GSAS Financial Support

Students in classroom with C Shinn

Federal Financial Aid

Federal Loan Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP)

Each School of Fordham University has established minimum standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) that students must maintain as they pursue their degree or certificate. The University measures SAP annually at the end of the spring semester.

To be eligible for federal aid, such as Federal Direct Subsidized, and Unsubsidized Loans or Graduate PLUS Loans, each student must be making SAP according to the School’s standards.

To be eligible for federal financial aid, a Fordham Graduate School of Arts and Sciences student must:

  • Maintain a grade point average of 3.00 for ADV, M.A., M.S., and Biological Sciences Ph.D. degrees; 3.50 for all other Ph.D. degrees.
  • Students must be enrolled at least half time per their program requirements as noted in Appendix D of the GSAS Policies and Procedures Guidebook.The Matriculated Student Status Certification form must be completed by a student who may be registered for fewer credits to qualify for ½, ¾, or full-time certification for purposes of Veteran’s Benefits, and federal financial aid eligibility.
  • Complete the course of study for ADV within 3 years; M.A. and M.S. degrees within 5 years; Ph.D. degrees within 8 years and direct Ph.D. degrees within 10 years.

Appeal Process

Students who fail to attain satisfactory progress at the end of each academic year shall lose federal financial aid eligibility. Students may appeal their SAP status by submitting a SAP Appeal form to the GSAS Dean’s office in Keating Hall 216. If the student resumes satisfactory academic progress, the student shall regain federal financial aid eligibility as long as she/he maintains satisfactory academic progress.

GSAS Financial Aid Eligibility

The academic departments and programs rank order for new Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) applicants in accordance with the applicants' potential for outstanding graduate work based on holistic review of individual applications. Typically, applicants are to have had B+ grades or higher in previous coursework. For 2023-2024 GRE scores are optional/not required for consideration for financial aid. Students who do not submit GRE scores will not be at any disadvantage in the process. Please see our statement on the GSAS Standardized Test Scores page. 

GSAS financial aid packages vary by program. Typically, students receiving our GSAS financial aid packages may expect to receive one year of such aid at the master's level and three years at the doctoral level: generally no more than four years for those applying without the master's degree. The distinguished fellowships and certain prestigious external fellowships can extend a student’s funding eligibility by one year.

Continuing students may expect to continue their GSAS financial aid packages provided that they submit a GSAS financial aid application each spring semester and that they have maintained the stipulated GPA for funding (3.5) and are making satisfactory progress towards their degree.

All recipients of Graduate School of Arts and Sciences funding must be certified by us as full-time students. No recipient of the GSAS financial aid is to hold outside employment without the permission of the graduate dean.

GSAS Financial Aid Awards

The GSAS financial aid administered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is merit-based and includes one or more of the following:

  • Stipends
    • Distinguished Fellowships provide a stipend for living expenses and allow students to devote greater time to their studies during their first year in the program.
    • The department chair or graduate director works with fellowship recipients to design a program of study, research, and professional socialization activities, such as teaching or editing experience, that meets their needs and is consistent with the goals of the particular fellowship.
    • Graduate assistantships also provide a stipend for living expenses. The duties of the graduate assistant are assigned by the department chairperson in consultation with the associate dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
      • Typical duties for first-year students include assistance to a program director or faculty member, providing undergraduate tutoring or assistance in an office outside the department, such as the undergraduate or graduate Dean’s office, computer laboratories, or the library.
      • After the first year or two, doctoral students usually participate in teacher-training programs, which may include service as a teaching assistant or laboratory instructor, and then eventually serve as teaching fellows, instructors of their own course sections.
      • The duties of full graduate assistantships require a commitment of approximately 18 hours per week, from the start of classes through commencement. These are not “hourly” positions but involve duties consistent with the professional goals of most graduate students. Thus, some weeks students may devote more than 18 hours to assistantship duties, but there will be other weeks when the responsibilities are lighter.
  • Supplements
    - these are an addition to a stipend for a specific purpose:
    • Assistantship supplements: A select group of students are also offered supplements to the standard assistantship stipends in recognition of their outstanding entry qualifications.
      • Advanced students are sometimes offered the opportunity to take on extra duties (such as teaching an extra section beyond the normal load for a teaching fellow); if the offer is accepted, they receive a supplement to the normal stipend for teaching fellows.
    • Tuition scholarships - covers all or part of the cost of the tuition for a student’s program but only the amount not covered by other funding.
      • A full-tuition scholarship covers up to 24 credits during the academic year and up to six credits during the summer (following the academic year of the award).
      • Partial-tuition scholarships either cover a portion of the cost of tuition (often 50%) or fewer credits. Students receiving tuition scholarships remain liable for the payment of student fees.
  • Matching awards
    – Students receiving external fellowships are eligible to apply for a matching award from GSAS contingent upon the restrictions of the external award and funding availability. Students should send an email to [email protected] immediately upon award notification.

Requirements:

  • Recipients of GSAS financial aid must be registered as full-time students and may not have outside employment without the written permission of the associate dean; certain tuition scholarships, such as the New York City Mayor’s Scholarship Program and the Matteo Ricci Scholarship, provide special exception for part-time students.
  • Continuation of GSAS financial aid: Renewal for subsequent years is dependent upon continued outstanding academic performance, satisfactory performance of assistantship duties, availability of funds, and the number of years of eligibility for your academic program.

    For most doctoral programs, the renewal rate is close to 100% until the end of the eligibility period. For additional information about the eligibility period, please contact your program.