Graduate Financial Aid : University of Dayton, Ohio

Graduate Financial Aid

We're committed to making a UD education accessible to all students who qualify. Explore the variety of financial aid options available and learn about financial aid awards.

The first step to applying for financial aid is to apply and be accepted to a University of Dayton graduate program. The federal government requires that any student seeking the use of Title IV funds must first be admitted to a degree-seeking program.

Once you have been accepted to a graduate program, you should file your FAFSA. Then, we will begin to prepare your aid for the upcoming year.

Types of Financial Aid Available to Graduate Students

University Scholarships, Grants and Assistantships

A limited number of University-sponsored scholarships, grants and assistantships may be available from individual academic departments or programs of study. Contact your program directly for more information.

Federal and State Scholarships and Grants

In addition to institutional opportunities, federal and state agencies may be a resource for additional scholarship and grants.

Graduate students pursuing degrees in education might be eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant.

Federal Direct Loan

For Federal Direct Loan, we will review the results of your FAFSA to determine the amount of direct loan you can borrow based on your grade level and enrollment status. Under the new law, your loan eligibility is adjusted based on your total annual enrollment. If you drop below full-time, your available loan amount will be prorated, even if you were eligible for the full amount in past years.

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

Graduate or professional students who have borrowed any federal direct loans while enrolled in the same graduate program may retain Graduate PLUS Loan eligibility for up to three academic years but no longer than their expected time to credential, via the Graduate PLUS Loan program.

Graduate or professional students who have not borrowed federal loans, or students who begin their program after July 1, 2026, will not be eligible for the Graduate PLUS loan.

Federal changes under H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, eliminate the Graduate PLUS Loan for new federal loan borrowers beginning July 1, 2026.

External Scholarships

When searching for additional resources to fund your education, don't forget to explore the world of external scholarships. There are millions of dollars given annually to students from scholarship foundations, private businesses, professional clubs and organizations.

As part of your search, you may want to use one of the many free scholarship search services on the Internet. These agencies scan their database of awards and notify you to apply for those which match up against your personal profile.

Beware of those searches that charge you a fee; it may be a scam!

Private Student Loan

Learn more about private loans and view a private/alternative lender list and information.

Student Employment

Graduate students are eligible to apply for student employment positions as long as they are enrolled at least half-time (minimum three hours per term). Once you are enrolled you can explore available positions and apply for those that interest you.

Graduate Financial Aid Awards

A number of factors go into timing the release of financial aid awards: your admission to a degree-seeking program, having FAFSA results on file and our SAP review (returning students). With that in mind, the Office of Financial Aid generally begins the new school year award cycle in mid-July.

If we receive your FAFSA results after we begin awarding, you can generally expect to receive your financial aid award within 7-10 business days. All students will receive an email notification to guide you through the steps to view and accept your awards online.

Adjustments to Aid

Per federal regulations, financial aid awards may be adjusted throughout the school year as changes occur in your enrollment status, academic standing or in the program eligibility itself. If your aid is adjusted you will be notified via email.

Enrollment Status Change

If you need to drop below the registration hours we based your loan eligibility on during the semester, we encourage you to first speak with a financial aid counselor. At that time we will also review with you the potential impact dropping courses may have on your financial aid for the following year.