Graduate & Doctoral Students
Financial aid is available to students pursuing a degree in one of the many excellent Master’s or Doctoral programs offered at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Here are some tips and tools to help you succeed with the financial aid process as a graduate student.
Apply for financial aid
To be considered for funding from Federal Work-Study for a graduate assistantship, the Minnesota Child Care Grant program, or to borrow from Federal Direct Loan, Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan or private educational loans programs, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA becomes available October 1 for the next academic year. You are considered an Independent Student when you are enrolled in a graduate or professional program.
Check your email and student portal for requests and notifications
Updates regarding your financial aid application status and your award notification are sent by email. You have been given a school email account that you can access through MavMAIL. You can also log into the Financial Aid Portal to check on your application status. Once you have a financial aid award, you’ll be directed to review your information and respond to your awards through E-services.
Meet enrollment requirements for financial aid eligibility
- Minimum of six graduate credits
- Undergraduate credits are not eligible
- Non-degree or non-certificate seeking students are not eligible
Explore and apply for a graduate assistantship
While you may not be eligible for Work-Study funding for a graduate assistantship, many academic and administrative departments offer assistantships that provide both salary and tuition benefits. Graduate assistant position vacancies are posted online.
Learn more about Minnesota State Mankato billing and financial aid
A great starting point is to review the online information provided on the Campus Hub-Student Financial Services web pages. There is a dedicated team of financial services specialists ready to help you as well. They can schedule a financial aid advising appointment for you if you need to sort out your situation, too. Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions you have about your finances. We understand there can be a lot of details to manage as a graduate student and we are here to help you navigate your way toward your Minnesota State Mankato degree.
Did you borrow federal loans as an undergraduate?
A deferment is a period of time during which student loan repayment requirements are temporarily suspended. Deferments are granted for specific time periods and only for conditions set forth under federal law. Contact your loan servicer(s) if you wish to request a deferment for your undergraduate student loans while you are enrolled as a graduate student. Visit the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) and select the Financial Aid Review tab. You can log in with your FSA ID to view information about your federal student loans and to find contact information for the loan servicer.
