Summer Assistance for Graduate Students
The summer term begins Emerson’s financial assistance cycle. Therefore graduate students will apply for summer assistance through their second year financial assistance application. Below is a breakdown of how the application and disbursement process works for students enrolling for the summer term.
Year ONE (Fall and Spring Semesters Only):
| Application: File for financial assistance by the stated deadlines. The application covers your first fall semester, first winter seminar courses, and first spring semester. It does not cover the upcoming summer terms. Distribution of Loans: Assuming you are enrolled in the proper credits and have met all other financial aid requirements, you will receive your loans in TWO equal disbursements. Half of your loans during the fall semester and the other half during the spring semester. |
Year TWO (Summer, Fall and Spring);
| Application: Complete your application by the stated March 1st deadline. If you need loans to cover the cost of your summer course work you must file for financial assistance by this date in order for your estimated loan amounts to be available for summer pre-registration which begins late March. This application covers your eligibility for both summer terms, your second fall and spring semesters and if applicable the May intersession. Distribution of Loans: You will receive your loans in THREE equal disbursements: Summer, Fall and spring. You will be offered the same overall loan amounts as the prior year but the disbursements amounts will be less because they are split in thirds instead of half as in the prior year. Although summer is treated as two separate academic sessions, it is considered one financial assistance term. That means when determining eligibility for summer loan disbursements, our office looks at the total number of credits taken during the summer. Before any loans can be disbursed, a student must be enrolled in at least 4 credits. Example: If you take 2 credits in summer one term and then 2 more credits in summer two term, your loan disbursements will not be available until summer two term, once you have demonstrated you are enrolled in at least 4 credits. Contrary, if you enroll in 4 or more credits in summer one term, your loan can be disbursed all in the summer one term. There is only one loan disbursement in the summer for students attending the following fall semester. |
May Seminar Courses: These are actually part of summer one registration and therefore your summer one loan disbursements may be used towards these costs.
Payment of Summer Courses: If you are taking summer classes you must either pay for the credits at the time you register or you must provide proof you have a completed financial assistance award which covers the cost of the credits before you are allowed to register. This is why the March 1st deadline for summer is important. It allows Student Financial Services enough time to process your application so you can use your anticipated aid to register for summer.
Pre-requisite courses during the summer preceding enrollment at Emerson: When enrolling in required prerequisites, you are not eligible to receive most educational loan programs because you are not yet matriculated in a degree program. However, Emerson does have some programs you may be eligible for. Please contact the office for more information.
