FAFSA for Graduate School: What You Need To Know

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a key step for graduate and professional students seeking federal financial aid. The form is used to apply for student loans, grants, and work-study.

While graduate students complete the same form as undergraduates, the graduate school FAFSA differs in several important ways, including how your financial situation is considered, which types of financial aid you may be eligible to receive, and how much you can borrow.

Current private student loan rates

Financial aid available through the FAFSA for grad school

Federal financial aid opportunities aren't as plentiful for graduate students as they are for undergrads, but there are still options to help you pay for the cost of your graduate degree.

Grants

Graduate students don't qualify for Pell Grants unless they're enrolled in a postbaccalaureate teacher certification program, but they may be eligible for other federal grants, which don't have to be repaid. These include:

• Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants: If you're planning to go into education, you may be eligible to receive up to $4,000 each year with a TEACH Grant. To receive the grant, you must meet eligibility criteria and agree to teach full-time for at least 4 years in a high-need field at an eligible school or educational service agency. You have 8 years to complete your service obligation after you graduate or are no longer enrolled at the institution where you got your grant. Otherwise, your grant will be converted into a Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
• Fulbright Grants: Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Fulbright Grants are designed to help both undergraduate and graduate students study, teach, or conduct research in other countries. The department awards roughly 8,000 grants annually across most fields of study. You typically must be a U.S. citizen and meet other eligibility criteria.

Scholarships

Scholarships are another form of aid that doesn't have to be repaid. Submitting the FAFSA can help you qualify for scholarships through your school and other sources. It's generally best to apply for as many scholarships and grants as you can before turning to student loans.

You can also find scholarships through these sites:

• The Department of Labor's scholarship search tool
• Scholarships.com
• Fastweb

Federal student loans

If you need to borrow for graduate school, federal student loans are generally a good place to start before considering private student loans. Federal loans may offer protections and repayment options that private loans typically don’t, including income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, forgiveness programs, and temporary relief options such as deferment and forbearance. 

Federal student loan options for graduate students are changing for the 2026-27 school year. While Direct Unsubsidized Loans remain available to all students, those starting a new program will no longer be eligible for grad PLUS loans.

• Direct Unsubsidized Loans: These loans aren’t based on financial need, and you’re responsible for paying all the interest that accrues, including while you’re in school. Graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 per year. Professional students such as those studying law, medicine, and dentistry will be able to borrow up to $50,000 per year. A $257,500 lifetime limit will apply across all federal student loans.
• Grad PLUS loans: These loans have historically allowed graduate and professional students to borrow up to their school’s cost of attendance, minus other financial aid received. But eligibility is changing. New graduate and professional students generally won’t be able to use grad PLUS loans starting in the 2026-27 school year.

Important: If you already took out a federal student loan for your current program, you may be able to continue using grad PLUS loans under the old rules for up to three additional school years.

Federal work-study opportunities

The federal work-study program can help you find a job either on or off campus to help you pay for tuition and other educational expenses. There's no guarantee that you'll find a job, though, and it may or may not be related to your field of study.

How is the FAFSA different for graduate students vs. undergrad students?

More need-based aid is available for undergraduate students, such as Direct Subsidized Loans, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Pell Grants.

There's also a difference in your dependency status as a graduate student vs. an undergraduate student. As a graduate, you're automatically considered an independent student, regardless of your age or circumstances. This affects your eligibility for certain types of aid, such as parent PLUS loans, which are only available to parents of dependent undergraduate students.

Unsubsidized loans for graduate students have higher interest rates than those for undergraduate students, and grad PLUS loans have the highest rates of all federal student loans.

Here's a side-by-side comparison of key differences between undergraduate and graduate students when it comes to the FAFSA:

Who can use the FAFSA for grad school?

As a graduate student, you're considered an independent student, so you don't need to include information about your parents' financial status. You'll need to meet the general criteria to be eligible for federal student aid, including:

• Being a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen
• Being enrolled or about to enroll in an accredited university for a qualifying degree program
• Proving a financial need for programs that require it

DACA students and the FAFSA

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students aren’t eligible for federal financial aid. However, most colleges and universities use FAFSA information to determine school-specific financial aid, so it's still a good idea to fill out the form each year — this is true for both undergraduate and graduate students.

You'll need a Social Security number to be eligible to fill out the form. If you don't have one, contact your school for more information about how to qualify for financial aid.

How to fill out the graduate school FAFSA

To fill out the FAFSA for graduate school, you'll first want to gather all your necessary information and documents, including:

• Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID
• Social Security number or Alien Registration Number if you’re not a U.S. citizen
• Bank account and investment account balances
• Federal tax returns
• Records of untaxed income
• Driver’s license number, if you have one

You should already have an FSA ID if you completed the FAFSA as an undergraduate. You can request assistance through the FSA website if you've forgotten it. You'll need to create one if you don't have one yet. Once you have your FSA ID, follow these steps to complete the FAFSA form:

1. Start the application online by visiting fafsa.gov.
2. Complete the Student Demographics section.
3. List the schools you want the FAFSA information sent to.
4. Answer questions about your dependency status.
5. Provide information about your financial situation.
6. Sign and submit your form online or by mail.

Alternatives to federal aid for graduate students

While it's always worth applying for federal financial aid, it may not be enough to cover the entire cost of your graduate degree. If that's the case, consider looking into the following alternatives:

Fellowships and assistantships

Graduate fellowships and assistantships both provide financial support to graduate students, but they have some key differences.

A fellowship offers a living stipend to graduate students who demonstrate academic excellence, but it's not a form of employment. Instead, graduate schools often use fellowships to incentivize students to complete their program there. You can think of a fellowship as a merit-based award. Fellowships can come from a university, private foundation, or local, state, or federal agency.

Assistantships, on the other hand, allow grad students to earn money in exchange for teaching or conducting research. An assistantship can offer a monthly salary and tuition waiver, and may cover institutional fees and health insurance.

Employer tuition assistance

Many employers offer tuition assistance (paying for courses up front) or reimbursement (paying you back for your course costs) to employees who meet certain eligibility requirements. If you're working full- or part-time to put yourself through grad school, reach out to your employer to find out if it offers educational assistance. Companies can offer up to $5,250 per employee each year tax-free.

Private student loans

In situations where federal student loans for grad students and other forms of financial aid fall short, it may be worth considering private student loans as a way to bridge the gap. Take some time to shop around and compare graduate student loans to help you find the best deals and maximize your interest savings.

You may also want to consider other ways to pay for grad school, such as taking a gap year between your undergraduate and graduate studies, starting at a community college and transferring to a university later, or attending a less expensive school.

With Credible, you can compare private student loan rates from multiple lenders all in one place.