Explore your Federal, State, and Alternative Aid options.

There are three types of aid covered on this page:

  • Federal Aid
  • California State Aid
  • Alternative Aid

To establish eligibility for financial aid, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application must be completed each year you request financial aid.

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Federal Aid

A wide variety of programs, each with different requirements and limits, are available. One-Stop Specialists are able to answer your questions. Like all UMass Global employees, they follow the Federal Student Loan Code of Conduct, ensuring that students are treated fairly.

Federal Pell Grant

Pell Grants assist low-income undergraduate students without a baccalaureate degree. Students are limited to 12 full-time semesters of eligibility. This is a need-based grant that does not need to be repaid. Awards range from $380 to $7,395. To apply, submit your FAFSA and contact your One-Stop Specialist.

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant

Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants assist low-income undergraduate students without baccalaureate degrees. This is a need-based grant that does not need to be repaid. The award amount is up to $750. To apply, submit your FAFSA and contact your One-Stop Specialist.

Federal TEACH Grant

The TEACH Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 a year to students who are completing or plan to complete course work needed to begin a career in teaching. For more information go to: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/teach

Apply for the TEACH Grant

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans

The U.S. Department of Education offers low-interest loans to eligible students to help cover the cost of college. Direct Loans are borrowed through the federal government and must be repaid. To apply for any type of Direct Loan, you must first complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We will use the information from your FAFSA to determine how much student aid you are eligible to receive. Direct Loans are generally included as part of your financial aid proposal. There are three types of Federal Direct Loans for undergraduate students – Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and Parent PLUS.

Direct Subsidized Loans:
  • Only available to undergraduate students with financial need.
  • The amount may not exceed your financial need and is limited by your grade level in school.
  • The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan while you’re in school at least half-time, or for the first six months after you leave school (referred to as a grace period) and during a period of deferment (a postponement of loan payments).
Direct Unsubsidized Loans:
  • Available to undergraduate and graduate students — no requirement to demonstrate financial need.
  • Award amount is based on your cost of attendance and other financial aid you receive.
  • You are responsible for paying the interest on a Direct Unsubsidized Loan during all periods.
  • If you choose not to pay the interest while you are in school, your interest will accumulate and be added to the principal amount of your loan.
Direct Parent PLUS Loans

PLUS loans are federal loans that parents of dependent undergraduate students can use to help pay education expenses. The U.S. Department of Education makes Direct PLUS Loans to eligible borrowers through schools participating in the Direct Loan Program.

  • The U.S. Department of Education is the lender.
  • The borrower must not have an adverse credit history.
  • The maximum loan amount is the student’s cost of attendance (determined by the school) minus any other financial aid received.
  • If a parent borrower is unable to secure a PLUS loan, the undergraduate dependent student may be eligible for additional unsubsidized loans to help pay for his or her education.
  • For more information and instructions on how to apply, visit: https://studentaid.gov/plus-app/parent/landing

California State Aid

Cal Grants

The state of California offers Cal Grants A and B to qualifying undergraduate students who are residents of California and meet the GPA and financial need criteria.

Chafee Grant

The California Chafee Grant Program gives free money to current or former foster youth to use for vocational school training or college courses. To qualify, you must be a current or former foster youth, must have established court dependency between the ages of 16 and 18, and must not have reached your 22nd birthday as of July 1st of the award year. The California Department of Social Services will determine your foster youth eligibility status. To apply, complete the FAFSA and submit a Chafee Grant Application.

California Military Department GI Bill Program

If you are an active member of the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, or the Naval Militia, you may be eligible for a state-funded program designed to provide an educational incentive to improve your skills, competencies, and abilities. Initial applicants must submit an online or paper application, FAFSA, and the Statement of Understanding (SOU), which are all available here: https://nationalguard.csac.ca.gov/

To learn more, read the Applicant’s Fact Sheet.

To qualify, you must:

  • Agree to remain an active member in the CMD throughout the participation period in the program;
  • Agree to attend a qualifying institution as defined by section 69432.7(l) of the California Education Code and with an active Institutional Participation Agreement with the California Student Aid Commission;
  • Agree to maintain enrollment in at least three (3) academic units per term;
  • Agree to maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) annually;
  • Maintain California residency as determined by the institution (based on resident and non-resident tuition);
  • Agree to not receive a Cal Grant award check for the same academic year; and
  • Agree to use the award to obtain a certificate, degree, or diploma that is currently not held.

