What About Finances?

Financial Assistance

Application for financial aid is made concurrently with the application for admission.
Applicants should initiate the necessary action early to ensure that the required documents are filed with the school’s Office of Enrollment Services on or before February 1 prior to fall term enrollment. Completed applications received after the February 1 deadline will be considered if vacancies occur at a later date.

Notification and Acceptance of Awards

Recipients of awards usually are notified at the time of admission. Scholarships, fellowships and the various categories of assistantships provide the basis for professional/ graduate student support. Once offered by the university or the school, funds are committed to one student and are therefore unavailable to others. As a consequence, it is the policy of the Nicholas School that all awards offered may be declined prior to May 1 without prejudice. However, offers accepted and left in effect after May 1 are binding for both the student and the school.

The Nicholas School makes every effort to assist students in their efforts to underwrite the cost of their graduate education. Merit-based financial assistance in the form of scholarships, fellowships or assistantships is awarded to qualified students on the basis of demonstrated outstanding academic ability and a high degree of professional promise. Decisions regarding merit-based assistance are made on the basis of the completed admission application; no additional application is required. All admissions decisions are made without regard to financial need or ability to pay.

Scholarships and assistantships are granted from school funds.  In all instances, admission to the Nicholas School is required before a student can be considered for any type of financial assistance. If offered financial assistance, professional students normally will receive the award for two years of study; it is expected that they will complete their degree within this period of time. However, the School reserves the right to examine the progress of each student to determine eligibility for continuation of awards beyond the first year. At no time does an assistantship include either a tuition waiver or living stipend.