Applying for Aid

Below is a step-by-step process all graduate student financial aid applicants should use. Once the Mount’s financial aid office receives all required documents, the aid will be processed.  Questions? Contact the financial aid office at 301-447-5207.

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is available in the financial aid office, or it can be completed electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Mount's Title IV school code is 002086. This form must be sent to a federal processing center and can take up to 3-4 weeks to be processed (online applications are processed more quickly), thus it needs to be completed as soon as possible prior to the term. The FAFSA needs to be completed each academic year.

2. Financial aid award letter.  Students who have registered for classes and have a FAFSA form on file will receive an award letter from the Financial Aid Office.  This letter will provide the maximum eligibility for the student's Federal Stafford Loan for the semester based on the student's class registration.  The mailing will include the necessary paperwork the student needs to complete to apply for the loan.  Students who have registered for classes and filed a FAFSA application, but have not received an award letter within two weeks should call the Financial Aid Office at 301-447-5207 to check on the status of their application.

3. Complete the Stafford Loan Application. First-time borrowers must complete a Master Promissory Note and a Stafford Loan Certification Form, both of which will be mailed by the Financial Aid Office after the student registers for classes. Students may borrow up to their cost of attendance, not to exceed $10,500 for graduate students. Completed applications should be sent to

Financial Aid Office
Mount St. Mary's University
16300 Old Emmitsburg Road
Emmitsburg, MD 21727

4. Once the Master Promissory Note is on file in the financial aid office, a student may request additional funds for any ensuing semester by submitting another Stafford Loan Certification Form.

Please Note:  Stafford Loan funds are disbursed directly to the university's Office of Accounting and Finance in two equal installments (one at the beginning of the term and one at the term's mid-point). If the funds create a credit on the student's account, the Office of Accounting and Finance will issue a Mount St. Mary's University check to the student for the amount of the overage. Students should not expect to receive the full refund until the loan has been fully disbursed at the term's mid-point.

Withdrawal Policy

Aid recipients withdrawing from the program either during or at the end of the semester must make appropriate arrangements with the financial aid office for terminating aid and discussing loan repayment possibilities, if any. Refund policies are available from the financial aid office. Likewise, aid recipients who drop below half-time enrollment status (less than 6 credits during the course of a traditional semester) will be expected to begin repayment of their federal student loans within six months.