Financial Aid
Graduate students wishing to apply for financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the priority processing date of March 1.
- Students may apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or pick up a paper version at any local high school, community college, public library, or the WSU Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarship Services (OFSA/OSS), 380 Lighty Student Services Building.
- Graduate students are considered for the following programs: Federal Family Educational Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford loans) and Federal or State Work Study Programs. Work Study Program funds may be used toward funding graduate assistantships. The Office of Student Financial Aid determines eligibility for these programs and sends a notification lette. Financial aid counselors are available to assist students and families with their financial aid concerns. Phone: 509-335-9711.
- Each academic year, many students are awarded graduate assistantships from their departments, which usually cover the majority of tuition costs. This Operating Fee Waiver is considered a resource when the OSFA determines the student's eligibility for other financial aid programs. In order to ensure your Financial Aid Award Notification is correct, please notify the OSFA if your department has granted you an Operating Fee Waiver. If the OSFA is notified after the first disbursement of your loan, any subsequent disbursement may be reduced accordingly.
- If you have unmet need on your Financial Aid Award Notification and/or the Cost of Attendance has not been met, you may qualify to borrow an Alternative Loan. Contact the OSFA for more information.Short Term Loans may be available to students who encounter delays in their financial aid delivery through the OSFA.
NOTE: All graduate awards are initially based on resident tuition costs, regardless of resident status. You may request (in writing) an adjustment for non-resident tuition costs.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policies
To receive and continue to be eligible for financial aid, graduate students must be in good standing with their department and the Graduate School.
Note: The maximum time frame calculation is based on all semesters of enrollment regardless of whether or not financial aid was received each semester. Semesters in which enrollment is fewer than 10 hours will be counted as one-half of a full-time semester.
Maximum Time Frame for Financial Aid (this does not include graduate assistance)
* Master's degree candidates-three
years
(6 full-time
semesters)
* Doctoral degree candidates who have
a previous
master's
degree - three years (6 full-time semesters)
* Doctoral degree candidates without a
master's degree -
six years (12
full-time semesters)
* Professional students and veterinary
medicine students
- five years (10
full-time semesters)
Assistantships, Fellowships,
and Traineeships
- Teaching and research assistantships are available in most departments that offer advanced degrees, as well as non-service research fellowships and traineeships. Ordinarily, graduate appointments are limited to those who pursue programs of study leading to advanced degrees at WSU.
- Refer to the Graduate School Policies and Procedures Manual concerning qualifications, eligibility, and application procedures.
- As most appointments for fall semester are made by March 1, or soon thereafter, complete and submit all applications by January 10; nonservice appointment applications should be completed by January 10. Spring semester applications should be completed by July 1.
- Assistantship appointments require part-time service. The term of a graduate appointment may be for nine months, a semester, or summer. Students on appointment must maintain regular enrollment in the Graduate School (10 credit hours or more during the academic year; 3 credit hours during summer session) for the duration of their appointments.
- Stipends vary according to the amount of required service, the extent of the student's training, and merit factors (e.g., academic record, experience). Contact the Graduate School Office for salary information.
- Graduate students who are not residents of the state of Washington appointed to assistantships of one-half time service (20 hours per week) or more by the Board of Regents, and who reside in the state of Washington while attending WSU, may receive a waiver of the nonresident portion of the tuition.
NOTE: Non-resident tuition waivers cannot be assured beyond the first year of graduate students' assistantships. Students who intend to remain in the state are encouraged to review Washington statutes and associated administrative rules governing the establishment of residency for tuition purposes. These may be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs, the Graduate School, or residency requirements.
- The resident operating fee may also be waived for resident students who hold half-time (or greater) service appointments (20 hours per week) and who qualify based on merit factors, and for nonresident students who reside in the state of Washington, who hold half-time graduate service appointments and who qualify based on merit factors.
- Graduate students who hold half-time (or greater) service appointments automatically qualify for and receive medical insurance coverage. All students on assistantships pay the general tuition and activities fees.
Note: To be eligible for any waiver, a student must be physically living in the state of Washington.
- Forms for assistantship or fellowship applications are included as part of the general application for admission to graduate school. For information about special scholarships and fellowships, write to the Dean of the Graduate School or the chair of the department concerned.
- Washington State University subscribes to the following resolution of the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States regarding scholars, fellows, trainees, and graduate assistants.
Resolution Regarding Scholars, Fellows, Trainees, and Assistants
Acceptance of an offer of financial support (such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by a prospective or enrolled graduate student completes an agreement that both student and the Graduate School expect to honor. In that context, the conditions affecting such offers and their acceptance must be defined carefully and understood by all parties.
- Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made.
- Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer.