Paying For Your Education

Through scholarships, assistantships, stipends, and loans, Bradley University helps students realize their educational goals. Assistantships may provide up to 100% tuition reduction on courses numbered 500 – 899 up to a maximum of 18 to 24 graduate semester hours per academic year, depending upon the program. Scholarships renew annually at the same level for students who are continuously enrolled for fall and spring semesters, maintain the required minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0/4.0, and remain in good academic standing (i.e., not on academic probation or academically dismissed). Scholarship awards will be suspended for students who are placed on academic probation or dismissed effective immediately following probation or dismissal. Assistantship renewals are competitive and are not guaranteed.

Graduate students who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or asylees may apply for U.S. federal student aid. U.S. federal student aid is not applicable for students on visas or those without a status. However, international students are often eligible for other sources of financial aid, including the opportunities listed below.

Scholarships and Other Assistance

Graduate Tuition Scholarships

Bradley University rewards exceptional performance in coursework taken prior to admission at Bradley University through the awarding of Graduate Tuition Scholarships. Students admitted unconditionally to an on-campus degree program may be awarded a tuition reduction based on their evaluated GPA (last 60 credit hours of undergraduate coursework or a minimum of nine credit hours of graduate coursework) used for admission purposes.

Qualifying GPA Scholarship
3.25 – 3.74 10% Tuition Graduate Merit Scholarship
3.75 – 4.00 25% Tuition Graduate Excellence Scholarship

Only students admitted to residential degree programs are eligible for these awards. Students applying to DPT or EMBA are not eligible. Applicants are automatically considered for these scholarships at the time of admission. No additional scholarship application is required.

*The Excellence Scholarship is awarded only upon admission. A student may not apply for reconsideration for an Excellence Scholarship. See Request for Review of Graduate Financial Assistance below for more information.

Professional Educator Scholarships

These scholarships are available to full-time school district employees who have been unconditionally admitted to any of the following Bradley University residential* degree or certificate programs:

  • Art (M.A. only)
  • Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Chemistry
  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Elementary Math, Science, and Technology Education
  • Environmental Science Education
  • School Counseling

*Students admitted to online programs are not eligible for the Professional Educator Scholarships.

These scholarships provide up to 50% of the prevailing tuition rate for up to 18 semester hours per academic year and cannot be used in conjunction with any other university-supported financial assistance programs. Eligibility for the scholarship is determined at admission. Scholarships will renew at the same level as long as the student maintains a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0/4.0, remains in good academic standing (i.e., not on academic probation or academically dismissed), and maintains eligible full-time employment. Applicants seeking this scholarship are required to submit an approved Employer Verification Form.

Employer Verification Form (pdf)

Nonprofit Leadership Scholarships

These scholarships are available to full-time nonprofit organization employees who have been unconditionally admitted to the Nonprofit Leadership degree program at Bradley University. The scholarships may cover up to 30% of the prevailing tuition rate for up to 18 semester hours per academic year. Eligibility for the scholarships is determined at admission. Scholarships will renew at the same level as long as the student maintains a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0/4.0, remains in good academic standing (i.e. not on academic probation or academically dismissed), and maintains full-time employment at a nonprofit organization.

Applicants seeking this scholarship are required to submit an approved Employer Verification Form.

Employer Verification Form (pdf)

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships provide an opportunity for students to work with faculty or staff, generally in their chosen field. Assistantships are very competitive, but for students who excel in their field of study, they can be an excellent way to gain experience while financing an education. Assistants are paid a stipend and receive a tuition scholarship. A full-time assistant receives a 100% tuition reduction on qualifying courses. A half-time assistant receives a 50% tuition reduction on qualifying courses. Graduate assistants are also paid a stipend. The amount of the stipend varies by department and program.

Tuition aid from a graduate assistantship cannot be used in conjunction with any other university-supported financial assistance award.

A graduate assistant must be admitted to a degree program and must intend to study full-time. To apply for a graduate assistantship, return the Graduate Assistantship Application with a current resume to Graduate Education. The recommended deadline for applying for a Graduate Assistantship for the fall semester is April 1.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP APPLICATION

Federal Student Loans

You may be eligible to apply for student loans through the U.S. Federal Government.

Federal Stafford Loan

The Stafford Loan program is made available by the US federal government.

Student Financial Services

Federal Stafford Loan site

PLUS Loans for Graduate Students

The PLUS Loan program is made available by the US federal government.

Student Financial Services

Federal Stafford Loan site

Request for Review of Graduate Financial Assistance

Students who do not receive financial assistance upon their admission may apply for reconsideration after completing 6 hours of graduate level coursework at Bradley University with a minimum 3.25/4.0 cumulative GPA. Any additional financial assistance will not be distributed until the semester following the semester in which the student completes 6 graduate semester hours at Bradley. To continue to receive any scholarship in subsequent semesters, the student must maintain the required minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0, and remain in good academic standing (i.e. not on academic probation or academically dismissed). Scholarship awards will be suspended for students who are placed on scholastic probation or dismissed.

Students who are requesting reconsideration must submit a Request for Review of Graduate Financial Assistance form to Graduate Education. Requests will not be processed until after grades are posted for the semester in which the student completed 6 graduate credit hours. Requests will be accepted on a continuous basis, but applicants are encouraged to make their request by the following dates for expedited processing:

If a request for reconsideration is approved, a student may receive the Merit Scholarship if all requirements are met. The Excellence Scholarship is awarded only upon admission, not upon reconsideration.

Effective January 2016, students who have been awarded a graduate assistantship will receive the same level of financial assistance that was previously awarded during the interim(s) between semesters and/or after their assistantship ends. Submitting a Request for Review will no longer be necessary. Since the previously awarded scholarship will take effect again, the student’s cumulative graduate GPA will no longer be evaluated for determining the scholarship.

Request for Review of Graduate Financial Assistance (pdf)