Finance Your Education
We know that financing your education is a key factor in deciding whether to pursue a graduate degree. We are here to help!
All applicants are automatically considered for Kogod's merit-based scholarships, including international students.
Your aid may include an AU scholarship or grant, federally funded grants, private loans, and/or low-interest federally funded loans.
There are more than 17 need- and merit-based Kogod scholarships for current graduate students plus 10 available to most Kogod students in any program.
Merit-Based Aid
All applicants, including international applicants, are considered for merit scholarships during the application review process; a separate application is not required for consideration.
Since you DO NOT need a separate application for consideration, please make sure that you say "YES" on your general application when asked to confirm if you would like to be considered for a scholarship.
The answer to this question will NOT negatively impact your admissions decision. Typically, only students who are otherwise funded would decline scholarship consideration.
The American University Office of Financial Aid is prepared to answer any questions you might have regarding financial aid and share information on external scholarship and funding sources.
The staff will work with you to create the best possible financial aid package and payment plan. Your aid may include an AU scholarship or grant, federally funded grants, and/or low-interest federally funded loans. The process of applying for financial aid requires time and attention to detail.
Please review all of the information posted on the AU financial aid website to ensure that you thoroughly understand the various aid options and application process. Early filing of a complete and accurate financial aid application will help ensure that you receive the best possible combination of university and non-university financial aid available.
As part of your research, we also welcome you to review a list of historical private loan providers.
American University Plans
American University offers the American Payment Plan (APP) to students as an alternative to paying your bill in full at the start of each term. The plan splits your fall or spring semester balance into convenient monthly payments, with no interest charged. By budgeting ahead for the upcoming term's charges, you may be able to reduce the amount of loans needed for the school year.
Applicants interested in learning more about American University's participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program and other veteran benefits should visit Veteran Student Services for more information.
Federal Aid
Graduate students enrolled at least half-time in a master's program may be eligible for federal loans and/or federal work-study. Graduate students enrolled in online programs are ineligible for federal work-study.
To apply, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available starting October 1 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis as it is received by the Office of Financial Aid. It is recommended that the FAFSA be completed by May 1 each academic year. FAFSAs should be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the end of the academic semester in which you are enrolled at least half-time.
Complete your FAFSA online.
Be sure to list the American University (AU) FAFSA code, 001434, in the college release section. (A limited supply of paper FAFSA forms is available from the AU Office of Financial Aid if you prefer.)
Additional Forms
You may be asked to download and complete a Verification Worksheet or other documentation as needed to complete your aid application. Do not complete these forms unless asked to do so by the Office of Financial Aid.
Typically, graduate students are eligible for $10,250 per semester in unsubsidized Stafford loans as long as they are enrolled at least half-time. Half-time is defined as 5 credits for fall and 5 credits for spring. If your program has a summer semester, 2 credits is considered half-time. Eligibility for the unsubsidized loan is determined based on information on the FAFSA as well as loan history found in the National Student Loan Database System (NSLDS).
Please note that graduate students may not borrow more than $138,500 in Stafford loans throughout the entirety of their academic careers. You may view your Stafford loan history at nslds.ed.gov.
Graduate students are ineligible for the subsidized Stafford loan as well as any federal or institutional grant funding.
Graduate students may be eligible for the Graduate PLUS loan to assist in defraying additional educational expenses not covered by the Stafford loans. The Grad PLUS loan is a credit-based loan from Direct Loans and requires an additional master promissory note (MPN) if approved. For more information about this loan or to apply, please go to Federal Student Aid. If approved by the lender, graduate students are eligible for up to the total cost of attendance minus all other aid received.
Current Student Support and Grants
There are more than 17 need- and merit-based scholarships for current graduate students plus 10 available to most current Kogod students in any program.
While we have relied on faculty and staff nominations as well as data received from the Office of Student Accounts and Office of Financial Aid to award these funds, we want to increase transparency and allow students to express interest in additional scholarship funding.
The purpose of the Graduate Excellence Fund is to recognize Kogod on-campus graduate students who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership inside and outside of the classroom. This is a need-and merit-based scholarship for students who have fully completed one academic semester in a Kogod or WCL (for JD/LLM/MBA) on-campus graduate program and will be enrolled in at least 6 credits in Kogod during the semester for which they are applying. Students who are full-time employees at AU and receiving tuition benefits are not eligible for this fund.
Need-and Merit-Based Scholarships
There are more than 17 need- and merit-based scholarships for graduate students and 10 available to most Kogod students in any program. While we have relied on faculty and staff nominations as well as data received from the Office of Student Accounts and Office of Financial Aid to award these funds, we want to increase transparency and allow students to express interest in additional scholarship funding.
