• For Prospective Students
  
• For Current Students
  
• For Alumni
  
• For Donors
  


• News & Events
  
• Contact Us
  

Financial Support

The university offers two forms of financial support:

1. A limited number of fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching mentorships awarded on a competitive basis.

2. Loans, both need-based and non need-based.

Fellowships are awarded each year on a competitive basis to full-time students (3 courses per semester) of exceptional talent and promise. These fellowships carry a waiver of tuition and a stipend. The criteria for fellowship applications are:

• An outstanding GPA, verified by official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate studies, sent directly to the Catholic Studies Graduate Office.

• A distinguished writing sample of 10-12 pages that demonstrates superior research, critical thinking, and writing abilities.

• Three especially strong letters of recommendation from college professors that address the applicant's past academic performance as well as potential for future achievement.

• A personal statement of approximately 700 words in which applicants discuss clearly and concisely their reasons for pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Catholic Studies, their personal and professional goals, and their eligibility for a fellowship.

Fellowship students must maintain a 3.5 GPA each semester. Applications for fellowships are due on March 1.

Research assistantships allow graduate students to work with faculty members on scholarly projects. They are designed to offer students a specific learning experience and to help faculty members accomplish necessary tasks related to their research. The research assistant might aid the faculty member by researching sources in the library or on the Internet, collecting and summarizing research materials, preparing materials for and communicating with publishers, or other such work.

Only degree-seeking students in satisfactory academic standing and without any outstanding Incompletes on their record may work as an assistant. Students holding full-time fellowships are ineligible. Research assistantships are for one semester and carry a stipend of $1200, paid at the end of the work. Depending on funding, several research assistantships may be offered during an academic year.

Teaching mentorships, depending on funding, may be offered for students interested in careers in teaching. The purpose of the mentorship is to provide the student with substantial "hands on" teaching experience under close supervision for one semester. Priority is given to students with no previous full-time teaching experience. Mentorships carry a stipend of $1000, paid at the end of the semester, but they do not carry course credit. Additional details about mentorships may be obtained  from the program office.

STUDENT GRANTS and LOANS:

For information about additional scholarships, grants, student loans and other resources available to graduate students, please visit Graduate Financial Aid.