<p>Hi.</p>
<p>Looking to apply for masters programs next year.Is it true that grad schools consider you "dependent" until 26?!!! I would like to file independent.</p>
<p>My mama hasn't supported me in years. If this is true than no bueno.</p>
<p>There’s not much need-based aid for grad school. You can get a fellowship, which is like a merit scholarship. Or you get hired as a teaching or research assistant. These will generally waive your tuition and pay you a stipend, but it can be difficult for master’s students to get support. Otherwise, you take out loans to pay for your degree. It doesn’t really matter if you’re “dependent” or not in terms of support. I think most grad students are classified as independent and qualify for subsidized Stafford loans if you don’t get a fellowship or assistantship.</p>
<p>Some professional school programs (i.e. medical, pharmacy, law) will require parental financial information for students up to 30 years of age whether or not parents have supported the student or not.</p>
<p>However, for federal financial aid purposes (Stafford and Grad Plus loans), any student who has completed a bachelor’s is consider an independent.</p>
<p>BTW, the new federal budget has ended all subsidized loans for graduate/professional students. Beginning June 2012, only unsub Staffords will be available for grad students.</p>
<p>30?!! What!</p>
<p>Thanks both for the responses. </p>
<p>You can’t get aid even if you’re poor?</p>
<p>You have yet to specify the degree you are interested in.</p>
<p>Some degrees (e.g. PhDs in the sciences) are usually fully funded by a third party, e.g. your department, your adviser’s research grant or a national fellowship. Fully funded means full tuition support, health insurance and a stipend for living expenses. Some other degrees (e.g. most professional degrees) are almost always funded by the students themselves, with the only financial aid available being loans. (Which makes a lot of sense in my opinion. If the education mainly benefits YOU, why should OTHER people pay for it?)</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>Interested in Masters in Education.</p>
<p>Are you switching into an education career? Funding for education degrees is pretty much non-existent. I think even TFA and Teaching Fellows programs require their participants to pay for their own coursework.</p>
<p>You should check with Dept of Education in the state you reside (and plan to teach). Some states will offer a tuition forgiveness program if you teach in designated underserved/hardship areas. (IOW, the state will make you a loan and will ‘forgive’ a portion of your loan plus its interest for every year you work. Usually requires a minimum of a 2 year commitment.)</p>
<p>Some school districts will pay for a master degree if you are concurrently employed as a full time teacher or administrator. (But you pay for the course upfront and upon submission of a transcript showing a acceptable grade, you get your tuition fully or partially repaid to you.)</p>
<p>But except for those, your options of finding funding for a education degree are pretty bleak–Staffords and Grad Plus loans only</p>
<p>If you are interested in teaching math or science, google Math for America or Noyce Scholarship.</p>