Funding A Graduate Education

A How Will I Pay For School?

The Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is committed to fostering excellence in all aspects of graduate studies, which includes helping all students learn about the many options available for financing a graduate education.

We Can Help....

Financial Aid Office

Federal & State Aid
Heard of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)? This application helps US Citizens and eligible non-citizens to gain access to gift aid (repayment not required) such as grants, or self-help aid (direct
repayment or service required), like loans and Federal Work Study awards. For assistance with the FAFSA, or your financial aid search, please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid in Reese 122, or visit their web site at http://www.finaid.uncc.edu.

Scholarships
Scholarships are a form of gift aid given on a need or merit basis. The Office of Student Financial Aid has compiled a database of scholarships available at UNC Charlotte, which can be accessed from http://finaid.uncc.edu/ScholarshipSearch.asp.

Private
Loans Loans are also available for domestic and international students through private lenders. Please visit http://finaid.uncc.edu/Loan%20Information.html to view UNC Charlotte’s preferred lender list selection.

Academic Departments

Your Program Coordinator
Each program has a coordinator who is familiar with the needs of students within that discipline, making them an invaluable resource for students seeking financial aid. Coordinators can help you to learn more about aid within your academic department, college, and beyond. A complete list of program coordinators can be found at http://www.uncc.edu/gradmiss/gs_graduate_ programs.html.

Employment

Assistantships
Assistantships allow students to gain financial assistance as well as valuable knowledge and experience related to their degree program by fulfilling administrative, teaching, and research roles within the university. For more information on assistantships, contact your program coordinator.

Other Student Employment
The Student Employment Office assists students in obtaining Federal Work Study and temporary student worker positions within the university. Visit http://www.hr.uncc.edu/students, or 200A King Building, for more information.

The University Career Center (UCC) operates a database called NinerJobNet, which offers part-time and full-time employment opportunities. Detailed information about the services offered within the UCC can be found on their web site at http://www.career.uncc.edu, or by visiting their offices in 150 Atkins Building.

Employee Benefits
Already have a job? Many employers offer tuition benefits for individuals seeking to further their education. Be sure to check with your supervisor to see if your company offers employee educational assistance programs.

Full-time, permanent EPA and SPA UNC Charlotte employees may be eligible for tuition waivers or reimbursements. More information can be found at http://www.hr.uncc.edu/Training/tuition.htm.

Graduate School

The Graduate School manages assistantship contracts and administers several fellowships, scholarships, and tuition awards.

Fellowships & Scholarships
Each year the Graduate School awards a limited number of fellowships and scholarships to graduate students. For a complete listing of available opportunities, visit http://www.uncc.edu/gradmiss/gs_funding_and_fellowships.html.

Tuition Awards
Doctoral Students. The Graduate Assistant Support Plan (GASP) is a highly competitive support package
that offers eligible students full-tuition and health insurance for up to 10 semesters.
Master’s Students. Non-Resident Tuition Differential (NRTD) awards are given to international students and students who are not residents of North Carolina to cover tuition costs above and beyond instate rates. Students must be nominated by their program coordinator to receive these tuition awards.

Senior Citizens Tuition Waiver
North Carolina residents who are 65 years of age or older and meet admissions standards may enroll at
no cost as space permits. Inquiries can be submitted to StudentAccounts@uncc.edu.

Campus Scholarship for Native American Doctoral Students
Students of Native American descent may qualify for educational assistance. Inquires can be submitted to Johnna Watson, Associate Dean of the Graduate School, at jwwatson@uncc.edu.

Academic Common Market
An agreement between 16 states that participate in the Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) allows some non-resident students to take classes at UNC Charlotte at in-state rates. To find out more, visit https://acm.rti.org/.

Residency Determination Office

Information about gaining NC residency for tuition purposes is available through the Residency Determination
Office in 114 Denny Building, or on their web site at http://www.resdetermination.uncc.edu.

Military Tuition Benefits
Students or dependents of individuals who have served in the military may qualify for in-state tuition under NC
General Statute 116-143.3. Applications and additional information can be obtained from the Residency
Determination Office. Recent changes to the GI bill provide educational assistance to dependents of permanently disabled veterans. For up-to date information regarding the GI bill, please visit http://www.gibill.va.gov.

Other Resources

The Graduate & Professional Student Government (GPSG)
The Graduate and Professional Student Government provides travel funding for students attending professional conferences or completing research projects. All currently enrolled students are eligible to apply. Information and application forms can be obtained by visiting http://www.sco.uncc.edu/gpsg.

External Fellowships & Funding
Countless funding opportunities are available as part of local, national, and international competitions. Examples of recent UNC Charlotte student successes include the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (http://www.nsf.gov/grfp), the PEO Scholar Award (http://www.peointernational.org/about), and the Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/opd/universitygrants. htm#Fellowships).

Several web sites offer searchable databases that can assist you in finding current sources of aid:

Council of Science – http://www.cos.com
GrantsNet – http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/funding
GRAPES – http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/ grpinst.htm

For more information, please contact your program coordinator and visit our web site.??

Click here for our Funding A Graduate Education brochure.