Financial Aid

• The MOT program consists of 34 courses for a total of 69 credit hours. Tuition is per credit, and per-credit tuition rates may be found at Cost and Payment Information. This amount does not include travel expenses for weekend lab experiences or for clinical sites.
• Courses are taken over an academic year. The MOT academic year at Muskingum consists of the fall semester (September to December) and the spring/summer semester (January to September).
• MOT students may be considered for Choose Ohio First Scholarships - see information below
• Two types of loans are the primary source of financial aid for this program.
  • Federal Direct Loans
    • To be eligible for Federal Direct Loans, you must complete the FAFSA for the academic year(s) you will be enrolled in. You must meet the general federal financial aid eligibility requirements.
    • Receive up to $20,500 in an academic year
    • Income-based repayment options are available
  • Private Loans
    • We offer https://www.elmselect.com/v4/ as a tool to help you find a private loan; however, you may apply with any lender you choose.
    • Can be used to cover expenses not covered by Direct Loans, as you can borrow up to your cost of attendance.
    • Must meet the credit requirements of the lender.
• Other financing options include making monthly payments and/or VA benefits. Please contact Student Accounts at 740-826-8111 or 8118 for more information on these options. 
• Outside scholarship opportunities are listed below under Scholarship Resources for MOT Students
• Timeline
  • July/August (or earlier) - Complete your FAFSA for the upcoming year and register for coursework. 
  • August/September - Review your financial aid offer and accept the amount of Direct Loan eligibility you would like. If you plan to utilize a private loan, apply for it. If your loan amounts result in a credit on your account, work with the Student Accounts office to set up direct deposit. 
  • December/January - If you have remaining federal direct loan eligibility, you will receive a revised financial aid offer to accept the loan amount. If you do not have any remaining eligibility and plan to apply for a private loan, now is the time to do so.
• Contact Information: 
  • Financial Aid – Office: 740-826-8139 Email: finaid@muskingum.edu
  • Student Accounts – Office: 740-826-8111 or 8118 Email: busoffice@muskingum.edu 

Who is eligible for financial aid?

Graduate students who are enrolled in: 

• Master of Arts in Education (MAE) 
• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) 
• Education Specialist (EDSP) 
• Students in a licensure or endorsement program:
  • Jumpstart, TESOL, Reading, Gifted, Generalist, Special Needs, Teacher-Leader, AYA, Early and Middle Childhood, Intervention Specialist. 
  • Students in the Education Specialist degree program are eligible for federal loans; however, students enrolled in only the licensure program for administrative specialist, principal, or superintendent programs are not eligible for federal loans. 
• To be eligible for a Federal Direct Loan, students must
  •  be enrolled at least half-time (4.5 credits per semester) 
  • annually complete the FAFSA
  • not be in default or have received an overpayment of federal grants or loans
  • not have reached aggregate or lifetime borrowing limits
  • meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements SAP Policy
•  Students not enrolled at least half-time or those who don't meet other eligibility requirements may apply for a Private Education Loan. https://www.elmselect.com/v
• Per Credit Hour Costs can be found at Cost and Payment Information.

What Types of Aid Are Available for Graduate Students?

• Scholarships and grants are very limited for graduate students. See Choose Ohio First Scholarship information below. Federal Pell Grants are only available to undergraduate students who have not earned a Bachelor's degree. 
• Federal Direct Loans are available to all graduate students who complete the FAFSA and meet eligibility criteria.
  • Students in MAT, MAE, and EDSP may receive up to $20,500 unsubsidized federal direct loan in an academic year. 
  • Students in qualifying licensure programs may receive up to $12,500 in federal direct loan  (subsidized/unsubsidized). 
  • The academic year is three semesters: Summer Fall, and Spring
  • To apply, students must annually complete the FAFSA and have a valid MPN and Entrance Counseling
  • No credit check, but must meet general FAFSA requirements 
  • Income-based repayment and loan forgiveness options 
• Federal TEACH Grant (MAT and MAE students only-licensure not eligible)
  • Provides up to $3,772 per year in grant assistance to graduate students enrolled in the MAE or MAT programs (maximum of $8,000 over program)
  • Must agree to teach in a High-need field, at a Low Income School for at least 4 years within 8 years of receiving the grant. 
  • Grant will revert to a Direct Loan if criteria are not met. 
  • An undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 is required and a 3.25 graduate cumulative GPA is required for renewal. 
  • Apply at TEACH Grant 
  • Completion of FAFSA, Agreement to Serve, and Counseling is required. 
  • TEACH Grant amounts (per semester) 
    • 9 credit hours and up = $1886 
    • 7 or 8 credit hours = $1415 
    • 5 or 6 credit hours = $943 
    • 3 or 4 credit hours = $472 
• Private Loans
  • We offer https://www.elmselect.com/v4/ as a tool to help you find a private loan; however, you may apply with any lender you choose.
  • Can be used to cover expenses not covered by other financial aid, as you can borrow up to your cost of attendance.
  • Must meet the credit requirements of the lender.
• Payment Plan 
  •  Please contact Student Accounts at 740-826-8111 or 8118 for more information 