Participants who enter the program during or after the 2020-2021 academic year must:

  • Agree to serve two years in the California National Guard, the California State Guard, or the California Naval Militia upon completion of the last academic period of utilizing this program;
  • Agree to complete the course of study within 10 years of initial acceptance into the program; and
  • Agree to only obtain one degree (baccalaureate, graduate, or doctoral) while participating in the program.

State Financial Aid Programs (Outside of California)

Almost every state education agency has at least one grant or scholarship available to residents, and many have a long list of student aid programs. Eligibility is usually restricted to state residents attending a college in-state, but that's not always the case. Select your state to find out what state financial aid programs may be available to you: https://www.nasfaa.org/State_Financial_Aid_Programs

Private Loans

Private student loans, also known as “alternative loans,” are made available to students through banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions. Although regulated by the federal government, these loans are not subsidized or guaranteed by the government. They are a private arrangement between you and the lender. Consequently, the terms and conditions of the loan will vary by lender and University of Massachusetts Global does not recommend any particular lenders. Instead, we have provided a historical list to help you evaluate loan options to obtain the loan that is best suited to your needs.

The private lenders listed on Elm Select are lenders that have been used by UMass Global borrowers over the past two years. UMass Global does not prefer, recommend, promote, endorse, or suggest any of these lenders.

We recommend that you thoroughly research the various private loan options to find the best fit for you. You have the right to choose any lender, even ones that are not listed. UMass Global will process loans from any eligible lender you select. To apply for a loan not listed, please visit the lender's website

Among the factors, we advise you to review:

  • Loan Eligibility Rules: All lenders require credit checks, but standards for credit ratings vary. Some lenders may require co-signers. Some lenders require students to be enrolled in specific majors or graduate programs. There may be requirements that borrowers enroll full-time, possess specified minimum GPAs, have incomes above a defined amount, and so forth.
  • Loan Amount: Federal rules may limit the amount you can borrow, but lenders can also restrict the amount they wish to lend.
  • Interest Rates: Interest will typically be charged from the time the loan is taken out. Be mindful if interest rates are variable or fixed. Compare the annual percentage rate (APR). Some lenders will reduce interest rates if you elect to automatically debit your bank account, or you earn their trust with a specified number of on-time payments.
  • Loan Fees: Most lenders will charge loan fees based on the policy of the lender. Among the fees to consider are loan origination fees, processing fees, late payment fees, and penalties and adjustments to principal based on defaults or late payments.
  • Repayment Terms: Some loans may require repayment at the beginning of the month following the date the loan proceeds are received. Most lenders, however, will defer payments (but not interest) while you are attending school. There may be deferment of payment for other reasons such as financial hardship. The length of time required for full payment of the loan could differ among lenders.
  • Loan Forgiveness: Some loans have provisions for cancellation upon the death or permanent and total disability of the borrower.
  • Loan Servicing: Some lenders service loans from locations outside your state of residence. Prompt, accurate information from your lender is important. It is also important that you borrow from a lender that will work with you should you experience difficulty making loan payments.
  • Sale of Your Loan: Lenders sometimes sell student loans to secondary markets, and you may be required to repay your loan to a different institution from the one that originally lent you the funds. Selling your loan in no way alters the terms of the loan, so your payment schedule, interest rate, rights to deferments and forbearance remain unchanged. If your loan is sold to a secondary market, you will be notified at the time of sale.

You may borrow funds from any eligible lender, and the Financial Aid Office will process the request accordingly. The easiest way to obtain information about loan terms and apply for a loan is to visit the lender’s website, rather than visiting the local branch office. You can always call using their toll-free telephone number and request a loan officer specializing in private educational loans.

Each lender will require a different application procedure. All lenders, however, are required by the federal government to obtain a completed "Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification." After you apply for a loan (customarily online), and the lender approves your loan, the lender will request that UMass Global verify your enrollment, tuition charges, and some other demographic information. This request is typically made electronically and UMass Global will respond promptly. The entire process from submission of your application to disbursement of loan funds into your student account could take as long as four weeks, so please allow sufficient time. A few lenders do not wish to exchange data and transfer funds electronically. If you choose to borrow from one of these lenders, the process may take six weeks.

Lenders are important sources of information about their loans, but UMass Global is also here to assist you. Please contact your One-Stop Specialist should you want more information about the loan application process. A private student loan should be a last resort of funding. We encourage you to exhaust all federal student aid resources before pursuing this option.

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