Graduate Financial Aid

Outside of graduate assistantships and scholarships offered by individual programs, most graduate students finance their education through federal loans. In order to apply for federal loans, applicants must complete the FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and have the information sent to RWU. Completing the FAFSA is the only requirement in order to receive a financial aid package. Your federal loan options include:

Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan Options

These loans offer eligible graduate students up to $20,500 annually in borrowing to help finance their education. While payments on the loan can be delayed (deferred) until after the student is no longer enrolled, the U.S. Department of Education does not subsidize the interest. The student borrower is responsible for all interest that accrues on the loan from the date of the first disbursement. The interest rate for this loan for the2024/2025 year is 8.08% with a loan origination fee of 1.057%. Repayment begins six months after the student stops attending school on a half time basis.

Federal Graduate PLUS Loans

Federal Graduate PLUS Loans are available to graduate and professional students. The maximum a student can borrow is the defined total RWU cost of attendance minus any other financial aid the student is receiving. The U.S. Department of Education will run a credit check at the time of origination. Students must not have an adverse credit history. The interest rate for the 2024/2025 year is 9.08% with a loan origination fee of 4.228%. 

Once you receive your award letter, you will have the opportunity to accept or decline these loans outright, or request a lesser borrowing amount.

If you think you will need financial assistance to meet the direct or indirect costs associated with your graduate education, you will need to complete the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid:

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – Submit your FAFSA each academic year, no earlier than October 1st for the following academic year. For example, if you plan to pursue your graduate studies between August 2020 and May 2021, select the 2020-2021 school year on the FAFSA website. If applicable, have your prior year's W-2s and tax returns available. The financial aid priority deadline is March 15th, though your FAFSA can be processed at any time before the start of your classes.
   
• The RWU Title IV code number is 003410. Please use this code to ensure your FAFSA is sent directly to us.
   
• You will be required to complete a FAFSA each year and may also be asked to provide the Office of Financial Aid with a copy of your previous year’s IRS tax transcript and W-2 forms. All graduate students are considered to be independent; parents’ financial information is not considered when determining eligibility for financial aid. By applying early, however, you ensure that you will be considered for all available assistance.

Your initial financial aid package will be made available to you following admission to your intended graduate program. Your initial package will be based on your intended course load at the time of application and is subject to change upon formal registration in courses.

Federal financial aid is available to graduate students who are U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents only.

How do I apply for federal financial aid?

Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the Federal Processor through the online application at www.fafsa.gov. The Roger Williams University Title IV code is 003410.

You are required to complete a FAFSA form each year you want to apply for financial aid. You may also need to provide the Financial Aid Office with a copy of your previous year’s tax return including all schedules if requested to do so. All graduate students are considered to be of independent status, therefore, parents’ financial information is not considered when determining eligibility for federal student aid.  Students must have completed and submitted the online FAFSA to be considered for financial aid (student loans).

Students enrolled less than half time (typically less than two courses per semester) and students who are not fully matriculated in a full degree program are not eligible for federal student loans.

What loan programs are available?

Student loan programs provide the majority of funding for graduate students. There are two types of federal loans that allow you to borrow up to your total cost of attendance:

• The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program provides $20,500 annually for graduate students.
   
• The Federal Graduate Plus Loan program allows students to borrow up to the total cost of attendance less any funds obtained through the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Students must have a satisfactory credit history to qualify for this loan. 

What happens after I submit all my documents?

The Financial Aid Office will send you an award letter outlining each of the loans you are eligible to apply for, as well as directions on how to apply. If you received an assistantship, scholarship, or grant, that award will also be reflected in your total aid package. Students are encouraged to read all directions very carefully and to contact Financial Aid with questions.

Who can I contact with questions about financial aid?

Contact the Office of Graduate Financial Aid at (401) 254-4510 or gradfinaid@rwu.edu.

How do I obtain access to the Financial Aid Portal?

If you are a first-time user, click the 'First Time User' on the home page and follow these instructions to set up a password.  Once you have created your password, you can log in using your Web ID and password.  If you no longer have your password, select the 'Forgot Your Password' option and follow the instructions to reset it.

As a current RWU student, log into Roger Central, click on Financial Information, and then click on Financial Aid. This will log you in directly to the financial aid portal.

Why can't I access Net Partner (New Graduate Student)?

When you activate your account, make sure to follow all the prompts and required formats. For example, when it asks for your birthday, include the /s and follow the indicated date format: MM/DD/YYYY (should match the date of birth on your FAFSA). When creating your password, you must include at least 9 characters, 1 uppercase, 1 lowercase, 1 number and 1 special character (!@#$%^&). Example: RWU123!@#a

If you received Error IA (we are unable to activate your account. Please contact your Financial Aid Office), you are not a first-time user and a password has already been established. Use the Home page to log in by using your Web ID and password. This can also mean that you have attempted to access the Financial Aid Portal six times and your account may be locked. You will need to contact the financial aid office to reactivate your account.

