Financial Aid

Cal Poly Financial Aid Website

FAFSA Website

Fastweb Website: a good database for outside scholarships

Non-California Resident Tuition Waivers for Graduate Students

Graduate Equity Scholarship

Student Research Competition

The main source of financial aid for graduate students at Cal Poly State University comes from Stafford loans. A subsidized Stafford loan is based on need, while an unsubsidized loan is not. The government pays the interest of a subsidized loan until 6 months after the student stops attending school for at least half-time. With an unsubsidized Stafford loan, interest starts to accumulate with the first disbursement.

A graduate student is considered independent regardless of their age and is therefore eligible for more aid than a dependent undergraduate student would be. For example, the maximum amount a student can receive from a Stafford loan per year increases from 5,500 dollars to 8,500 dollars when they become a graduate student. Also, there are numerous scholarships available, both through Cal Poly and outside organizations. These scholarships have varying requirements that can be based on merit and/or need.

For more information on graduate financial aid, click here.