U.S. citizens and permanent residents who file a FASFA can be considered for the programs below.
In addition to degree level funding and additional funding opportunities, many students utilize these resources to help pay for their graduate education.
The federal government offers loans to eligible borrowers to help cover tuition, fees, and living expenses.
The Direct Unsubsidized Loan does not require a credit check and is issued in iterations of $20,500 per academic year. The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan is based on the total cost of attendance, allowing you to borrow enough to cover any remaining expenses if you do not have an adverse credit history.
Most Penn GSE students borrow Federal Direct Loans, Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans, or private loans to help fund their education. To apply for federal loans, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using the University of Pennsylvania’s institutional code: 003378.
Your FAFSA information will be sent to the University's Student Financial Services office (SFS). For questions, contact SFS at (215) 898-1988 or sfsmail@pobox.upenn.edu.
Federal Direct Loans
Federal Direct Loans are offered by the U.S. Department of Education to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Direct Loan payments are deferred while you are enrolled at least half-time, though interest accrues during the in-school period.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans are available to eligible U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled at least half-time in a graduate degree program. You can borrow up to the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid. This loan requires a basic credit check conducted by the U.S. Department of Education.
To apply for federal financial aid, follow these steps:
- Accept your offer of admission and pay any required deposit.
- File the current FAFSA as soon as possible using Penn’s school code: 003378.
- Students beginning in the summer must file two FAFSAs: the prior year's FAFSA and the current year's FAFSA, both by June 15.
- Complete the Planned Enrollment Form. This will be available here in May.
- Enter the number of classes you plan to take each semester. If unsure, estimate or consult your program for assistance.
- Penn uses Course Units (CUs) instead of credits (1 class = 1 CU).
- Students in Executive Format programs do not need to file the planned enrollment form.
- Log into www.studentaid.gov and complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) for the Direct Unsubsidized and Direct GradPLUS loan. Then, complete the Loan Entrance Counseling. You can do this before accepting your loans.
After completing the steps above and registering for classes, Student Financial Services (SFS) will generate official loan applications on your behalf and post them to the Path@Penn portal. During the summer, you will receive a notification to log into Path@Penn to accept, decline, or adjust your loan amount. You must log onto the Path@Penn portal to accept your loans every semester you are enrolled.
Federal Work-Study is a need-based aid program in which the U.S. Department of Education subsidizes wages earned through on-campus employment. These funds are not applied directly to your bill—you must earn them through student employment.
Work-Study replaces student loan eligibility dollar-for-dollar. Many students prefer to receive a larger refund upfront instead of earning wages throughout the year, so Work-Study is not automatically awarded.
Most domestic students are eligible to work on-campus with or without Work-Study funding.
After accepting your offer of admission and receiving your PennKey, you will be able to search available on-campus jobs through the Penn Student Employment website. Jobs for the fall semester are typically posted in July.
If you wish to be considered for Federal Work-Study, email finaid@gse.upenn.edu after you pay your deposit and accept admission.
For Teachers
If you teach full-time for five consecutive academic years in a low-income school or educational service agency and meet other qualifications, you may be eligible for up to $17,500 in forgiveness on your Direct Unsubsidized Loan. For more details, visit the Federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness page.
For Public Service
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you make 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Learn more about eligibility and application requirements on the PSLF page.