FAFSA Update: The 2025-2026 FAFSA is available to complete online. Due to Federal delays in releasing FAFSA information, Northeastern will require additional time to process your offer of financial assistance.

Graduate

Types of Aid

Northeastern offers a full complement of financial assistance to eligible graduate students including; assistantships, scholarships, loans, and work awards from both federal and institutional sources. Grants and scholarships are considered gift aid, and do not have to be repaid; loans must be repaid. Grants, scholarships, and loans are applied directly to tuition charges. Earnings from work awards are distributed through weekly pay and are generally intended to help students with expenses during the academic year.

To be eligible for federal assistance, students must be U.S. Citizens or eligible non-citizens. International students are not eligible for federal financial aid but may qualify for alternative loan financing. Additionally, graduate assistantships may be available to qualified applicants. Students interested in assistantships should contact the graduate office to which they are applying for admission. Learn more about the financial resources available for international students.

If you are a graduate student within the College of Professional Studies, please review the financial information for CPS students.

These positions and awards are offered directly by the individual graduate schools or academic departments. Students seeking such assistance should contact their graduate school for an application and eligibility criteria. Any tuition remission, stipend award and/or housing compensation will be incorporated into the student’s financial aid package as a resource. Students who receive these forms of assistance may have reduced eligibility for need-based aid. More specific information about each type of position is listed below:

  • Graduate School Scholarships (GSS) are non-taxable scholarships provided by academic departments to cover up to 9 credit hours per semester. Applications can be made to the department.
  • Northeastern University Graduate Assistantships (GA) offer a taxable stipend in return for service, plus a non-taxable partial or full tuition scholarship. Graduate assistantships include teaching and research appointments, each requiring a time commitment to provide various types of assistance to an assigned department or project each week.

Graduate Assistantship Recipients

Unlike most financial aid awards that are offered for the entire academic year, these assistantships are only awarded one semester at a time. Receipt during a particular semester does not guarantee an award for the same amount during subsequent terms. The scholarship portion of these awards will not actually post to your account until later classes begin, so your initial billing statement will not reflect this award. This stipend is subject to federal and state taxes and will be paid on bi-weekly basis. Please visit our Student Employment page for more information regarding stipends and other employment-related matters.

Double Husky Scholarship

The Double Husky Scholarship, available to alumni who have graduated with a Northeastern University degree, provides a tuition discount of up to 25 percent on eligible graduate degree or certificate program.

Parent and Family Scholarship

Available to parents and siblings of full-time Undergraduate Day students, the Parent and Family Scholarship provides a tuition discount of 25 percent on more than 110 eligible graduate programs.

Full Circle Scholarship

The Full Circle Scholarship offers a 25 percent tuition discount on more than 80 graduate programs for eligible students. The Full Circle Scholarship is available for graduate applicants who demonstrate Northeastern University’s values of experiential and global learning and who are currently involved in or have completed a term of service with one of the following organizations:

  • Peace Corps
  • AmeriCorps
  • Teach for America
  • English Language Learners (ELL)—1 year of teaching experience abroad

New, incoming students are eligible to apply for the Full Circle Scholarship. Currently enrolled Northeastern University students are not eligible at this time.

For additional information regarding the Full Circle Scholarship, including eligible programs, please visit the Graduate Programs website.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Graduate Fellowship

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Graduate Fellowships are administered through the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute. These awards are offered annually to students in full-time graduate programs as long as the student demonstrates satisfactory academic progress and financial need as determined by Student Financial Services. Applicants must complete the financial aid process, as well as an application available from the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute.

Merit Scholarships

Students in graduate programs may also be considered for available merit-based scholarships through their application for admission as well as available scholarship opportunities through their department or college. Please note that scholarship eligibility criteria may vary depending on the scholarship and the program or college. To be considered for merit-based scholarships through your college or program, you must submit your application for admission by the applicable deadline date.

If you have questions regarding merit-based scholarships for graduate programs please contact the department, college, or school to which you are applying to or are currently enrolled.

