Graduate Financial Aid
How to Apply for Aid
There are a variety of financial aid options for graduate and professional students, including: loans, the TEACH Grant, Federal Work-Study and more than a dozen scholarships offered through the Kean University Foundation.
Your first step in applying for the need-based programs listed below is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://fafsa.gov, which is the only application required by Kean to apply for federal and state aid programs.
New Students
Go to https://fsaid.ed.gov to create or reactivate a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID), which you will need to electronically sign your financial aid application. Complete 2019 – 2020 FAFSA for Fall 2019, Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 admission.
In order for Kean to receive your FAFSA information, enter the university’s Federal School Code (002622). The priority deadline for filing the FAFSA is April 15 for the full academic year and November 1 for the spring term.
After you have filed a FAFSA, the Federal Processor will send an email confirmation to the email address you provided on your FAFSA. Once the application is processed, log in to FAFSA on the Web to review your Student Aid Report (SAR), which contains a summary of all the information you provided on the FAFSA. It should be kept as an official receipt and should be reviewed for accuracy.
Based on the information contained within the SAR, you may receive a request from the Office of Financial Aid to submit certain documents. This request will be sent to your Kean email account. In order to prevent processing delays, you must respond to requests for information in a timely manner.
Check KeanWISE periodically to view your current financial aid status, award letter and required documents.
Continuing Students
Students must reapply for financial aid each school year by submitting the renewal FAFSA, which is available October 1 prior to each school year. Students who previously applied for financial aid will be asked to update income and household-related information. The awarding of financial aid for continuing students generally begins after the spring grades have been posted and Satisfactory Academic Progress (see below) has been determined.
FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE TO GRADUATE STUDENTS
Direct Loan
Graduate students enrolled at least half-time (4.5 credits per semester) in a master's or doctoral program are eligible for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans for up to $20,500 per academic year. The interest rate for the Direct Unsubsidized Loan is currently 6.08 percent for first-time borrowers.
Graduate Certificate Programs – Matriculated graduate students enrolled at least half-time in a teaching certificate program qualify for Direct Loans up to $12,500 per academic year. (Up to $5,500 may be subsidized, depending on financial need.) Students enrolled in certification programs leading to a credential for an education-related occupation other than teaching are ineligible for Federal Student Aid.
Graduate PLUS Loan
The Graduate PLUS Loan is a credit-based, fixed-interest-rate (7.08 percent) student loan funded through the United States government that provides assistance for graduate and professional degree students. Creditworthy students enrolled at least half-time may borrow up to their cost of education minus any other sources of funding. Matriculated students in a program leading to a master's or doctoral degree can apply for the Graduate PLUS Loan at https://studentloans.gov.
TEACH Grant
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is available to graduate students enrolled in an eligible program and is awarded by the Office of Financial Aid. No application is necessary; students who meet the eligibility criteria will receive a notification sent to their Kean email account, with instructions to complete the TEACH Entrance Counseling and Agreement to Serve.
If you believe you qualify for the TEACH Grant and you did not receive an eligibility notification, please contact the Office of Financial Aid’s TEACH specialist at teachgrant@kean.edu.
Federal Work- Study
The Federal Work-Study (FWS) program offers jobs on campus and with off-campus community service agencies. Participants may work up to 20 hours per week, and earnings are intended to help students meet their educational costs. The FWS application and instructions are available on the Financial Aid Forms page.
Private Loans
Students who have exhausted their eligibility for federal loans and still have remaining unmet costs can apply for a private loan offered through a lending institution and separate from the federal loan programs. Private loan interest rates vary and tend to be higher than the federal loans; therefore, applicants should compare rates among different lenders. Eligibility for private loans is based on the creditworthiness of the borrower and/or co-signer, if applicable. Please contact the lender directly with any questions related to a loan program's specific terms and conditions.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
The Kean University Academic Progress Policy conforms to federal and state regulations that govern financial aid programs and require all financial aid recipients to (1) be in good academic standing and (2) be making satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward a degree in a reasonable amount of time. SAP will be monitored at the end of each semester. Please see the Financial Aid SAP Policy for more detailed information.
International Students
International students are ineligible for Federal Student Aid but may find the following site useful when seeking financial assistance: http://www.edupass.org/finaid/.
What’s Next?
Complete the FAFSA and additional forms as described above.
Consider Kean’s payment plans — three-, four-, and five-month installment plans — as a financing option each semester.
Private educational loans are available to creditworthy borrowers who need additional assistance and/or do not qualify for Federal Student Aid.