Master's Student Funding

A master’s degree from The Graduate Center is a sound investment in your future.

A master’s degree from The Graduate Center is a sound investment in your future.

The Graduate Center equips master’s students with the critical thinking and research skills they need to pursue a wide range of rewarding careers or doctoral education.

Our programs are innovative, interdisciplinary, and intellectually rigorous. Consistent with the public university mission of CUNY, our cost of attendance remains low and affordable compared to other world-class graduate programs in New York City.

While The Graduate Center does not currently offer full-tuition scholarships or additional stipends for living expenses, there are funding opportunities available to master’s students that can help cover the cost of attendance.

How to accept your aid in CUNYFirst 

The Graduate Center offers Dean’s Merit Scholarships to a limited number of master’s degree students each year. These scholarships are awarded solely based on merit, and applicants to master’s programs are automatically considered as part of the admissions process. No separate application is necessary.

The Dean’s Merit Scholarship covers a total of $4,000 of tuition — a significant portion of in-state tuition costs — that can be spread over three or four semesters (i.e. $1,333.33 or $1,000 per semester). The recipient must enroll for a minimum of six credits per semester to be eligible.

Master’s students who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be considered for federal aid. You may be eligible for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, and/or Federal Work-Study (FWS). FWS is particularly popular with master’s students.

International students are not eligible for federal aid.

Finding Additional Sources of Funding

When searching for a scholarship, you should start early — application deadlines are often set several months to a year before funding is disbursed.

Finding the right funding award for you

External Scholarship Options

A wide range of competitive scholarships, fellowships, and grants-in-aid are available from outside organizations and agencies.

Many scholarships for master’s students are reserved for members of specific populations. Examples include:

American Association of University Women Career Development Grants 
One year award, $2,000-$12,000

Who is eligible: U.S. citizens or permanent residents whose last degree was received before June 30, 2015; primary consideration is given to women of color and women pursuing their first advanced degree or credentials in nontraditional fields.

American Association of University Women International Fellowships
One year award, $18,000-$30,000
Who is eligible: Non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

American Association of University Women Selected Professions Fellowships
One year award, $5,000-$18,000
Who is eligible:
Women intending to pursue a full-time course of study at accredited U.S. institutions during the fellowship year in one of the designated degree programs (click the link for a list) where women’s participation traditionally has been low.

Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) National Scholarship Program
One-time payment, award amount varies
Who is eligible:
Active National JACL members

Korean American Scholarship Foundation
One-time payment, $500 - $5,000
Who is eligible:
Qualified Korean American students (including international students from Korea) who are enrolled in a full time program in the U.S during the scholarship application year

National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) Graduate Scholarship
One-time payment, $1,000
Who is eligible:
Current NWSA individual members engaged in the research or writing stages of a master's thesis or Ph.D. dissertation in the interdisciplinary field of women's studies

Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans
Two-year award, up to $90,000
Who is eligible:
 Immigrants and children of immigrants in the U.S.

Pulaski Scholarships for Advanced Studies 
One-time payment, $5,000
Who is eligible:
U.S. citizen or permanent residents of Polish ancestry who have completed at least one year of graduate-level studies

The Tang Scholarship
Four year award, up to $60,000
Who is eligible:
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) from the Bay Area

Scholarship Listings and Search Engines

You can find additional external scholarship opportunities through websites and search engines such as: