

At least 40 percent of grad students get some free money--from the government, their employers, and the school. Here's how to make sure you're one of them.

Maximize Your Chances for Need-Based Grants

Don't get married and the infamous FAFSA.

Your Employer Can Help Pay for Your Degree

Those in high-demand fields have the best chance.

Put Yourself on Financial Aid eBay

Use your credentials to get schools to fight over you.

Grad School Grants by Field

Let Uncle Sam Help

Deducting tuition expenses from your taxes and other helpful IRS-related tricks.

With Strings Attached: Loan Repayment

Working in the public sector or in certain regions can help you get aid.

Loans

Paying for Graduate School: Loans (Photo Illustration by USN&WR)

Reducing Your Borrowing Costs

If grants and scholarships don't cover it all, loans are an acceptable stopgap—as long as they're taken carefully and in moderation.

The Best Federal Loans

With fixed interest rates and free insurance, federal loans are a better choice than private loans or credit cards.

Student Loan Finder

Should You Consolidate?

It may be easier to manage, but there still may be better deals out there.

Watch Out for Loan Scams

Don't pay upfront fees for loan counseling seminars, and keep in mind that most legitimate grants are sent directly to your school.

Beware of Credit Cards

Credit cards are loans, too, and marketers may lure students into making spending mistakes.

On-Campus Credit Counseling

Student Debt Loads by Discipline

BARGAINS AND SAVINGS

Find Lower-Cost Schools

Although many top public grad schools price their tuition to match equally ranked (and expensive) private schools, there are still some highly ranked public school bargains. Texas A&M's graduate engineering program, for example, charges out-of-staters about $10,000 a year for tuition and fees. Lower-ranked Princeton and Columbia charge more than three times that.