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Affording a Graduate Education

There are several ways for you to finance your graduate education at Saint Louis University. The most common are assistantships, fellowships and student loans. You can find SLU’s current graduate tuition rates here, along with a cost calculator that will help you estimate your total expenses and financial aid.

Assistantships and Fellowships

Assistantships are offered through individual academic and administrative departments and usually require you to assist in teaching, research or other departmental duties. As part of your application, you’ll be asked to indicate whether you are interested in an assistantship, if they are available. For details, qualifications and deadlines, contact the specific program.

Fellowships are awarded to newly accepted master's or doctoral-level students who have been nominated by a department chair for demonstrating outstanding scholastic achievement and potential for success. For more information on fellowships, contact Felicia C. Echols at felicia.echols@slu.edu or 314-977-2601.

External Fellowship and Traineeships

Individual departments or programs may receive funding from sources external to the University that provide for fellowships or traineeships. These positions typically provide stipends and full-tuition scholarships with the academic approval of the dean of your school. You will be required to participate in a training experience as demanded by the grantor. Such awards are made for one year, but ordinarily are renewable.

Student Loans

Loans are borrowed funds that must be repaid and can be used to pay for your tuition as well as living expenses. To qualify for federal student loans, you must be enrolled in a minimum of three credit hours, meet the eligibility criteria and file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the current year. (SLU’s FAFSA code is 002506.)

If you have questions about applying for student loans or need guidance on securing financial assistance for your graduate education expenses, contact the Office of Student Financial Services.

Emergency Loans for Graduate Students

A loan fund provided by the U.S. Steel Foundation may be available to help students meet expenses at the beginning of an academic term, travel to scholarly meetings or receive assistance in emergencies. The maximum amount to be borrowed is $1,200. If repaid in 90 days, the loan is interest free. These funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible students. For more information, please contact LaToya Cash for master's students at latoya.cash@slu.edu or Dr. Christine Harper for doctoral students at christine.harper@slu.edu. 

Scholarships

Almost all graduate programs at SLU have a limited number of tuition scholarships available to students. These are frequently reserved for students with serious financial need. The Office of Graduate Education also has a limited amount of money that is used to supplement student stipends via extramural grants or contracts.

Additional Funding Opportunities

  • A free service for graduate students, Pivot offers a large, comprehensive database of possible funding opportunities based on your research interests.
  • In conjunction with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, SLU participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program to provide additional financial aid to student veterans. The award is available to students in all degree programs, excluding the School of Medicine.
  • The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) offers scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students.
  • Educational Testing Service (ETS) maintains a listing of fellowship and internship programs in research and development available to those with a doctoral degree or in a doctoral program.