Financial Aid Guide

Whether full-time or part-time students, a pressing challenge for many is financing graduate studies. This guide offers information on different forms of financial aid for graduate students in the Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations. The guide covers the following questions:
    - Who is eligible for financial aid?
    - How much is the aid?
    - Where to get more information and where to apply?
    - What is the application timetable?

Financial aid is divided into four categories:
    1) Department Financial Aid
    2) School of Education Financial Aid
    3) University Financial Aid
    4) Private Financial Aid

The Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations offers research assistantships, tuition scholarships, and fellowships. All students, including international students, are eligible to apply for these aids. All the department financial aid applications are submitted directly to the department at the time of program application. Continuing students need to apply by March 1 of each year. For more information and for the application forms, students can contact the department secretary, Bonnie Bennett at (801) 422-3813.

Research Assistantship

All full-time graduate students (including LPP students) are eligible to apply for research assistantships. Assistantships are either 10 or 20 hours per week and range between $2000 and $4000 per semester, depending on weekly working hours and the degree a student is pursuing.

Tuition Scholarship

Department tuition scholarships are awarded only to full-time students. Scholarships are based on merit and need. Tuition scholarships do not require service and generally cover tuition costs.

Leaders Preparation Program Financial Aid

The Leaders Preparation Program (LPP) financial aid is in the form of graduate assistantships and/or tuition scholarships. The scholarships are need-based.

A. John and Xarissa M. Clarke Fellowship

The A. John and Xarissa M. Clarke Fellowship is available for graduate students who intend to become educational leaders. The $5000 fellowship is merit-based.

Percy E. Burrup Scholarship

The Percy E. Burrup Scholarship is for applicants whose research area is in school finance, the economics of education, or education policy. The $1500 tuition scholarship is merit-based.

EDLF Financial Aid Application

The David O. McKay School of Education has limited scholarship resources for graduate students. Eligibility is based on academic achievement and on personal need. When filling out the application form, it is good to indicate clearly the financial need and special circumstances. To demonstrate financial need, applicants must complete a FAFSA application (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).  Applicants receiving other scholarships are not eligible. The Education Advisement and Certification Office (EAC) works in cooperation with the departments on these scholarships. The scholarship covers tuition--either half or full. The application forms are available at the EAC (120 MCKB; 422-3426). The FAFSA applications are available at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB). Information on these scholarships is also available at the Scholarship Office Web site at http://ar.byu.edu/scholarships. The applications are due March 1.

All information regarding financial aid recieved through the university can be found by contacting the BYU Financial Aid office. Please follow this link: BYU's Financial Aid Page to find contact information.

Where there is a will, there is a way.  From time to time different foundations advertise scholarships with an emphasis in particular fields of research.

Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowships

The Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowships are aimed at encouraging scholars from various fields to perform research for the improvement of education. Applicants must be doctoral students at a graduate school in the United States. International students are also eligible for the fellowship. The Foundation is interested in dissertations on educational phenomena anywhere in the world. In addition, applicants do not need to be citizens of the United States. The fellowships offered by the foundation are intended for the latter part of the dissertation proces: for the analysis of the topic and the writing of the dissertation--not for data collection. The fellowships are very competitive: approximately 30 fellowship of $20,000 are awarded annually. For more information, visit the Web site at www.spencer.org, or ask the department secretary, Bonnie Bennett at 422-6070, for a brochure. The application forms can be downloaded from the web site. In the past the applications have been due in October.

Scholarship books in libraries, bookstores, or the Internet are additional sources for financial information. The Foundation Center has various directories for scholarships. These scholarships and grants are mainly aimed at organizations. Peterson's scholarship book has scholarships and grants that are available for individuals: Peterson's Grants for Graduate & Postdoctoral Study (5th Ed). (1998). Princeton, NJ: Peterson's. Browsing the following web sites on the Internet provides additional information: www.finaid.org; www.fastweb.com; www.salliemae.com; www.scholaraid.com; www.petersons.com.
Good Luck!