Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Rochester Institute of Technology is interested in seeing that all students qualified for graduate study at RIT find the financial resources needed to assist with their educational expenses. The information provided in this section is an overview of the sources of assistance available. Please contact the offices listed for additional information.
Scholarships and assistantships are available in most graduate departments. In addition, some departments offer externally funded stipends from corporate or governmental sources. Please contact the appropriate department chairperson or the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services at (585) 475-2229 for additional information.
While students may apply before matriculation, these awards are granted only to matriculated students. Awards are generally given to full-time students, but exceptions are made for qualified part-time students.
Standard of Satisfactory Progress for the Purpose of Determining Eligibility for State Student Aid
Graduate Degree—Quarter System
| Before being certified for this payment, | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| a student must have accrued at least this many credits | 0 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 60 |
| with at least this cumulative grade point average | 0 | 2.00 | 2.50 | 2.70 | 2.80 | 2.90 |
Additional sources of financial assistance include the New York State Tuition Assistance Program, work-study and various student loan programs. Please refer to the Graduate Financial Aid Programs for details.
It should be noted that international students (F-1 or J-1 visa holders) may generally work on campus up to 20 hours a week. Special authorization from International Student Services and/or the INS is needed for all other employment, including co-ops and internships. Please consult International Student Services at (585) 475-6943 or www.rit.edu/internationalservices for employment or visa questions.
All federal assistance programs require submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, (585) 475-2186. You can also complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Satisfactory academic progress for federal aid recipients is evaluated at the end of spring quarter each year. Students must maintain a 2.0 grade point average and complete two-thirds of credit hours attempted each year. Federal aid eligibility is exhausted after attempting 150 percent of the number of credit hours required for the degree or certificate. In addition,
loan eligibility for students with full-time-equivalent status is limited to a maximum of four quarters.
Students receiving New York Tuition Assistance Program benefits must meet credit hour and grade point average requirements based on the number of TAP payments received at the graduate level at RIT. Course completion is defined as meeting course requirements and receiving a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F.
Financial Aid Refund Policy
Return of federal funds
In accordance with federal regulations, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships recalculates quarterly federal aid eligibility for students who withdraw, drop out, are suspended or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60 percent of a quarter. “Withdrawal date” is defined as the actual date the student initiated the withdrawal process, the student’s last date of recorded attendance or the midpoint of the quarter for a student who leaves without notifying the university. Recalculation is based on the percent of earned aid using the following formula: number of days completed up to the withdrawal date/total days in the quarter. Aid returned to federal programs is then equal to 100 percent minus the percentage earned multiplied by the amount of federal aid disbursed.
Funds are returned to the federal government in the following sequence: Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, Federal Parent Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Federal SEOG, other federal aid.
Late disbursement
If the student is otherwise eligible, the first disbursement of Federal Direct Subsidized Loan or Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan proceeds is allowed up to 120 days after the student has ceased to be enrolled. Subsequent disbursements are not allowed.
State scholarships
Regulations vary. Any adjustments are done in accordance with the specific requirements of the sponsoring state.
Privately funded grants and scholarships
In the absence of specific instructions from the sponsor, 100 percent of the quarterly award will be credited to the student’s account.
RIT grants and scholarships
If a credit balance remains after all federal, state and private adjustments, a percentage of the remaining credit balance is returned to the RIT scholarship account according to the following formula, where A = scholarship amount; B = scholarship plus student payments; C = percent returned to scholarship program and D = remaining credit balance:
A \ B = C x D
Financial Aid Programs
| Grants/Scholarships | Eligibility | Amount | Where to Apply |
| Graduate Assistantships | Graduate student matriculated into an RIT graduate degree program. | Amounts vary | Complete Graduate Admissions Application and check appropriate box to be considered for graduate assistantships. |
| Graduate Merit Scholarships | Graduate student matriculated into an RIT graduate degree program. | Amounts vary | Complete Graduate Admissions Application and check appropriate box to be considered for graduate scholarship. |
| AALANA Graduate Scholarship | Awarded to a full-time, matriculated African-American, Latin American, or Native American who demonstrates financial need and academic achievement. | $500 per quarter. | File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). |
| New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) | Full-time students who are New York state residents and meet state income guidelines. | Awards range from $75 to $550. | File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Express TAP Application (ETA) if sent after filing FAFSA. |
| Vietnam Veterans Tuition Award Program | Eligible Veterans who are New York state residents. | $2,000 per year for full-time study or $1,000 per year for part-time study; available for undergraduate or graduate study. | Same as TAP. In addition, file the Vietnam Veterans Tuition Award Supplement at www.hesc.com. |
| NYS Regents Professional Opportunity Scholarship | U.S. citizen and permanent NYS resident as defined by legislation. For certain approved professional programs (e.g. accounting, engineering, physician’s assistant), recipient must agree to practice for 12 months in chosen profession in NYS for each annual payment received. | $1,000 to $5,000 per year (TAP and some other benefits may supplement this award). | Contact: HEOP/VATEA Scholarships. NYS Education Dept., Education Bldg. Addition, Rm. 1071, Albany, NY 12234, (518) 486-1319. |
| Veterans Benefits | Eligible veterans and children of deceased veterans, or service-connected disabled veterans. | Amounts vary. | Contact: Office of Veterans Affairs at (888) 442-4551, or visit their website at www.va.gov. |
| Bureau of Indian Affairs Graduate Fellowship Grants | Enrolled full-time and recognized by Secretary of the Interior as a member of an Indian tribe and demonstrating financial need and academic achievement. | Amounts vary | Contact American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) at (505) 881-4584, or on the Web at www.aigc.com. |
| NTID Professional Fellowship Program | Matriculated students in selected programs of study. | Full tuition and stipend | Contact NTID Office of Outreach and Transition Services. |
| Loans | Eligibility | Amount | Where to Apply |
| Federal Direct Loans | Matriculated students who are enrolled at least half-time and who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. | Maximum amount: $20,500 ($8,500 of which may be subsidized, depending on financial need). The maximum amount cannot exceed the cost of education minus all other financial aid awarded. | File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). |
| Federal Perkins Loan | Students who meet requirements established by federal government. | Up to $6,000 per year;$40,000 limit for undergraduate and graduate study. | File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). |
| Private Alternative Loans | Enrolled student who is credit-approved by lender. | Up to the cost of education minus all other financial aid awarded. | Contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at (585) 475-2186, or www.rit.edu/financial aid. |
| Employment | Eligibility | Amount | Where to Apply |
| Federal Work Study Program | Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents with financial need: most jobs provided are on campus, and some community service positions are available. | Hourly wage rate depends on skill or experience required for the job. The rate of pay begins at $7.15 per hour.” | File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). |
| RIT Employment Program | No financial need requirement; may be on campus or off campus. | Varies, depending on hours and wage rate (RIT wage rates start at $7.15 per hour). | Contact the RIT Student Employment Office at www.rit.edu/emcs/seo. |
This chart covers the most commonly awarded financial aid programs available to full-time graduate students at RIT. Information is correct as of May 2008. Most graduate programs require satisfactory progress toward degree completion to maintain eligibility. Filing the FAFSA by April 1 will ensure priority consideration for all programs. Applications filed after this date will receive consideration as long as funds remain available. Scholarships provided by RIT will be prorated for NTID-sponsored students to reflect lower NTID tuition rates.