Graduate Students Financial Aid
The Office of Financial Aid awards Federal Direct Loans to degree-seeking graduate students enrolled at least half-time (three credit hours). There is no gift assistance for graduate students awarded through the Office of Financial Aid. Federal Direct PLUS Loans for Graduate Students and Private Loans are available to those needing additional assistance.
Graduate students who are studying abroad for credit with their program may be eligible to use loans for associated costs. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
Please note the following:
- Self-study primers in the Lacy School of Business carry no credit hours and are not aid eligible.
- Some graduate non-degree certificate programs may be aid eligible and may follow the procedures for borrowing as listed below. Please check with your department for details.
- Currently, students pursuing the following non-degree programs are eligible for aid:
- Alternative Special Education- Mild Intervention Certificate
- Applied Educational Neuroscience Certificate
- Healthcare Practice and Administration Certificate
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor Certificate
- Physician Assistant Educator Certificate
- Strategic Communication Certificate
- Teacher Certification (TCCOE)
Financial Aid Offer & Next Steps
The Financial Aid Offer is a complete overview of the financial aid offered to students eligible to receive financial aid based on merit or need. The Financial Aid Offer also includes an average cost of attendance, which is used to determine financial aid eligibility. Once review of the financial aid file is complete, students will be notified via their Butler email when the Financial Aid Offer is available to view online at my.butler.edu. The Financial Aid Offer is not a bill or a statement of the student’s account.
Follow the steps below to ensure that all your aid will disburse to the student account in a timely manner.
Steps for Graduate Students Borrowing Loans
Students wishing to borrow loans must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- For the fall and/or spring semesters, submit the FAFSA for the academic year (i.e. Fall 2023 and/or Spring 2024 use the 2023-2024 FAFSA).
- Fall 2024 and/or Spring 2025 use the 2024-2025 FAFSA.
- For the summer term, submit the FAFSA for the academic year preceding summer (i.e. Summer 2024 uses the 2023-2024 FAFSA).
Students will receive an email when the Financial Aid Offer is available to view on My.Butler.
Carefully review your offer of financial aid and accept or decline the awards online at my.butler.edu using your username and password provided by the Office of Admission to log in.
- Navigate to my.butler.edu and click Student Financial Planning under Academic Tools.
- Select Home in the navigation bar at the top.
- Click on Review/Accept Awards.
- Follow all steps to review and accept or decline your financial aid awards.
Federal Direct Loan information is available below.
If you accepted the Federal Direct Loan, navigate to Student Financial Planning home page.
- Under Receive Your Funds, click on both Complete Subsidized/Unsubsidized Entrance Counseling and Sign your Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized MPN.
- You will be directed to complete both at studentaid.gov. You will log in using your FSA ID from the FAFSA.
- All borrowers will also be required to complete the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement (counseling) at studentaid.gov.
The Office of Student Accounts publishes the electronic billing statements monthly as charges occur. More information about the tuition and fees, the billing process, payment plans, and additional Student Account Services can be found here.
If you need additional assistance to cover educational expenses, Butler offers financing options to invest in your education. Our payment plan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students, and Private Education Loans are available. More information on graduate loan options is available below.
Financing Options for Graduate Students
The Federal Direct Loan is a long-term, low-interest unsubsidized student loan. Degree-seeking graduate students enrolled at least half-time (three credit hours) may be eligible to borrow up to $20,500 annually.
- Students are required to file the FAFSA.
- Repayment begins six months after graduating, leaving the University or enrolling less than half-time.
- The fixed interest rate for the Federal Direct Graduate/Professional Unsubsidized Loan adjusts each year on July 1. Refer to studentaid.gov for updates.
- For Direct Graduate/Professional Unsubsidized Loans disbursed between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, the interest rate is fixed at 7.05 percent.
- For Direct Graduate/Professional Unsubsidized Loans disbursed between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, the interest rate is fixed at 6.54 percent.
- The origination fee for the Federal Direct Graduate/Professional Unsubsidized Loan is 1.057 percent.
- The origination fee for the Federal Direct Graduate/Professional Unsubsidized Loan adjusts each year on October 1. Refer to studentaid.gov for updates.
Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students is available to credit-worthy students pursuing a graduate degree. Grad PLUS Loans may cover educational expenses up to the cost of attendance minus all other financial assistance. Interest is charged during all periods, and the lender is the U.S. Department of Education.
- Repayment begins 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed. Deferment options are available while the student is in school.
- The fixed interest rate adjusts each year on July 1. Refer to studentaid.gov for updates.
- For PLUS loans first disbursed between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, the interest rate is fixed at 8.05 percent.
- For PLUS Loans first disbursed between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, the interest rate is fixed at 7.54 percent.
- The origination fee adjusts each year on October 1. Refer to studentaid.gov for updates.
- For PLUS Loans first disbursed between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022, the origination fee is 4.228 percent.
- Students must complete the FAFSA and apply for the PLUS Loan at studentaid.gov.
- The Office of Financial Aid will process a PLUS Loan upon notification of credit approval.
- The Master Promissory Note (MPN) must be signed prior to funds being credited to the student’s account.
- All borrowers will also be required to complete the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement (counseling) at studentaid.gov.
- Students must be enrolled in a minimum of three credit hours to be eligible for the loan.
Graduate students may consider private loan options after exhausting opportunities from federal aid programs. See Private Loans on our Financing Options webpage for more information about the available loan programs.
For Graduate Certificate Programs that are not federal aid eligible, students may be able to use Private Loans. Some Private Loan lenders, like Sallie Mae and PNC, allow borrowing for Graduate Certificates.