Handbook | Funding and finance assistance

6. Funding and Financial Assistance
As a graduate student, you are likely to be considering options for financing your education. There are various offices available on campus to help you find the assistance that you need, and many departments and offices on campus will also hire graduate students as employees.

a. Graduate Assistantships and Awards
The University awards a number of graduate assistantships in teaching and research in most of its graduate departments. Research assistants participate in conducting research, usually under the supervision of a faculty member. Teaching assistants and associates assume responsibilities related to teaching and instruction in academic departments. Most assistantships are awarded by academic departments. For details, contact the graduate program director of the relevant department.

If the stipend meets the campus minimum, graduate teaching and research assistantships also carry the benefits of a tuition and curriculum fee waiver as well as the exemption of almost all health fees. Students with non-working fellowships do not qualify for health-fee exemptions but are eligible for the tuition and curriculum-fee waivers. Students holding assistantships and receiving University paychecks are paid biweekly and can opt for direct payroll deduction. If you are uncertain about the benefits associated with your award, contact the Graduate Assistantship Office at 545-5294 or 545-5287. The Assistantship Office is in 239 Whitmore.

b. Financial Aid
Graduate Financial Aid Services offers programs to assist students in financing their education regardless of income or eligibility for need-based financial aid. Located in 243 Whitmore Administration Building, Financial Aid has office hours Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The telephone number is (413) 577-0555; TDD (413) 545-9420; email: grads@finaid.umass.edu ; website: http://www.umass.edu/umfa/Graduate_Aid/ .

In order to be considered for Federal Financial Aid, applicants must be:

•  a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
•  enrolled in or admitted to a degree or certificate program of study at least half-time (six credits)
•  making satisfactory academic progress in a program of study
•  not in default on a Federal Student Loan; or owe a refund on a Federal grant
•  registered for the Selective Service (if required)
•  free of convictions for any illegal drug offense or meet the specific eligibility criteria determined by the Department of Education if you do have a drug-related conviction.

Applying for Need-Based Aid
The Application Form
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the only application used to apply for financial aid at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for the academic year. The information on the FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for federal, state, and institutional funds. List the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Step Six of your original application and indicate the school code, 002221.

Although there is no deadline to file an application for a Direct Student Loan, consideration for other types of need-based aid such as Federal Work-study are given on a first-come first-served basis. Such programs require applications to be filed by February 15 to meet the University's March 1 deadline.

The following versions of the FAFSA form are available. Please submit only one version of the form to the central processor.

The Paper FAFSA
First-time applicants for financial aid may file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is available at college financial aid offices. Applicants may request a FAFSA by calling Financial Aid Services and using the Voice Response System, (413) 545-0801.

The Federal Processor automatically mails the Renewal Free Application for Federal Student Aid in early December to renewal applicants. Students who did not receive this form in January should file the paper or electronic FAFSA.

FAFSA and Renewal FAFSA on the Web
Students may now use an interactive application on the Internet to apply for federal, state and University aid. FAFSA on the Web is also available for renewal applicants. For more information about using this version of the FAFSA, use the link to the Department of Education provided on Financial Aid's home page or visit www.fafsa.ed.gov .

Non-Degree and Program Fee Students
Graduate non-degree students enrolled at least half-time (6 credits per semester) may be eligible for a Federal Direct Loan under the following conditions: the student applied for admission to a graduate degree program and will be considered for admission at a later date and the coursework is verified by a Graduate Program Director as preparatory/prerequisite in nature before admission to a degree program. A memo from the Graduate Program Director to the Graduate Financial Aid Office is required to verify this information before a non-degree student may be awarded financial aid.

Program fee students may be eligible for a Federal Direct Student Loan if the credit hours of enrollment and research work on their degree requirements can be classified as equivalent to at least half-time. This enrollment status for Program Fee students is certified by the Graduate Registrar upon notification from the student's Graduate Program Director. Since there are no tuition charges, loan funds may be used for indirect educational expenses.

Need-Based Resources
The William D. Ford Federal Direct Subsidized Loan is a need-based Federal Loan administered by the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Eligibility for this loan is determined by completing the FAFSA. The interest rate varies annually up to a maximum of 8.25 percent. The federal government pays the interest on subsidized loans while students are enrolled in school and during a six-month grace period after graduation or withdrawal from school. Several flexible repayment options are offered.

Federal Work-Study is available to a limited number of graduate students who have a graduate appointment other than a Fellowship, and are carrying at least six credits. The Federal Work-Study award is used as part of the funding source for the stipend. This award is subject to approval by the hiring department, Graduate Assistantship Office, and Financial Aid Services.

To be considered for this award, or to obtain further information on the various loans outlined in this publication, please visit or contact the Graduate Financial Aid Office.

Alternative Resources
Several programs are available to supplement a financial aid award or to assist students who do not qualify for need-based financial aid.

The William D. Ford Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is available to eligible students regardless of income or financial need. Students must complete the FAFSA or the Renewal FAFSA to be considered for this program. Interest payments for the Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan begin the day the loan is disbursed and can be paid monthly, quarterly, or capitalized (adding the interest to the loan principle). Borrowers can receive subsidized and unsubsidized loans for the same loan period, although the combination of both cannot exceed their cost of education and/or $18,500 per year.

The MEFA Loan for Graduate Education, administered by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA), is a low-cost, fixed-interest-rate loan that allows creditworthy students to borrow up to their cost of attendance minus other financial aid. If the student applies with a creditworthy co-applicant, the effective cost is even lower. Loans may be deferred for up to five years while the student is attending at least half time in a degree-conferring program. Repayment begins six months after graduation.

For additional information and an application for the MEFA loan, contact MEFA, tel. 1-800-449-MEFA, or visit the Web site at www.mefa.org .

Financial Aid Services Home Page
Financial Aid Services maintains a home page on the World Wide Web at: www.umass.edu/umfa . Helpful information is available on a variety of topics, including financial aid application procedures, student employment, and loan information.

Scholarship Search On the Web
www.massachusetts.edu/scholarships

Financial Aid Voice Response System
Students may now access their financial aid file through the Financial Aid Voice Response System. This allows students to obtain general financial aid information, request documents, and/or speak to a representative. With the use of a personal identification number (PIN), students receive specific information regarding their financial aid such as award amounts and missing documents. To access the System, call (413) 545-0801 from any touch-tone phone.

UMass SPIRE
UMass SPIRE is the web-based system for student registration. It also allows students to view and update their demographic information, view their schedules, bills, and financial aid information, and print an unofficial transcript for their own use. Access SPIRE at https://spire.umass.edu .

Loan Deferments
Deferments are available for graduate students who have outstanding Federal Student Loan(s) and are enrolled at least half-time (six credits). The Graduate Records Office coordinates loan deferments for graduate students with the National Student Loan Clearinghouse.

c. Graduate Student Grants Service
The Graduate Student Grants Service (GSGS) provides UMass Amherst graduate students with information and assistance with applications for external (non-University) grants and fellowships to support study and research. The service has several avenues of assistance. It offers departmental workshops, information sessions on key fellowships and access to three searchable funding databases through their web site ( www.umass.edu/gradschool/gsgs ). GSGS also provides individual consultations in their office, 517 Goodell Bldg., by appointment or during office hours.

The Graduate Student Grants Service also distributes a bi-annual newsletter, Grantscape, which lists important upcoming grant and fellowship deadlines by discipline. Copies are sent to all graduate departments, posted on the GSGS bulletin board and distributed at workshops. The office also administers the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship, which has an institutional application process. For more information, contact the Graduate Student Grants Service Coordinators at (413) 545-5279, 545-5273 or email them at gsgs@grad.umass.edu .

d. Fellowships
A limited number of Graduate School Fellowships are awarded to graduate students on a University-wide basis by competition. They are intended to encourage and assist superior students in pursuing graduate study and in completing the requirements for graduate degrees in the minimum possible time.

The award stipend is payable from September through May. Graduate School Fellowship awards are for one year and may be renewed upon departmental nomination and Fellowship Committee recommendation. These fellowships also provide for waiver of tuition, curriculum fee waiver, and arrangements for payment of the health benefit (if the health benefit is not covered by another appointment, i.e., Research Assistantship, Teaching Assistantship), but not general fees. A recipient of a Graduate School Fellowship must enroll as a full-time student.

Prospective students may indicate their desire for a fellowship or an assistantship as part of the admissions application form supplied in the regular admissions material by the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Interested incoming students should have their completed applications packet on file in the Graduate Admissions Office no later than January 15. Current students should check with their graduate program director for this information. Awards are announced for incoming students by mid-March.

A limited number of assistantships and fellowships are awarded by the Office of Graduate Student Recruitment and Retention (OGSRR, see additional explaination below). These awards are made on a competitive basis primarily to incoming ALANA (African American, Latino, Asian and Native American) students and ALANA dissertation fellows. Applicants for these awards must be nominated by their major department. For details, contact OGSRR in 524 Goodell, 545-5284.

