<p>I intend to enter a Masters Degree in Finance from a public university or college. From what i understand, does FAFSA give financial aid?</p>
<p>First off, FAFSA is a financial aid application form. The FAFSA does not “give” financial aid. </p>
<p>For graduate school, the vast majority of financial aid comes from the colleges in the form of merit aid based on the strength of your application, the desire of the school to have you in their program, and the availability of institutional funds. Grad school aid comes in the form of scholarships, assistantships, grants, sometimes work study, and loans.</p>
<p>Aid for grad school is not typically based on your FAFSA EFC. It is based on your merit as a student.</p>
<p>As a grad student, if you are credit worthy, you can borrow ~20k as a direct loan and up to the full cost of attendance as a Gradplus loan.</p>
<p>The Direct (Stafford) Loans are available regardless of credit.</p>
<p>The OP has expressed interest in a professional-track master’s program. Very little, verging on no, grant financial aid is generally available for such programs.</p>
<p>raven1 -</p>
<p>While you are in the process of investigating these graduate programs, do ask them whether or not there are any teaching or research assistantships for second-year students, and what the requirements are for holding those positions. Find out if there is any merit-based aid available - there may be one or two highly selective partial scholarships. If there are graduate residence halls, find out what it takes to get a resident advisor position there. And, don’t forget to check out the possibility of a job elsewhere on campus or nearby in town - either a typical student job, or a staff job that would allow you to take classes part-time.</p>
<p>I suggest you file an early FAFSA, are you starting a program this fall or fall 2013? If 2013, then be sure to file your FAFSA in January. You might be offered workstudy funds.</p>
<p>Other opportunities, depending on the subject of your masters, would be research assistant, teaching assistant, dorm assistant. IN some cases, being a teaching assistant could provide both income to cover some living expenses as well as tuition remission.</p>
<p>Teaching assistantships are generally (not always, but generally) reserved for doctoral students.</p>
<p>Since OPs previous degree will be from an international trade school in a vocational field, according to other posts, the graduate school may have additional requirements for admittance.</p>
<p>Federally subsidized loans for grad and professional school have been eliminated. Unsubsidized Stafford loans (as mentioned above) are still available - I think it is about a max of $8K per year. The interest starts to accrue immediately, so it is better to take those loans out as late as is practical. </p>
<p>There is a huge amount of aid and paid teaching and research assistanceships, etc. available at many institutions for many types of grad school, particularly in the arts, humanities and sciences. </p>
<p>However, as noted above, institutional aid is very rare for grad finance and business programs. That is why many people attend those programs part-time while they work (sometimes with assistance from their employer).</p>
<p>*Graduate with a Bachelors Degree outside USA</p>
<p>I am going to earn my bachelors degree in Hospitality Management outside the US from a private vocational school. I am a US citizen and am aiming to to attend a public college or university that…*</p>
<p>??? </p>
<p>Is this an accredited school? What I mean is that is it accredited by one of the highly recognized accrediting entities? if not, then grad schools may not accept you.</p>
<p>Students in grad school can borrow up to $20,500 per year in unsub loans (less if COA is less). If there is a gap in aid, a grad student can apply for a Grad PLUS loan.</p>
<p>Is this an accredited school? What I mean is that is it accredited by one of the highly recognized accrediting entities? if not, then grad schools may not accept you.</p>
<p>In one post OP mentions the school is apparently affiliated with a university in Seattle, but I’m unclear what school that would be and how close the affiliation.</p>
<p>The BA degree, (only the last year) is in a joint program with the Robert Gordon University, UK.</p>
<p>Another thought on grad school aid. If you go to a school that offers a Masters in a subject, but no PhD, there can be teaching and research assistantships avaialble for master’s candidates.</p>