Eligibility for Graduate Students

Student Eligibility

To be eligible for financial aid:

• You must be admitted into a degree seeking program.

• Graduate students must be enrolled at least half time to receive Federal Stafford loans.  For most graduate degree programs, half time is 4.5 credit hours per semester.  The exception to this rule is the Masters in Nursing (MSN) program at UIndy; an MSN student must only be enrolled 4.0 credit hours per semester for half time status.

Selection Criteria

Students applying for financial aid are considered by the university financial aid office for all programs for which they are eligible, including federal and institutional aid programs. A Financial Aid Counselor will review the following criteria when reviewing a student’s file:

• February 15 is the priority deadline for filing your FAFSA; however as a graduate student, you may file after February 15 and still be considered for aid.  It is important to allow the Office of Financial Aid at least two to three months to process your aid applications. 

• In most cases, only student’s who are United States citizens, permanent residents, or eligible noncitizens as defined by the Federal government, are eligible for financial aid. With only a few exceptions, all students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the University Financial Aid Application.

To receive federal aid, the student must demonstrate financial need and,

1. Can not be in default on a Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Stafford Student Loan.

2. Must not have borrowed in excess of student loan limits.

3. Must not owe a refund on a Federal Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.

4. Men who are required to register with the Selective Service must do so.

Duration of Eligibility

• The maximum time frame for graduate student is 150% of the length of their specific program.