Graduate Catalog  |  School of Graduate Studies  |

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Scholarships

Graduate Dean's Distinction Scholarship

There are approximately five $2,000 scholarships available to new academically-gifted graduate students who are U.S. residents or citizens and will begin an on-campus program in the fall semester. These scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic achievement and they provide recognition and financial reward to some of SCSU's best graduate students.

To be considered, an applicant must possess an overall baccalaureate grade point average of 3.5 or higher or be a McNair Scholar. The maximum amount a student can be awarded is $1,000 per semester for a total of $2,000 over the period of two semesters. A recipient must be enrolled in at least nine credits for each semester the scholarship is awarded.

The application date is March 15 each year and awards are distributed the following academic year.

Graduate Friend's Fellowships

These fellowships are offered to outstanding students from non-reciprocity states, who have a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher or are McNair Scholars. Four $4,000 scholarships are awarded to new academically gifted graduate students who are U.S. residents or citizens and who will begin an on-campus program in the fall semester. These scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic achievement and they provide recognition and financial reward to some of SCSU's best graduate students.

To be considered, an applicant must possess an overall baccalaureate grade point average of 3.75 or higher or be a McNair Scholar. The maximum amount a student can be awarded is $2,000 per semester for a total of $4,000 over the period of two semesters. A recipient must be enrolled in at least nine credits for each semester the scholarship is awarded.

The application date is March 15 each year and awards are distributed the following academic year.

Shirley Schrader Graduate Scholarship for Women (We are unable to award this scholarship for fall 2011.)

This scholarship is open to new admitted and currently enrolled female graduate students age 30 or older. Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence, be enrolled in a minimum of six graduate credits per semester, and provide a brief statement. Pending the availability of funds, the maximum award for the year is $1,000 (including summer). The deadline for application is March 15.

Shelvie Christian Non-Traditional Student Endowed Scholarship

This scholarship is open to non-traditional students age 25 or older. Applicants must be involved in SCSU student extracurricular activities. Full-time or part-time students may apply. The award for the year is $500. Forms are available from and need to be returned to the Director of CSOLD, 139 Atwood Center. The annual application deadline is in February.

Graduate Departmental Scholarships

Scholarships are also awarded at the department level. The following departments offer scholarships to their graduate students:

The Financial Aid Office has created a searchable database for available scholarships. To obtain eligibility requirements for departmental scholarships, please go to www5.stcloudstate.edu/financialaid/scholarship.

Financial Aid

To determine eligibility for financial aid, the student should contact the Financial Aid Office. There are various forms of financial aid available to graduate students. These could include: Work Study, Work Study Funded Graduate Assistantship, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan, Student Educational Loan Fund (SELF) Loan, or Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. If a student has been awarded a graduate assistantship, the amount of financial aid awarded may be affected. Be sure to work with the Financial Aid Office to determine your eligibility.

Will my aid eligibility be based on income?
Eligibility for the Federal Perkins loan, Federal Stafford loan and the federal and state work study programs is based on financial need. Financial need is determined by a federal formula which uses income from the calendar year prior to the academic year. The formula also takes into consideration other factors such as assets, number of family members, number in college, etc. Eligibility for the Unsubsidized Federal Stafford loan and the Minnesota Student Educational Loan Fund (SELF) is not based on financial need.

If I receive a graduate assistantship, will this affect my financial aid?
Students receiving a graduate assistantship are eligible to receive tuition assistance, up to a maximum of eight credits per semester. This tuition assistance will affect financial aid and loan eligibility.

The student's need-based loan eligibility is generally reduced by the value of the tuition assistance. If the student's loan has already been processed at the time the financial aid office becomes aware of the tuition assistance, the loan amount may need to be reduced.

If an assistantship is funded through the work study program, the student's loan eligibility is generally reduced by the full amount of the assistantship (stipend) plus the amount of tuition assistance the student will receive. Since this would mean a large reduction in loan eligibility, students who are offered a work study assistantship may want to visit with a financial aid counselor before accepting the assistantship.

Things to know,

• A student must be formally accepted into a graduate program before financial aid can be processed.
• Graduate students must enroll in eight or more credits to be considered a full-time student for financial aid purposes. Students must be enrolled in at least six credits per semester to be eligible to borrow under any of the federal or state loan programs.
• First-time Stafford (subsidized or unsubsidized) loan borrowers are required to complete entrance loan counseling prior to receiving the first disbursement. This requirement may be completed online at: www.mapping-your-future.org/services/oslcidx.htm.
• Students who have borrowed educational loans as an undergraduate student at another institution may be able to defer loan payments while attending graduate school. Contact your lender to request a deferment.

Satisfactory Academic Progress
All universities that award financial aid are required by federal and state regulations to establish and enforce a satisfactory academic progress policy. The policy defines the standards a student must maintain in order to receive financial aid. SCSU's satisfactory academic progress policy for graduate students has three major components:

• A graduate student is required to progress toward completion of a program by successfully completing at least 75 percent of all graduate credits attempted at SCSU.
• A graduate student must maintain at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA (B average) to be eligible for financial aid. GPA is calculated using only SCSU graduate credits.
• The maximum allowable time frame for a graduate student to complete an academic program without having financial aid terminated is 45 attempted semester graduate credits. A graduate student enrolled in a master's degree program requiring more than 36 semester graduate credits may need to submit a written request for an extension of financial aid eligibility.

You may view the complete satisfactory academic progress at: www.stcloudstate.edu/financialaid/sap.asp.

In addition, all students must be in compliance with the institution's academic requirements.

For Further Information
Questions regarding the following areas should be referred to the Financial Aid Office:

• Financial aid application materials and application process
• Loans/loan counseling
• Work study
• How assistantships and tuition assistance affect financial aid
• GRE fee waivers

Financial Aid Office
106 Administrative Services Building
St. Cloud State University
720 Fourth Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498

Web site: www.stcloudstate.edu/financialaid
E-mail: financialaid@stcloudstate.edu
Phone: 320.308.2047
Fax: 320.308.5424

Part-time Employment

There are opportunities for students who desire part-time employment on campus. The Career Services Office can assist a student seeking part-time employment either on campus or in the community. Graduate students who carry a full academic load should not plan to devote time to outside employment. In cases where outside employment is necessary, the student's academic load should be reduced accordingly.