Financial Aid for Graduate Students

Financial aid for graduate students is only available for 400 level and higher coursework. Unless indicated otherwise below, additional information and applications are available from:

Office of Financial Aid
0000 Swatara Building
Penn State Harrisburg
777 West Harrisburg Pike
Middletown PA 17057

Telephone: 717-948-6307

Graduate Student Funding for 2012-2013

Full-time Grad Student Stipends

For the following awards, students apply through their graduate program:

Graduate School Doctoral Fellowships: Awarded to full-time incoming doctoral students starting in the first semester of enrollment. Usually include two years of funding:  stipend (approx. $17,100 for 2012-2013) + tuition remission. The award selection is based on GPA and GRE scores and other credentials.

Bunton-Waller Graduate Scholar Awards: — Assistantship awards for entering students who contribute to the diversity of the College; awarded competitively; GPA/GRE scores (or other standardized test) required.  Usually includes two years of funding at the master's level, four years of funding at the doctoral level. Stipend (approx. $15,120 for 2012-2013) + tuition remission.

Capital College Graduate Assistantships: Capital College graduate assistantships for one year: Stipend (approx. $14,265 for 2012-2013) + tuition remission.

School of Public Affairs

Please contact the School of Public Affairs at 717-948-6050 for more information regarding the following:

Blue Shield Fellowship: A Blue Shield Fellowship is awarded to a full-time or part-time student in either the Master of Health Administration, Master of Public Administration, or Ph.D. in Public Administration program at Penn State Harrisburg. Tuition is awarded for 12 credits for the fall and spring semester that includes a paid internship with Pennsylvania Blue Shield. Application deadline: April 1.

HealthAmerica Fellowship: A HealthAmerica Fellowship will be awarded for 12 credits per academic year and includes a paid internship with HealthAmerica. Full-time or part-time students in either the Master of Health Administration, Master of Public Administration, or Ph. D. in Public Administration program at Penn State Harrisburg may apply. Application deadline is April 1.

Tuition Scholarships:

International Student Tuition Grant-In-Aid: apply on-line

Summer Tuition Assistance: Tuition remission for 1-9 (depending on availability of funds) summer credits for students who received two consecutive semesters of fellowship/assistantship support.  Eligible students are notified in the spring.

Other ways to fund students

School-specific funding, example: teaching assistantships and grant-funded research assistantships; wage-payroll (through the respective graduate program).  Inquire within the specific Schools and Programs for availability.

Sources available through the Office of Financial Aid:

Filing the FAFSA: Complete the 2012-2013 Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Penn State’s federal school code is 003329.  A Personal Identification Number (PIN) is required and can be requested from the above website.  The 2011 federal income tax information is required to complete the 2012-2013 FAFSA. 

Work Study (graduate students earn $10 an hour with a maximum of 20 hours per week); Loans (possible eligibility of $20,500).

Academic Scholarships: Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better are encouraged to file the Academic Scholarship Application for 2012-2013 by April 1, 2012.  Visit the Scholarships page for more details.

Board of Advisers Graduate Fellowship: Fellowship to recognize and support an outstanding graduate student enrolled or planning to enroll at Penn State Harrisburg who demonstrates financial need.  Deadline for submitting a BOA Fellowship application (PDF) is March 15, 2012.