The International Programs Office also offers a limited number of tuition waiver awards to international graduate students. The application process for these waivers is competitive and is based on academic performance, department recommendation, and financial need. Students who are already enrolled at the University must submit an application which includes a strong departmental recommendation. In addition, a small percentage of these waivers is set aside for new students who must be nominated by their departments (and are not eligible to apply directly). For further information, contact the International Programs Office, 467 Hills South, 545-2843.

e. ALANA (African, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander & Native American) Diversity and Opportunity Program
In order to increase and enhance the overall diversity of the graduate student body and provide access for those graduate students who have been disadvantaged for financial reasons, the Graduate School offers some financial support to qualified students who have been historically underrepresented in graduate education. The ALANA, Diversity and Opportunity Program of the Office of Graduate Student Recruitment and Retention (OGSRR) works to accomplish this goal by providing financial assistance to qualified students on a competitive basis in cooperation with the academic departments. In most cases the financial assistance carries a full tuition waiver. Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents qualify for this program.

This is not a special admissions program. The recruitment effort seeks those students who can matriculate at the University on the strength of their academic credentials and who can competently fulfill individual degree program requirements. The Opportunity Awards and the Diversity Fellowship Programs provide funding to eligible students. All potential awardees must first be recommended for admission to a graduate program before they can be nominated for funding. Qualified students interested in applying to the University and being considered for the diversity and opportunity awards should write to: ALANA, Diversity and Opportunity Program, Graduate Student Recruitment and Retention, 524 Goodell Building, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, call (413) 545-5284 or e-mail: ogsrr@grad.umass.edu . Applicants are encouraged to access the Graduate School's web page: www.umass.edu/gradschool .

Graduate applicants are also strongly advised to apply for other national fellowships - Ford Foundation, Javits Fellows, NSF Fellowships, and those provided by national professional organizations. The University participates in Project 1000 (a National Hispanic name exchange), GEM (Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Science and Engineering), NEA (the Northeast Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate), and the National Physical Science Consortium, and strongly encourages McNair Scholars to apply. For further information, contact the OGSRR at the above address.

f. Graduate Student Travel Grants
The Graduate School typically offers funding to degree-seeking, full-time, in-residence graduate students presenting the results of their research, creative, or scholarly activities at major professional meetings, exhibitions, symposia, or conferences. Since the purpose of the funding is to supplement expenses incurred in such activity, students must approach other sources such as their department, program, or adviser before applying to the Graduate School. For further information, contact the Graduate Program Director or the Graduate Dean's Office.

g. Employment Opportunities on Campus
You may need to supplement your income by finding other employment, either on or off campus. Most available jobs provide an hourly wage and do not entitle a student to any of the benefits associated with the assistantships and awards mentioned in the previous sections. Before you commit yourself to a job, bear in mind that graduate students are restricted to a maximum workload of 40 hours per week on campus, including course/credit hours. International students are restricted to 20 hours of work per week on campus during the semester regardless of their credit hours. Teaching assignments and other assistantship awards are considered to be employment. The Student Employment Office maintains lists of on-campus and local hourly employment opportunities. The Student Employment Office is located in 243 Whitmore and can be reached at 545-1530 or seo@finaid.umass.edu . Job listings can be found outside the Student Employment Office, as well as on their website at http://www.umass.edu/umfa. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00AM-4:00PM. University paychecks are distributed on a biweekly basis, and students may opt for direct deposit into their bank accounts by completing the appropriate forms in the Student Payroll Office, 325 Whitmore.

Other offices that may hire graduate students include tutoring services such as the Minority Engineering Program (MEP), 545-2030, Committee for Collegiate Education of Black and other Minority Students (CCEBMS), 545-0031, and the Bilingual Collegiate Program (BCP), 545-1968. The Writing Program Office, 305 Bartlett Hall, 545-0610, hires 15 to 25 new graduate students each semester to teach writing classes. Positions are usually announced campuswide. Contact the Writing Program Office for further information.

Housing Services also employs graduate students as Resident Directors (RD, ARD) and Resident Assistants (RA). Details of Resident Assistant opportunities are available from the Prince/Crampton offices. Resident Assistant positions are open to housing complex residents only. Resident Director position information is available from Housing Services.

Finally, the Graduate Assistantship Office, 239 Whitmore, can provide you with a list of academic and administrative departments that have awarded assistantships to students in your major in the past. Contacting these departments may help you find a position. It is also a good idea to talk to more seasoned graduate students, as well as faculty members, who may know of opportunities in your field of expertise or department.