Types of Financial Aid

Graduate Fellowship, Teaching or Research Assistantship Support

Recipients of these awards must be appointed or nominated by a member of the academic department in which the applicant is enrolled. The number of awards varies annually, as do the award amounts.

UM-Dearborn Current Student Scholarship Program (for Graduate Students)

The scholarships in the Current Student Scholarship Program are made available through the generous gifts of private donors and alumni of UM-Dearborn.

Admitted graduate students have access to the Scholarship Universe tool to build a profile to match both internal and external scholarship opportunities.  

Additional opportunities for scholarship funding may be available from other sources and would require a separate application.

City Year Detroit Alumni Scholarships

The University of Michigan-Dearborn salutes City Year Detroit Program participants for their service and metropolitan impact. The University of Michigan-Dearborn will award at least 2 two-year scholarships to students who successfully complete the City Year Detroit experience. Up to $5,350 is available each year, up to two years (four semesters). This scholarship is a matching scholarship, awarded during every academic year period.  Graduate students are eligible for consideration. 

To be considered for a City Year Alumni Scholarship, the student must provide City Year documentation (signed City Year Certificate of Graduation) to the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Community Service Personnel Scholarships

The University of Michigan-Dearborn provides a scholarship valued at 20% of tuition and fees for public safety employees at partnering organizations.  The scholarship is available for degree-seeking students and can be used for undergraduate and graduate programs. For more information, visit our website.

Center for the Education of Women Scholarships

The CEW Scholarship Program for women and underserved students was established in 1970 to honor the academic performance and potential of women whose education has been interrupted and to commemorate the one-hundredth anniversary of the admission of women to the University of Michigan. Thanks to the generosity of individuals and foundations, CEW has been awarded over 2000 scholarships since 1970. CEW Scholarship Awards are invaluable since they often mean the difference between completing a degree or not doing so for many students at the University of Michigan. Due to the generosity of donors, CEW was able to expand the program in 2008 to include additional scholarships for students of all genders.

Approximately 40 Scholarships are awarded annually ranging from about $1,000 to $10,000, with some larger scholarship awards given. For more information, visit the CEW Scholarship webpage.

King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Program

The King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship Program is funded by the State of Michigan and is intended to increase the pool of traditionally underrepresented candidates pursuing faculty teaching careers in postsecondary education. Preference may not be given to applicants on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, gender, or national origin. Applications are encouraged from minorities, women, people with disabilities, and individuals from cultural, linguistic, geographic, and socio-economic backgrounds who would otherwise not adequately be represented in the graduate student and faculty populations. The amount of the KCP Future Faculty Fellowship Award will depend on the student’s financial needs. The maximum available award for master’s students is $20,000 and for doctoral students is $35,000. These amounts may be distributed over a two-and-a-half-year period for Masters Fellows and over a four to the six-year period for Doctoral Fellows. For more information, visit our website.

TEACH Grant (Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education)

Funded by the federal government, the TEACH Grant provides up to $4,000 per year for students whose intention is to teach in a “high need field” (subject area), in an elementary or secondary school serving students from low-income families. As a recipient, students agree (in advance of receipt) to teach a “high need field,” full-time, for a minimum of four years within the eight years following program completion (or progress interruption from the program for which the grant was awarded).  The FAFSA is required to be considered for a TEACH Grant.  However, recipients do not have to demonstrate “need.”

The TEACH Grant will remain a grant if recipients meet the specific criteria. If recipients do not meet the terms of the agreement to serve, the TEACH Grant converts to an unsubsidized loan with interest calculated back to the initial disbursement date(s). For this reason, UM-Dearborn has defined our eligibility criteria as cautiously as possible.

The populations UM-Dearborn currently considers for the TEACH Grant are Seniors (at the undergraduate level) and graduate-level students, with a high Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), admitted into a degree-granting program of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services, and pursuing majors that align with the “high need fields.”

The cumulative grade point average requirement for the TEACH Grant is 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale). The degree programs currently considered are: Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, and Master of Science. Eligible majors at UM-Dearborn are Education, General Science, Mathematics, Mathematics Studies, Reading, Science Education, Science Studies, Special Education, and Teaching.