Outside Scholarships

Your Local Library

A trip to your local library will find many scholarship books available that contain the addresses of scholarship programs. It requires some work on your part (applications, essays, etc.), but a few hours of your time could yield valuable information and lead to additional funding for your education. Locally, the ASA College Planning Center, located in the basement of the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, has numerous resources available to help you find outside aid, including an online database of scholarships.

Scholarship Search Databases

U.S. Department of Labor Career One Stop Scholarship Search
Peterson’s Scholarship Search
Collegescholarships.org
College Scholarship Search
DiscoverNursing.com

Don’t get scammed

Remember that all scholarship information is available to you free of charge! Be extremely wary of any organization or company that asks you for a “finder’s fee” or “guarantees” that they can find you aid. Any reputable scholarship organization will not charge you a penny for this information.

The above list is provided to you as a reference tool. It should not be construed as an endorsement by Northeastern University of any of the organizations listed.

Federal Direct Loan

Students who have completed the FAFSA, will automatically be considered for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Interest on this loan accrues while you are in school. For information regarding the amount you may be eligible to receive, please see the chart below.

The interest rate for loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2021 and before July 1, 2022 is 5.28%. The interest rate on loans disbursed during the 2023-2024 academic year is 7.05%

For loans with a first disbursement on or after October 1, 2020 the origination fee is 1.057%.  Learn more.

Student Type Annual Amount
Graduate or Professional $20,500 Unsubsidized
6th Year students in PharmD $37,167 Unsubsidized
Total Lifetime Eligibility $138,500 for graduate or professional students — No more than $65,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. The graduate aggregate limit includes all federal loans received for undergraduate study.

Health Professions Student Loan and Nursing Student Loan

These federal loan programs carry a 5% interest rate during repayment. You must demonstrate financial need and meet Northeastern’s priority filing date for consideration, as funds are limited.

To be eligible for the Federal Nursing Student Loan, students must be enrolled at least half-time. These loans carry a 9-month grace period prior to repayment following graduation, withdrawal, or a drop below half-time status. Repayment on the loan is for a period of up to ten years with a minimum $40 monthly payment. The loan may be prepaid at any time without penalty.

To be eligible for the Health Professions Loan Program, applicants must be enrolled full-time in the PharmD program through the Bouvé College of Health Sciences. Additionally, students who would like to be considered for the Health Professions Loan Program must include parent income information when completing the FAFSA. These loans carry a 12-months grace period. Repayment on the loan is for a period of up to ten years with a minimum $40 monthly payment. The loan may be prepaid any time without penalty.

Students who have been awarded the Federal Health Professions Loan or Nursing Student Loan must first accept these loans through the Student Hub. Heartland ECSI, Northeastern’s loan servicer, will then email the required Promissory Note, Self-Certification form, Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, and Personal Data Sheet in late summer. These documents must be completed before the loan disburses.

Physician Assistant Loan

The Physician Assistant Loan is awarded to full-time students in the graduate Physician Assistant program, who demonstrate financial need after filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The interest rate is fixed at 7%. Northeastern University is the lender, and repayment is made directly to Northeastern. Eligible students may be awarded up to $3,000 per academic year, depending upon the student’s financial need. Repayment begins one month after the student ceases to be enrolled full-time at Northeastern University.

If awarded the Physician Assistant Loan, the student must accept the loan via the Student Hub. Heartland ECSI, Northeastern’s loan servicer, will then email the required Promissory Note, Self-Certification form, Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, and Personal Data Sheet in late summer. These documents must be completed before the loan disburses.

Federal Work-Study is a need-based federally subsidized program that provides part-time employment to students. To be eligible, students must demonstrate financial need, as determined by the FAFSA. For students who would like to be considered for Federal Work-Study, it is important to ensure your FAFSA is submitted by the priority filing deadline date of March 1, as this is a limited fund.

Students who secure a work-study position are typically paid through direct deposit and may use their earnings to help with expenses during the academic year.

There are also a number of general student employment opportunities available for eligible students. The amount you earn will be determined by your pay rate and hours worked.

View additional information about student employment.