If you received Error NQ (we are unable to activate your account. Please contact your Financial Aid Office), you have not entered the answers to your security questions.

If you received a message stating access to Net Partner is currently not available. Please contact your Financial Aid Office for more information. This means that you have attempted to access the Financial Aid Portal six times and your account may be locked. You will need to contact the financial aid office to reactivate your account.

If you received a message stating that your login failed. We could not validate your Student ID. This means that your login credentials do not match what we have on file. Please confirm Web ID and password entered.

Password requirements and expiration?

Your Net Partner password will expire every 180 days. It must include at least 9 characters, 1 uppercase, 1 lowercase, 1 number and 1 special character (!@#$%^&). Five unique passwords are required before a password can be reused. You can reset your password at any time using the “Forgot Your Password” option and answering security questions you have in place. Example: RWU123!@#a

What if I forget or lose my password?

Click the 'Forgot your Password' link at the Financial Aid Portal log in page. Then answer at least one of the security questions you selected the first time you logged into the portal. You will then have to establish a new password. If you are unsuccessful establishing your new password, contact the Financial Aid Office by email to gradfinaid@rwu.edu to have the password reset. Password requirements are: 1 uppercase, 1 lowercase, 1 number and 1 special character (!@#$%^&) and must include at least 9 characters. Example: RWU123!@#a

How often is the system updated?

The system is real time. However, please allow time for the Financial Aid staff to process the documents you submit. Please do not submit verification documents via e-mail. Use the financial aid portal to upload your documentation.

May I contact the Financial Aid Office through the Financial Aid Portal?

Yes. On each screen, the help button located at the top of the page next to the logout button, will link you to phone number and email address.

May I accept my awards online?

Yes, if you are ready to accept or decline your awards, use the ‘View and Accept Awards’ dropdown and ‘Submit’.

Under the ‘View and Accept Awards’, please review the itemized award and amounts. You may be offered student loans even though you did not request one. You do not need to accept the loans in your financial aid award. For example, you may also wish to borrow a portion of the totals for which you are eligible. You can accept, reduce, or decline any of the loans being offered to you. The list of awards also includes any other types of aid that you are eligible to receive each semester (i.e., grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships).

If you have a source of educational funding that is not listed, or if you secure other funding after you have accepted your awards, please inform us as soon as possible via email at gradfinaid@rwu.edu or in writing via mail. Examples of additional funding that must be reported include Vocational Rehabilitation, Veteran’s Benefits, Job Training Partnership, Tribal grants or loans, as well as all scholarships, stipends, and grants. Note: some of these funds may require us to make adjustments to your other aid items.

Please look over the financial aid being offered before accepting it. Your acceptance indicates that you understand and accept the rules and conditions affecting your financial aid. We will contact you if there are any revisions made to your award letter based on new information. 

Congratulations on your acceptance as a graduate student at RWU! Once you have submitted your FAFSA and received your financial aid package, please ensure that you have completed each of the following steps before enrollment:

• Accept Financial Aid Package (online)
  The Office of Financial Aid has received your FAFSA and it has been reviewed to determine eligibility for federal student loans. Carefully review the aid package to determine the amount of federal student loans you will need to borrow to cover tuition, fees, books/supplies and living expenses. In order to receive the aid offered, please accept your aid at myfinaid.rwu.edu. This financial aid portal also allows you to reduce or decline your federal student loans. If you are looking to borrow federal loans for your study, you must be enrolled in at least six credits per term. Note that all new graduate students who have never enrolled at RWU for undergraduate or graduate study will need to create an account to access this site.
   
• Complete Federal Loan Entrance Counseling
  This is required for all first time Direct Loan borrowers and for students who are first time Graduate Plus Loan borrowers. Follow the Instructions for Direct Loan borrowers. Entrance counseling is completed online at https://studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling/.
   
• Complete Master Promissory Note
  This is required for all first time Direct Loan borrowers and for students who are first time Graduate Plus Loan borrowers. Follow the Instructions for Direct Loan borrowers. Master Promissory Notes are completed online at studentaid.gov/mpn/.
   
• Check your Credit
  The Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan and all private student loans require a credit check. Before accepting your Graduate Plus Loan or applying for a private student loan, request and review a copy of your credit report at https://www.annualcreditreport.com. Students with an adverse credit history may be denied the Graduate Plus Loan. Please review the Graduate Plus Loan Info Sheet for more detailed information
   
• Submit Verification Forms
  Submit all documentation as requested by the Office of Financial Aid. Disclose any outside scholarships or funding assistance.
   
• Veterans: Submit Certification of Enrollment
  Complete the Student Veteran's Certification Worksheet so the VA can process your GI Bill benefits.
   
• Refunds for Living Expenses
  Living expense refunds are issued to students after the start of classes. You are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit on the billing page of your student portal once you receive access to Roger Central. Refunds are issued by the RWU Bursar's Office.

* Please note that living expense refunds are only issued to students that have completed all the above steps.