Financial Aid Notes

- Merit scholarships: lesley.edu/grad-aid
- I will be offered merit scholarships automatically if I'm eligible for one (they range from $2500 to $12000)
- In the final year of my program, I could receive the Minerva drama therapy research award, about $5000
- I should complete the FAFSA at the same time that I apply to Lesley
- When I apply for federal financial aid (FAFSA), I am applying to a federal unsubsidized loan of up to $20,500 per academic year, interest accrues during school (5.28%)
- Payments begin 6 months after you are no longer enrolled
- Another option: graduate + loan, dept of education is the lender, 6.28% interest
- Federal work study through FAFSA ($1800/year), means you would be doing work on campus during the school year, money isn't paid up front, rather you earn a paycheck for it like a standard job
- Even if you don't intend to apply for a loan, you need to fill out the FAFSA if you want to be considered for any scholarships
- studentaid.gov for eligibility to get loans forgiven
- fafsa.gov to fill fafsa
- Weirdly, they actually gave a second link for it: fsaid.ed.gov
- Seems like we can use the same FAFSA account for this application, we just need to make sure to indicate that we are applying for a different school. Use the "returning user" option on the main page.
- We should complete the 2022-23 FAFSA
- Review the student aid report
- No need-based aid for graduate students
- Graduate assistantships: lesley.edu/students/internships-careers/student-jobs, higheredjobs.com
- Interest-free payment plan
- Tuition remission (seems to only be offered through employers)
- Private scholarships (lesley.edu/grad-private)
- MEFA (Mass. Educational Financial Authority) gives some info about college and returning to school