Financial Aid for Graduate Students

Cost of Attendance (COA) is determined using rules established by law. Your enrollment status (full-time, part-time) determines your COA budget. Your budget reflects the costs associated with your living expenses only, not those of your family.

Components of COA are tuition, mandatory fees, books, supplies, room/board, personal, and transportation expenses. We base tuition and fees on full-time enrollment and adjust your budget if you enroll in less than 9 credits (full-time). Room (housing) and board (food) are averages for living off campus. Direct expenses that you pay to Mines are tuition and mandatory fees. Health insurance is not a mandatory fee and is not included in your budget. If you use Mines student health insurance and would like it included in your COA budget, please contact Financial Aid. All other expenses are indirect.

» Cost of Attendance for Graduate Students

Have you applied?

Financial Aid uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
You can see if Mines has received your FAFSA on Trailhead. 
To verify, go to Trailhead>Self-service>Financial Aid>Award>Award for aid year>2017-2018>Award Overview

Grants

Grants are awarded based on information from the FAFSA. The Colorado Graduate Grant is the only grant available for graduate students who are Colorado residents and are pursuing a degree in a STEM field.  Enrollment in less than 9 credits at census may affect your eligibility.  The Financial Aid Office evaluates annual allocations to award students equally and fairly. 

Loans

Direct Student Loans:
Direct Loans are federal loans (formerly called Stafford) awarded to all eligible students who complete a FAFSA. The unsubsidized loan is the federal loan available to all qualified students regardless of need. Payments are deferred until 6 months after graduation or a student drops below half-time enrollment (4.5 credits). Both loans have an origination fee of 1.069% and a fixed interest rate. The interest rate for 2016-2017 is 5.31% but will be adjusted for 2017-2018. The interest rate is fixed for the life of the loan when it is originated. Loan amounts are not based on income; graduate students are eligible for a maximum of $20,500 per year.

» More information on student loans

Direct Graduate PLUS Loans:
Graduate PLUS is a federal loan available to graduate students. Students must pass an online credit check that looks for negative credit factors like delinquency and bankruptcy. The amount of the loan is based upon what you request up to your cost of attendance; the maximum allowable amount will be listed in Trailhead once the student is awarded. A FAFSA must be on file before an application will be considered. For the upcoming academic year, students may apply for PLUS loans beginning June 1st.

» More information on Graduate PLUS loans

Additional Financing Options

Private Education Loans:

Private Loans are made through banks, credit unions, or other financial institutions. Mines does not have any preferred providers for private loans. If you are interested in a private loan, you will want to apply in June.

Payment Plans:
Payment Plans are offered through the Bursar’s Office. You can contact them at sturecv@mines.edu

» Learn more about the Mines Payment Plan

You can view your award on Trailhead.

A few times a semester, we send out important information regarding deadlines, financial aid opportunities, and financial aid changes. You don’t want to miss these important announcements!

» Subscribe to the Financial Aid Newsletter
Use your and your parent(s) or family members email address to subscribe.

You will receive an email when you have an award to view in Trailhead. The Financial Aid section of Trailhead is represented by a puzzle piece.

Once you have been awarded, the Financial Aid section of Trailhead will allow you to:

• View Awards
• View merit scholarships, loans and work study
• Access your Shopping Sheet (can be used as an award letter)
• View Cost of Attendance (listed on your awards general overview)

If you do not see an award, please view your requirements: 

• Check to see that we received your FAFSA
• Ensure there are no missing requirements needed to confirm your award

Graduate Students A student must make satisfactory progress toward the completion of their course of study in order to maintain eligibility for financial assistance in future semesters. A student is considered to be making satisfactory progress if he or she has:

• successfully completed a minimum of 9 credit hours each semester, not including Field Term or Summer Session:
• if enrolled for less than 9 credit hours, they must pass all of the credit hours for which they have enrolled;
• maintained a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA.

As stated in the Mines Graduate Catalog, PRG and NC grades count toward successful completion of credits.

Upon completion of a graduate degree program and enrollment in another degree program, students will begin a new SAP status of "pass," e.g., MS to PhD program.

If a student does not meet the two requirements, he or she will receive a warning via Mines email and will have one additional semester of eligibility in which to return to satisfactory standing. If the student has not returned to satisfactory standing after this additional semester, he or she will be ineligible for further financial assistance until the satisfactory progress standards are met. In addition, if students withdraw from all courses during a semester, or receive grades of all F or PRU, their eligibility for further assistance will be immediately terminated.

Mitigating Circumstances
When mitigating circumstances occur, such as prolonged illness, a death in the immediate family, etc., the student may appeal in writing to the Office of Financial Aid. The Appeals Committee will act on the appeal in a timely manner, and if approved, financial assistance eligibility may be reinstated for one final probationary semester after which the student must have returned to satisfactory standing. If students who have previously been placed on termination subsequently fail to meet either of the two standards, future eligibility will be immediately terminated. The student may also appeal this termination. A student may appeal the termination of eligibility only twice during his or her career at Mines.