Loans

Eligibility for the following Federal loan programs requires adherence to Federal eligibility criteria, maintenance of the University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines, and minimum enrollment of at least half-time (4 or more credit hours). Requirements are subject to change over time. Additional documents may be required (e.g., Promissory Notes and Entrance Counseling) prior to the disbursement of funds.

Federal Direct Loan Program

Federal Direct Loans are available through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. Under the Federal Direct Loan Program, funds are lent to student or parent borrowers directly by the U.S. government. There are several types of Direct Loans: the Federal Direct Subsidized Loan (Subsidized FDSL), Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan (Unsubsidized FDSL), Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (FDPLUS), Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students, and the Federal Direct Consolidation Loan program. Graduate students are not eligible for the Federal Direct Subsidized Loan program. 

Annual and Lifetime Federal Direct Student Loan Limits

Annual limit  $20,500 up to the Cost of Attendance, whichever is less

The program aggregate (maximum borrowing) is $138,500. Graduate loan debt includes Federal Direct Student Loans received as an undergraduate.

Federal Direct PLUS Loans for Graduate Students

Direct PLUS Loans are part of the federal Direct Loan Program, which makes loans directly from the U.S. Dept. of Education.

The Graduate Student must apply for PLUS loans separately if they need additional funds to cover costs. To be eligible for a Graduate PLUS loan the student must first exhaust Unsubsidized Loan eligibility. Eligibility is not based on need and borrowers may obtain up to the Cost of Attendance minus any other financial assistance received.

There are certain requirements to qualify for the PLUS loan and the federal processor will access your credit report as part of the application process. Because credit checks are valid for a limited time, applications for the Fall and/or Winter terms should be completed beginning in early June. Applicants must complete the FAFSA before eligibility for the PLUS Loan can be determined. You must reapply each year. 

Federal Direct Consolidation Loan
Federal Direct Consolidation Loans are designed to help borrowers simplify loan repayment. This loan allows the borrower to consolidate several types of federal educational loans with various repayment schedules into one loan, requiring only one payment per month. Interest rates, however, may differ depending on the loan category as well as repayment and deferment options for the borrower.

Borrowers in default on a previous federal education loan may be able to obtain a Direct Consolidation Loan as a method of resuming the educational process and regaining eligibility for financial aid funds. (Those in default are ineligible for any and all financial aid while the default status is unresolved.)

Those interested may contact their Direct Loan Servicer or access their website studentaid.gov for additional information.

Student Employment

Federal Work-Study Program—Federal Work-Study is a Title IV program offering part-time work for students who demonstrate financial need. Students work up to 25 hours per week during the regular semester, depending upon the student’s financial need, availability of federal funds, and the student’s class schedule. Seven percent of the school’s annual Federal Work-Study allocation will be used to fund community service jobs. 

Work-Study awards are earned by working for Work-Study employers and earning a paycheck, typically paid bi-weekly through the employer’s payroll system. Work-Study earnings will not credit your tuition and fees bill. Employers pay a percentage of students’ wages and federal funds pay the remaining wages.

University openings are posted on the careers webpage. You can also contact the Office of Career Services for assistance with Off-Campus openings. You must show the employer a copy of your Award Notice and proof that your enrollment is at least half-time (4 or more credit hours) and inform your employer if your Work-Study eligibility changes.

On-Campus Employment

On-campus employment is funded by UM-Dearborn, when not funded by Federal funds. There are many part-time and temporary jobs available in the academic departments and in the support offices. Eligibility for Federal financial aid funds is not a requirement for University employment. Students may contact the Office of Career Services to inquire about job availability. The departments pay 100 percent of these wages. To locate an on-campus job, visit the careers webpage.

Other Sources of Financial Aid

Other sources of financial assistance are available through government agencies such as Vocational Rehabilitation, Veterans Administration, and Social Security. Students needing information on these programs should contact the nearest appropriate agency.

Assistance for educational expenses may also come in the form of tax allowances. The Internal Revenue Service publishes Publication 970. Publication 970 provides information on educational benefits allowed within the tax code. Publication 970 may be obtained from the Internal Revenue Service or viewed online.