Graduate Excellence Fund
The purpose of the Graduate Excellence Fund is to recognize Kogod on-campus graduate students who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership inside and outside of the classroom. This is a need-and merit-based scholarship for students who have fully completed one academic semester in a Kogod or WCL (for JD/LLM/MBA) on-campus graduate program and will be enrolled in at least 6 credits in Kogod during the semester for which they are applying. Students who are full-time employees at AU and receiving tuition benefits are not eligible for this fund.
Kogod students have great ideas for speakers, panels, or other types of programs and events, and we can help you make those a reality! Funds are available to support student-led initiatives that align with the Learning By Doing outcomes. Note that this fund is available to individual students, not student organizations.
The Educational Enhancement Fund provides support for Kogod students to participate in professional development opportunities, including business-focused professional conferences, case or other competitions, leadership development activities, and other experiential opportunities.
This fund has been established to provide financial assistance when a Kogod student (major, minor, or enrolled in a graduate program) encounters unexpected, immediate, and temporary personal hardship that puts at risk their ability to successfully progress in their course work toward degree completion and fulfill other commitments at AU. The fund is unable to support long-term or continuous situations, but we can help you find community-based resources to support ongoing issues.
Public and Private Scholarships for Graduate Business Students
- Beinecke Scholarship Program
- Business Leader Scholarship
- Cappex Scholarship Listing
- Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarships
- GE-Lloyd-Trotter Scholarship
- Government Finance Officers Association Scholarships
- Marketing Edge Scholarship
- National Scholarship Directory
- Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship
- Prospanica Scholarship
Partnerships for MS in Marketing Students
American University’s Kogod School of Business is proud to be a member of City Year's University Partnerships program and offers the following benefits to City Year AmeriCorps members, alumni and staff who apply and/or are accepted to any of our graduate programs: application fee waiver, up to one-year deferral and a minimum of $10,000 tuition scholarships for up to two eligible members per year.
Requirements: Submit a letter verifying City Year affiliation as part of the application process. Please email alumni@cityyear.org with "American University Kogod School of Business: City Year verification letter request” in the subject line and include the site where you served and dates of service in the email.
This letter will be sent to the Admissions Office on your behalf. When submitting your application, use the code CITYYEAR to waive your application fee. Please state that you served with City Year and reference our partnership.
American University is proud to be a school of national service. Graduate programs in our Kogod School of Business are committed to match the Segal awards of admitted students at the level of the award, up to $6400 per student (that is a 100 percent match for one award per student). American University will require that Segal award recipients show the award amount for matching purposes. If a student has multiple Segal awards, the University agrees to match at least one of those awards and will consider additional matches. Admitted students may also be considered for additional merit and aid awards.
University Partnerships
The Kogod School of Business has an agreement to provide preferred admission into the MS in marketing program to undergraduate students at Albright College who meet the following criteria:
- 3.25 GPA
- Successful completion of the following Albright courses with a grade of B or better:
- BUS 347 Marketing Management
Albright students who meet the preferred admission criteria and are admitted into the MS in marketing program will receive a $10,000 scholarship, to be dispersed over the length of the program. Their application fee will also be waived.
The Kogod School of Business has an agreement to provide preferred admission into the MS in marketing program to undergraduates at Elizabethtown College who meet the following criteria:
- 3.25 GPA in BA 215 – Principles of Marketing
Elizabethtown students who meet the preferred admission criteria and are admitted into one of the eligible Kogod graduate programs will receive a $10,000 scholarship, to be dispersed over the length of the program. Their application fee to the program will also be waived.
The Kogod School of Business has an agreement to provide preferred admission into the MS in marketing program, to undergraduate students at SKKU who meet the following criteria:
3.25 GPA in GBA2006 Marketing Management OR BUS2003 Marketing Management AND BUS2004 Marketing Strategy.
SKKU students who meet the preferred admission criteria and are admitted to the Kogod MS in marketing program will receive a $10,000 scholarship to be dispersed over the length of the program.
To apply for preferred admission, SKKU students must:
- Submit the following documents to the Kogod Graduate Admissions:
- Complete application
- Submit three recommendation letters, including one from the program liaison and two academic recommendations.
- Submit official undergraduate transcript(s)
- Students applying to the MS in marketing program must also have an interview with the MS in marketing program director.
Employer Partnerships
Full-time Washington Post employees, spouses or dependents admitted to any graduate degree program within the Kogod School of Business, including online, are eligible for $10,000 in merit award funding over the course of the program.
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) employees participating in the American University partnership can register for graduate courses in the Kogod School of Business as a non-degree or degree-seeking student. Kogod's graduate degree programs are ideal for individuals looking to advance their career with more specialized training in areas such as accounting, finance, or analytics.
HHS employees have the opportunity to attend AU at a discounted rate, with 20 percent off the regular tuition cost. This discount is only for HHS employees and their spouses.