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Office of Admissions and Financial Aid

Graduate School of Education

University of Pennsylvania

3700 Walnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19104-6216

(215) 898-6415

admissions@gse.upenn.edu

finaid@gse.upenn.edu

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» Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid

  • What is the FAFSA?
    • It is a required application for US Citizens and/or Permanent Residents who are interested in participating in Federal Loan Programs.
  • How do I file a FAFSA?
    • Students can file a FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. If a student filed taxes in the previous year, he or she will need his or her tax return information. Parents’ information is NOT needed. The University of Pennsylvania institutional code is 003378.
  • Which FAFSA do I file?
    • File the FAFSA for the upcoming academic year to be eligible to borrow loans in Summer, Fall, and Spring.
    • If you are going to be taking classes in the following Summer, you will need to file a new FAFSA once you do your tax returns for the current year.

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Financial Aid Award Letter

  • I am waiting to receive my letter from Student Financial Services. When will I receive it?
    • If you have not received a packet by early May and you have officially accepted your offer of admissions to GSE, you should confirm your mailing address in the Student Record System by using Penn InTouch.
    • If your address is correct and you have not received your packet (after officially accepting your offer of admission and filing your FAFSA), please contact the GSE Financial Aid Office at finaid@gse.upenn.edu.
  • If the letter I received from SFS lists “Alternative Loan” in my package, what does that mean?
    • An alternative loan is a way for students to cover any portion of tuition, fees, and living expenses that are not paid for by other forms of aid.
    • Students can choose to borrow a private or federal alternative loan. Private alternative loans are not subsidized, and generally have tiered interest rates and fees, both based on your credit score.
    • A GradPLUS loan is a federal form of an alternative loan. We encourage students to utilize federal loans because they qualify for federal repayment and loan forgiveness programs. Please be aware that you must agree to and pass a basic credit check in order to borrow a GradPLUS loan. You can apply for a GradPLUS loan through the Penn Loan System. 

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Applying for Loans

  • What do I need to do to receive the loans that were awarded in my financial aid letter?
    • Students must complete the following steps to ensure that loan funds disburse to their student accounts. 
      1. Students must apply for the Direct and GradPLUS loans through the Penn Loan System. PennKey and password are required to sign-in
      2. Students must sign electronic Master Promissory Notes for both Direct and GradPLUS loans as well as complete Loan Entrance Counseling on the http://www.studentloans.gov/ website. The 4 digit pin from the FAFSA application is required to sign-in. 
    • If a student is awarded a Perkins loan (the only need-based loan), he or she would have a Perkins Master Promissory Note included in the mailing from Student Financial Services. Students who have been offered a Perkins Loan must sign and return the hard copy Master Promissory Note (MPN) to SFS.
  • My loan application in the Penn Loan System asks how many courses I will be taking. How will I know how many credit units (CUs) I’m taking?
    • Program managers advise students on how many CUs they will be taking and whether the program registers the student for classes or the student should register him/herself. Please contact your program manager for this information, if you have not yet received it.
    • Special Programs
      • Teacher Education Program
            Elementary: Sum2 (3CU), Fall (5CU), Spring (3CU)
            Secondary: Sum2 (2CU), Fall (5CU), Spring (4CU)
      • School and Mental Health Counseling
             Sum2 (3CU), Fall (3CU), Spring (4CU)
      • School Leadership:
             Master’s:Fall (5CU), Spring (5CU), Sum1 (Master’s registration fee)
             Certification only: Fall (2CU), Spring (2CU), Sum1 (1CU)

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Loan Disbursement

  • When will my loans disburse?
    • Loans will usually disburse to students’ accounts two weeks prior to the start of the term, if students have successfully submitted a loan application, completed loan counseling, and signed the Master Promissory Note(s) in ample time for processing.
    • Please note, if the amount borrowed in loans exceeds the balance on the student’s account, her or she will be issued a refund for the difference. We strongly encourage students to sign-up for Direct Deposit, so refunds can be transferred directly to their personal checking accounts.

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Scholarships

  •   How do I know if I received a scholarship, assistantship, or fellowship?
    • There is no separate application for full-time students to be considered for scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships. These award decisions are made by our faculty and communicated at the time of the admissions decision.
    • If you received an award, the amount and terms would be listed in your admission letter. All award offers are final and non-negotiable. Students must sign and return offer letters to GSE’s Financial Aid Office, in order to have the funds applied to their student accounts.
    • Merit scholarships and assistantships for master’s students are applied evenly to a student’s account, paying half of the award in the fall semester and half in the spring.  If a student matriculates in the Spring semester the award will disburse half in the Spring and half in the Fall.
    • Please note that for students in the M.S.Ed. Higher Education program, the Graduate Assistantship process is conducted separately.
  • Can I receive my scholarship in the Summer or have the entire amount applied in the same semester?
    • No, merit scholarships and graduate assistantships are applied to a student’s account evenly across Fall & Spring semesters. 
  • Why does my financial aid award letter from SFS not show my GSE Scholarship?
    • If scholarship agreements are not received and processed by the GSE financial aid office prior to the date that SFS generates financial aid packages then the award will be omitted from the letter.
    • Student Financial Services will send out a revised letter once the award has posted to a student’s account. Students with questions regarding the posting of their awards can contact GSE’s Financial Aid Office.
  • How does my scholarship award affect my loan eligibility?
    • Scholarship and assistantship awards reduce the amount in loans that a student can borrow.

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Billing

  • When will I be billed?
    • Billing is driven by registration, meaning students will not be billed for courses until they are registered for classes. Click here to view the current billing schedule.

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Direct Deposit

  • We strongly encourage all students to sign up for Direct Deposit through Penn inTouch!
    • Direct deposit links a personal checking account with a student’s Penn account. When a loan disburses to a student’s Penn account, SFS will pay off the balance due on the account and any remaining funds will be issued as a refund to the student.
    • If a student does not sign-up for direct deposit, his or her refund will be issued on a Total Pay Card.

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Other ways to help pay for my GSE education?

  • Work Study
    • How can I qualify to participate in work study?
      • Any US citizen or permanent resident who successfully completes a FAFSA is eligible to participate in federal work study. GSE will receive a pool of funds that are distributed to students on a first-come, first-served basis.
    • What do I need to do to receive a work study award?
      • Students must look on the Student Employment Website for work-study only positions.   Once they are in contact with a supervisor who is interested in hiring them, students must contact the GSE Financial Aid office so that the awards can be posted to their student accounts, if available.
    • How much can I receive in work study?
      • Students earn an hourly wage until they have earned the total amount of the award. The total amount available varies; last year the maximum amount awarded was $3,000.
  • Graduate Associate position in a College House
    • Is there an opportunity to live and work on campus in a residence hall?
      • Yes, GSE students can apply to be Graduate Associates in a Penn College House (residence hall for undergraduate students). The responsibilities are similar to an undergraduate resident advisor. Students can learn more and apply on the College Houses and Academic Services website.  Graduate Associates receive free housing accommodations and a meal plan.

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