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master's
program
Financial Aid
Financial aid can be granted only to U.S. citiizens and certain non-citizens. It is important to
remember that financial aid is
intended to supplement a student's resources. A basic principle of financial aid at USM and
elsewhere is that the student and his
or her family are expected to contribute, when able, from income and assets to meet educational
costs.
The deciding factor in the establishment of a student's eligibility for most financial aid programs
is that of documented financial
"need"; that is, when an applicant has been determined to have insufficient family resources to
meet the cost of attending USM,
she or he is eligible for assistance. Since the federal government provides most of the funds that
the University allocates to its
students, family resources are assessed in accordance with a formular required by the U.S.
Department of Education.
No student should fail to apply for admission because she or he cannot pay the full cost of an
education. The Student Financial
Aid Office administers a strong and versatile program. When a student's financial resources are
insufficient to meet educational
expenses, loans or employment can usually be made available. If funds are not available from the
University, the Student
Financial Aid Office helps students explore other potential sources of aid.
To apply for financial assistance from USM, new and continuing graduate students must
complete a Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a Renewal Free Applications for Federal Student Aid and
submit it directly to the Federal
Student Aid Program for processing.
Students are encouraged to apply for assistance as early as possible. To ensure a fair distribution
of funds, a priority filing date
is established. To meet USM's deadline, applicants must ensure that their FAFSA data are
received at the institution by March
1. Students should mail the FAFSA to the federal student aid programs by February 15 to meet
the USM March 1 deadline.
Applications are accepted after the priority filing dates, although the type and amount of aid
offered may be reduced subject to
funding limitation. Applicants who file after the priority filing date will probably receive delayed
notification and may not have
funds available in time to pay semester bills.
For additional information, contact the
Student Financial Aid Office,
University of Southern Maine, Corthell Hall, College
Avenue, Gorham, ME 04038 or telephone 207-780-5800.
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