Federal Financial Aid for Graduate Students

Federal Aid Requirements

The student must be:

  • Enrolled for at least six (6) credits each semester in a degree seeking program
  • In good academic standing
  • Making satisfactory academic progress as defined by The City University of New York

The student cannot be in default of any federal educational loans and/or owe a federal grant repayment.

The most vital step in applying for federal loans is the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We urge you to apply for financial aid for each upcoming academic year before the deadline of April 15.

FAFSA title IV code: 004765
The School of Labor and Urban Studies shares a Title IV code with the Graduate School and University Center and will appear as “CUNY GRADUATE SCH & UNIV CTR”

Estimate Cost of Attendance

SLU Financial Aid @ The CUNY Graduate Center
365 Fifth Avenue Room 7201
New York, NY 10016
(877) 428-6942 | (212) 817-7460
financialaid@slu.cuny.edu

Direct Loan

The Direct Loan Program allows students to borrow money directly from the federal government to help students meet the cost of a graduate education. Students who are matriculated in degree-granting programs and are registered for at least 6 graduate credits per semester are eligible. Graduate student loans are unsubsidized, meaning that interest begins accruing upon disbursement. Students can choose to pay the interest while they are in school or they can have it added to principal once they enter repayment. For more information about how to apply, click here.

*The Budget Control Act of 2011 eliminated Subsidized Student Loans for graduate students. Eligible graduate students can qualify for an annual maximum of $20,500 in unsubsidized loans. The aggregate total that may be borrowed from this program is $138,500 including undergraduate loans.

Grad Plus Loan

The Grad PLUS Loan, federally backed student loan is guaranteed by the U.S. Government. Like its undergraduate counterpart, can be used to pay for the total cost of education less any aid a student has already been awarded. Also like the undergraduate version, eligibility for the Grad PLUS Loan is largely dependent on the borrower’s credit history. An origination fee is deducted from the loan amount. For more information about how to apply, click here.

For more information about Grad PLUS Loans, including interest rates, click here or contact financialaid@slu.cuny.edu.

Maintaining Eligibility

For graduate students, the federal requirements for SAP are as follows:

  • The student must have a GPA of at least 3.0.
  • The student must complete at least 2/3 of the attempted credits.

SAP for federal aid is determined once a year, after the spring grades are all submitted and processed.

Private Loans

Private (Alternative) Loans

You may be eligible for alternative loans if your student status is:

  • Non-matriculated
  • International Student
  • Have reached the federal student aggregated limits

The choice of a lender is ultimately your decision. Here are some things to consider as you seek possible lenders for alternative loans:

  • Interest rate of the loan
  • Repayment schedule and monthly amounts
  • Length of repayment period
  • Total amount you will repay over the life of the loan
  • Penalties for missing monthly payments
  • Options for loan consolidation

Once you select a lender, you must complete a Master Promissory Note then contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@slu.cuny.edu or (212) 817-7460 for further instructions.

For information on private education loan programs, please visit the Private Education Loan Programs.
The School of Labor and Urban Studies neither endorses nor recommends any lender.