FAFSA and grad school?

juillet
Thu, 22 Jan 2009 06:14:44 +0000

Yes, work-study exists for graduate students, and the rates are usually higher, too.

Personally, I would say complete the FAFSA regardless of whether they THINK they’re going to take out student loans or get other kinds of aid. You never know what sources of funding you find later in the year that may require the FAFSA; it doesn’t take that long (it should take you 30 minutes at most if you have all the paperwork you need in front of you); and it’s not going to affect your eligibility for regular fellowships anyway (most are awarded on merit).

I’m in a Ph.D program and I ended up taking out a graduate Stafford loan because I didn’t have the upfront monies to secure an apartment, and also because I needed a computer. If you ever need to take out a loan during the school year – you never know what might come up – the FAFSA is already filled out and you don’t have to add any extra processing time.