Guide to Requesting Loans and/or Federal Work-Study

Determine Your Overall Cost

Prior to completing your loan applications, review the Cost of Attendance page to determine your overall cost. You may also find helpful our MA Billing Calculator, which allows you to better determine your directly billed expenses for the Fall and Spring semesters. Note that you may only borrow up to your total cost of attendance (which includes tuition, fees, living expenses, including allowances for books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and other expenses).

Federal Aid for Graduate Students

The types of US federal aid available to graduate students are limited to federal work-study, the Direct Unsubsidized loan, and the Direct Graduate PLUS loan.

In order to receive US federal work-study or loans, a student must be a US citizen or an eligible non-citizen enrolling as at least a half-time (6 credits) student in a degree program and making satisfactory academic progress.

Students considering federal aid should review the Graduate Financial Aid information available on Columbia University’s Student Financial Services website, including the Disclosure on Lender Information and the Graduate Federal Aid section, which discusses eligibility requirements, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), entrance interviews, and general information about federal loans.

Please review each type of aid you are considering below for the documents required to apply. 

If you will be applying for aid from multiple sources, please first complete the steps for each type of aid you are pursuing and then submit the Request for Loans and/or Federal Work-Study.

Federal Work-Study

All GSAS students applying for federal work-study must complete:

If you will not be borrowing loans, after completing the FAFSA, please complete the Request for Loans and/or Federal Work-Study.

Additional information about federal work-study

Direct Unsubsidized Loan

The federal Direct Unsubsidized loan is subject to an annual limit of $20,500. All GSAS students applying for the Unsubsidized loan must complete:

If you will not be borrowing Graduate PLUS or private loans, after completing the above, please complete the Request for Loans and/or Federal Work-Study.

Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

The federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan may be borrowed to cover up to the cost of attendance less any other aid. Students must maximize their eligibility in the Direct Unsubsidized loan before borrowing a Graduate PLUS loan. All GSAS students applying for the Graduate PLUS loan must complete:

After completing the above, including any steps required to borrow your maximum eligibility in the Direct Unsubsidized loan, please complete the Request for Loans and/or Federal Work-Study.

International students may be eligible to borrow US-based private educational loans. Most lenders require a creditworthy cosigner who is a US citizen or permanent resident.

Based solely upon historical borrowing data over the past few academic years, some international students may have been able to secure alternative private loans without a U.S. co-signer from the following financial institutions:  

For more information regarding private loans, please review the information available on the Student Financial Services website, including a link to ELM Select for International Students. ELM select is an external web-site that allows students to review the Suggested Lender List(s), compare products, and apply for private loans based on several factors including cost and eligibility, benefits to borrowers, and overall customer service.

Students borrowing private educational loans should first complete an application directly with their lender for approval. Once approved, please complete the Request for Loans and/or Federal Work-Study.