Tuition and Financing Your Education : School of Public Policy : UMass Amherst

Tuition Costs

Graduate tuition is set by the Office of the Bursar. It is based on the number of credits a student takes in a given semester as well as your status as an in-state, out-of-state, regional, or international student. You can find official tuition rates at their website here. Students taking online classes through UWW should note that SPP online classes are currently set at $656 per credit. This number is subject to change and students should confirm per-credit costs for UWW classes by reviewing the Restrictions/Notes section on the class in SPIRE.

Financing Your Education

Graduate students seeking financial assistance can consult the UMass Amherst Financial Aid Office to learn more about financial aid, eligibility, and more. All students seeking financial assistance are encouraged to start by submitting a FAFSA. Any student who enrolls in at least 6 credit hours worth of coursework is eligible for federal financial aid during that time.

Students in the School of Public Policy are not eligible for tuition and fee waivers, including official Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant positions on campus. Limited, partial fellowships are available to outstanding applicants. Graduate students are eligible for hourly positions on campus that do not result in a tuition waiver.

Fellowship and Scholarship Opportunities

The School of Public Policy offers Commonwealth Policy Fellowships that recognize academic excellence and leadership potential. To be considered for a Commonwealth Policy Fellowship, apply before the March 15 priority funding deadline. No separate application is required for this fellowship.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to research all areas of financial aid that may be available to them, including fellowship opportunities for international and domestic students. International students should also research scholarship opportunities through their home country's department or ministry of education. See below for a non-exhaustive list of domestic and international scholarships:

Fellowships and Scholarships for Domestic Students

The Byron Hanke Fellowship for Graduate Research on Community Associations
The Foundation for Community Association Research offers an annual fellowship available to graduate students working on topics related to community associations. Community associations govern common-interest communities of any kind (condominiums, cooperatives, townhouse developments, planned unit developments, and other developments where homeowners support an association with mandatory financial assessments, and are subject to use and aesthetic restrictions). The fellowship ranges from $3,000 to $5,000.

Soros Fellowship for New Americans
Awarded for resident aliens, naturalized US citizens, or the child of two parents who are both naturalized citizens. These fellowships provide up to two years of graduate study in the United States and are awarded on a national competitive basis. Thirty fellowships are awarded each year.

GFOA Academic Scholarships
Yearly scholarships offered by the Government Finance Officers Association to a full or part-time student in a public administration, finance, business administration, or a social sciences graduate program. Applicants should have the intent to pursue a career in state or local government with a focus on public-sector retirement benefits.

National Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Designed to assist students of Hispanic heritage obtain a college degree. Scholarships are available, on a competitive basis, to graduate students. The scholarship ranges from $500 to $5,000.

AAUW Fellowships and Grants
The American Association of University Women offers grants between $2,000 and $12,000 for women who hold a bachelor’s degree and are preparing to advance or change careers or re-enter the workforce. Primary consideration is given to women of color and women pursuing their first advanced degree or credentials in nontraditional fields.

HORIZONS Scholarships
The Women In Defense HORIZONS Scholarship Program encourages women to pursue careers related to US national security and defense and to provide development opportunities to women already working in these fields.

Patsy Takemoto Mink Educational Foundation
Education Support Awards are available for low-income mothers with minor children. The scholarships, of up to $5,000, can be used to pay direct school expenses or for living expenses while you are enrolled in an educational program.

Fellowships and Scholarships for International Students

American Scandinavian Foundation U.S. Fellowships: Graduate fellowships for Scandinavian citizens who wish to pursue graduate study in the US and Americans who wish to study in Scandinavia. Stipends vary according to country and range from $3,000-$18,000.

Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW): Offers several graduate-level scholarships to women who are Canadian citizens or landed immigrants who already hold bachelor's degrees.

Foreign Fulbright Graduate Student Program: Awards nearly 5,000 Fulbright grants each year for foreign students, teachers, professors, and professionals to study, teach, lecture, and conduct research in the US, and for US nationals to do likewise outside the US. Contact your home country's US embassy for application instructions.

Harkness Fellowships: Awarded to citizens of the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand who wish to study health care policy at institutions in the US.

International Peace Scholarships: Grants available to promote world peace and understanding for women who are citizens of any country other than the US or Canada. Awards are for graduate students who are enrolled full time. Money is not to be used for research or dissertation. Maximum amount allotted is $6,000 for period of one year from August to May. Award is renewable once.

The Henry Luce Foundation Grants: Grants designed to increase the number of I. House residents from the People's Republic of China. Grants of up to $3,000 are awarded to residents from China applying to live at the House for the first time. Awards based on demonstrated financial need and the applicants' interest in contributing to the I. House community through participation in its programs. These grants are renewable.

Open Society Foundations Grants: Open Society Foundations' grants are used to help educate students for the purpose of building inclusive and vibrant democracies. Its grants are open to students worldwide.

The Marcus Wallenberg Foundation: Scholarships for students from Scandinavian countries (Sweden, in particular) for US graduate studies in international business and finance. Scholarships are awarded in late fall and range from $20,000-$25,000.

Veterans, State Employees, and Public Servants

State employees are eligible for discounted tuition, currently set at 50% of the cost of online courses and 100% for in-person courses. Members of the military, including veterans, active duty, and National Guard, should contact UMass Amherst Veteran Services to inquire about services and to learn about eligibility for VA Education Benefits. Please contact @email or call 413-545-5792 for more information.

Prospective students who are currently employed are encouraged to investigate whether or not their current employer offers full or partial tuition support through a tuition assistance or tuition reimbursement plan.

Also note that if after graduation you go on to work for a government or not-for-profit organization, you may be able to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. See the Public Service Loan Forgiveness section of the federal student aid website.