 Important Notes 

• Your Admission packet will include information about accessing your Muskingum email account. Your Muskingum email is the official communication method for the university and the method for which you will be contacted about all matters pertaining to financial aid at Muskingum. If you have difficulty accessing your Muskingum email, contact Computer Network Services at 740-826-8050. 

• Students who complete the FAFSA will also receive an email with information about refunds, purchasing books, and loan deferment.

 • While you may be able to start courses without having all your graduate admission materials submitted, for federal financial aid to be processed, all required graduate admission materials (application, references, transcripts, etc.) must be complete and on file with the graduate office. 

• If you did not provide your social security number (SSN) with your application materials, you will need to call the Graduate office at 740-826-8038 and provide your SSN. The only way we can match your FAFSA information to the data in our student system is through the SSN.

Contact Information: 

• Financial Aid – Office: 740-826-8139 Email: finaid@muskingum.edu
• Student Accounts – Office: 740-826-8111 or 8118 Email: busoffice@muskingum.edu 

• THE MBA program consists of 10 courses for 30 credit hours total. 
• The MOL program consists of 10 courses for 30 credit hours total.  
• The DOL program consists of 14 courses for 60 credit hours total.
• Cost Per Credit Hour 
• Courses are taken over an academic year. An academic year at Muskingum consists of three semesters: Summer, Fall, and Spring. 
• Loans are the primary source of aid for these programs. 
• Other financing options include making monthly payments and/or VA benefits. Contact Student Accounts at 740-826-8111 or 740-826-8118 for more information on these options. 
• Outside scholarship resources 
• Federal Direct Loans
  • May receive up to $20,500 in an academic year 
  • Must complete FAFSA and have a valid MPN and Entrance Counseling
  • No credit check but must meet general FAFSA requirements 
  • Income based repayment and loan forgiveness options 
  • Must be registered for at least 4.5 credit hours a semester to be eligible 
• Private Loans
  • We offer https://www.elmselect.com/v4/ as a tool to help you find a private loan; however, you may apply with any lender you choose.
  • Can be used to cover expenses not covered by other financial aid, as you can borrow up to your cost of attendance.
  • Must meet the credit requirements of the lender.

Contact Information: 

• Financial Aid – Office: 740-826-8139 Email: finaid@muskingum.edu
• Student Accounts – Office: 740-826-8111 or 8118 Email: busoffice@muskingum.edu 

Visit the Student Aid website to find your federal loan servicer and how much you have borrowed.

Loan Forgiveness Options

Direct Loan Interest Rates

Loan Repayment Calculator

Policies, Rights & Responsibilities | Muskingum University

Cohort Default Rate

The FY 2021 three-year cohort default rate (the most recent data available) is a snapshot of the cohort of borrowers whose first loan repayments came due between Oct. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021, and who defaulted on or before Sept. 30, 2023.

The national FY 2021 cohort default rate is 0.0%.
Muskingum's FY 2021 cohort default rate is 0.0%.

Cost of Attendance

To determine loan amounts, budgets for each program are constructed for each term using tuition and average loan fees. The budget also includes estimates for books and supplies and living expenses. For more information, please see cost of attendance.

Choose Ohio First Scholarship (COFS) awards are funded through a grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education and are intended to advance Ohio’s position in world markets in the areas of science and technology. The Muskingum COFS program is designed to increase the number of students entering and advancing in STEMM-related (science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine) fields of study. Under state requirements, the scholarship carries a service obligation, which involves participation and leadership in activities to foster the development of current and future science students.

Scholarship recipients must be Ohio residents. Graduate programs eligible for COFS awards include Master of Occupational Therapy, Master of Arts in Education, and Master of Arts in Teaching for students pursuing science or math licensure.

Interested students should contact their academic advisor.

For information on Financial Assistance for veterans, please visit our Veteran Services page.