Saint Martin's University

SMU home
Academics home
MAC program home
Prospective home

"Online tour"

(Table of Contents)
Chpt 1: History of the MAC program
Chpt 2: Purposes of the MAC program
Chpt 3: MAC contrasted w/ other programs
Chpt 4: A proposed timeline for the program
Chpt 5: Instruction and MAC courses
Chpt 6: MAC program flexibility
Chpt 7: Employment options with MAC
Chpt 8: Credentials available with MAC
Chpt 9: Expected costs
Chpt 10: Financial aid

Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology ("MAC")

The MAC "Online tour"
Chapter 10: Financial aid information

There is a variety of financial aid available to graduate students who are applying to the MAC program. Grants, state or college work-study income, and student loans can all be awarded to graduate students. The information below is only a brief overview. Visit the Financial Aid Office for up-to-the-minute details.

Grants and Work-study Income

Institutional grants are defined as cash awards given with no expected compensatory work and no pay-back. They differ from scholarships in that the grants are awarded solely on documented financial need rather than on academic accomplishment. State or College work-study income is defined as money given to students in return for compensatory work at Saint Martin's University or in an outside agency. Grants (such as the Keehl Grant) and state or college work study are awarded based on a student's financial need and based on the funds available. Work study payments are comparable to entry-level salaries in the field.

Academic Scholarships

Please visit our career center and check out the publication entitled
"Money for Graduate Students in Social and Behavioral Sciences".

Helpful internet sites for Scholarships are:
CollegeNet - http://www.collegenet.com/
FastWeb - www.fastweb.com
Scholarship Resource Net - www.rams.com/srn
FAFSA Express - www.ed.gov/officesOPE/express.html

Student Loans

Student loans, like any other loans, are defined as cash amounts given to the student with the expectation that the money will be returned over a scheduled period of time with a pre-determined interest amount. The loan programs available at Saint Martin's University are the Stafford loan and the Supplemental Loan for Students (the SLS loan). Any independent student may apply for the SLS loan program. The Stafford loan, by contrast, is awarded based on the student's evaluated need. For both loan programs, an application for financial aid must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.

General Information

Application for financial aid at Saint Martin's University is a relatively simple process. There are three basic steps for applying for any of the types of financial aid discussed above.

Fill out an institutional application for financial aid and return it directly to the Financial Aid Office
Fill out an FAF form and send it to the College Scholarship Service (CSS)
Obtain a Financial Aid Transcript from every institution previously attended (whether you received any financial aid or not). Students occasionally think that they only need one from an institution that previously provided aid; but that is not correct.

The sooner you submit your application material for financial aid, the better. Saint Martin's University has a March 1st priority awarding deadline. To meet this deadline, your FAF should be sent to the CSS six weeks earlier. You must have all necessary materials in the Financial Aid Office, with nothing outstanding or "in the mail" by March 1st to meet the priority awarding deadline.

Priority awards are the most completely funded awards that are made at Saint Martin's University. Students can, however, apply for financial aid at any time throughout the school year. Materials for application are available for each new year beginning in December. All records received by the University become the property of the University and cannot be returned.

Things change quickly in a highly technical and specialized area such as financial aid. If you have any questions about costs, payments, types of financial aid, and application procedures, it is important that you contact the Financial Aid Office directly at (360) 438-4397. They are the experts in this area and they are willing and eager to help.

You've reached the end of the "On-Line Tour."
Return to the Home Page for Prospective Students