Applying for Aid as a Graduate Student

Financial aid can take many forms. At Duquesne University, graduate student financial aid can be scholarships, assistantships, federal work study, and student loans:

How to Apply for Graduate Loans

Dates and Deadlines: To receive maximum consideration for aid, students must complete a FAFSA prior to May 31 each year. You must complete a FAFSA annually to receive aid each academic year.  fafsa.gov - DU school code is 003258.

Eligibility for Graduate Financial Aid: For all scholarships and assistantships, speak with the graduate program staff at your prospective school of enrollment. These awards are determined by the individual graduate schools not by the Financial Aid office.

Eligibility for student loans are determined by the Financial Aid Office.

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available for graduate and professional students.

Eligibility requirements for federal loan funds:

  • Must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
  • Good academic standing
  • Enrolled at least half-time in degree-seeking programs

Please Note: Most Graduate Schools at Duquesne University define half-time as a registration of 4.5 credits per semester.  A student must maintain at least a half-time registration status during the entire period of time covered by a loan.  Please contact your academic advisor to determine your enrollment status.

Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans: A non-need based loan which does accumulate interest while the student is enrolled.  Repayment begins six months after graduation or cessation of half-time enrollment. Loan requires completion of the FAFSA on an annual basis and at least half-time enrollment.  New Borrowers also have to complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling. Both can be completed at Studentaid.gov. Fixed Interest rates are set on July 1 each year and will not exceed 8.25%. Loan limits vary with academic level. Current students enrolled after July 1, 2026, are eligible for a maximum of three years of federal loan eligibility or time to credential, whichever is shorter.

Graduate Plus Loans: Credit-based loans available to students in a graduate or professional program. 
Loan applications/Master Promissory Note (MPN) can be completed at StudentAid.gov. Interest rates are set by July 1 each year. The maximum loan amount a student is permitted to borrow is determined based on the cost of attendance minus all financial aid. Students must be credit approved. The Graduate PLUS loan has been discontinued for new graduate students starting July 1, 2026.

Graduate & Professional Students:

All Years --  $20,500 unsubsidized -- $20,500 total (subsidized & unsubsidized)
Pharmacy  -- $50,000 unsubsidized -- $50,000 total (subsidized & unsubsidized)
College of Osteopathic Medicine -- $50,000 unsubsidized -- $50,000 total (subsidized & unsubsidized)

Graduate students are subject to new aggregate and lifetime limits effective on July 1, 2026.  Students may have decreased eligibility as a result and not be eligible for the full amounts indicated. College of Osteopathic Medicine and Pharmacy may borrow up $200,000 in aggregate limits under the new guidelines as of July 1, 2026. The total lifetime limit is $257,500 (which includes all federal loans borrowed) Professional students may borrow up to $200,000 in Unsubsidized loans. All other graduate students may borrow $100,000 total in graduate loans.

Process of Determining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): 

Each student will be reviewed for satisfactory academic progress at the conclusion of each semester. This evaluation will determine if the student has made sufficient progress to be eligible for future federal financial aid. Students who have not met the minimum SAP requirements will be notified that they are not eligible for federal financial aid. 

Satisfactory Academic Progress Measurement: 
Qualitative Measure, cumulative grade point average (GPA): 

  • Graduate students must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. 

Quantitative Measure 

Completion Rate/Pace: Students must successfully complete at least 67% of the total cumulative attempted credits. Students must keep pace with their academic program to complete their degree within the maximum timeframe, which is defined as 150% of the published length of the program. Pace is calculated by dividing the number of cumulative credits the student successfully completed by the number of cumulative credits the student has attempted. This calculation includes all attempted credits, both at Duquesne and those accepted in transfer that count toward the degree; courses for which a student receives academic credit, withdraws, receives incomplete or repeat grades and/or fails are used in the calculation of the completion rate/pace. 

Maximum Timeframe (completing program of study within 150% of program length):  Graduate students may receive aid for all credits attempted up to 150% of the specified number of credits required by their specific degree program.  

Students who change majors are responsible for completing the degree requirements within the timeframe specified above. 

Readmitted Students: 
If a student is readmitted to the University, satisfactory academic progress will be based on the student's previous attendance at Duquesne and credits accepted in transfer. Students who have not met the minimum requirements will be notified of their ineligibility for federal financial aid and informed of the options to regain eligibility. 

Special Grades and their Use in Satisfactory Academic Progress Determination: 

  • I - Incomplete: Student will receive no credit for an "I" grade although the "I" is counted as attempted credits. If, however, the incomplete grade is resolved and a passing grade is received, the credits earned will be counted. 
  • W - Withdrawal: No credit received; however counted as attempted credit. 
  • AUD - Audit: No credits received; not counted as attempted credits. 
  • P - Pass: Student receives credit but GPA is not affected. 
  • H - Honors: Student receives credit but GPA is not affected. 
  • N - Not Passing: No credit received; however counted as attempted credit. 
  • IP and * - In Progress: No credit received; however, when the incomplete grade is resolved and a passing grade is received, the credits earned will be counted. 

Repeat of Course: 
The last grade earned is used in calculating the GPA. If the student failed the course the first time but passes it the second time, the appropriate number of credits will be received after the second attempt. If, however, the student passed the course the first time, repeats it in an attempt to improve the cumulative GPA but receives a failing grade, the appropriate number of credits will be deducted from the cumulative credits earned total. Maximum hours earned for any course cannot exceed the number of credits listed for that course. 

Regaining Eligibility: 
If a student fails to meet satisfactory academic progress standards, but later regains eligibility, the student may then be eligible to receive federal aid. In such cases, financial aid eligibility will begin with the academic semester after which the student re-establishes progress. 

It is the student's responsibility to contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships after completing coursework that allows the student to regain eligibility for aid. If taking coursework at another institution to regain eligibility, students should be aware that: 

Any courses taken elsewhere must have prior written approval by the academic adviser to be transferred back to the student's program at Duquesne. Only "credits" transfer back to Duquesne, actual "grades" do not. If the student's deficiency is in cumulative GPA, taking courses at another institution will not resolve that deficiency. Credits taken elsewhere must be accepted as transfer credits to be counted towards satisfactory academic progress.

Appeal Process: 
Students whose federal financial aid eligibility has been suspended may appeal if they have experienced extenuating circumstances that affected their ability to meet the academic progress standards. In general, extenuating circumstances can include, but are not limited to, illness, injury, death of relative or friend, difficulties with accommodations for students with disabilities, and adversity due to unforeseen events. Students interested in appealing their termination of federal financial aid eligibility can request a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The completed form and supporting documentation should be submitted to the Academic Progress Appeal Committee c/o the Duquesne University Financial Aid Office.  

In the appeal, the student must address the reason for failing to make SAP and what has changed that will allow the student to make SAP in the next evaluation. Students should submit the appeal prior to August 1st for Fall semester consideration or prior to December 1st for Spring semester consideration. 

The student will be notified via email and/or in writing of the Committee's decision. A student whose appeal is approved is considered to be on Financial Aid Probation and may receive federal and institutional aid for one term, after which he/she must meet the SAP standards or be successfully following an Academic Plan for Financial Aid Eligibility.  

As part of the appeal process, the student may be required to agree to an Academic Plan to Regain Federal Financial Aid Eligibility. The purpose of such a plan is to assure the student is on track to successfully complete his/her program.