Federal Student Aid

Domestic students wishing to be considered for Federal Financial Aid (work-study and student loans) should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the appropriate academic year. Students will need their most recent tax return, Federal Student Aid ID, and WashU’s school code of 002520.  Students file as independents and no parent application is needed. For masters-level students, FAFSA results will NOT impact any already-granted Brown School Scholarship award. 

Once a student has confirmed their intent to enroll, the Brown School Office of Student Financial Services will provide a financial aid package, which will include any previously awarded scholarship funding plus any additional student loans and federal work study. 

Students can accept, decrease, or decline their loan package based on their funding plan and other sources of funding.  Before borrowing loans, students are encouraged to utilize a loan repayment calculator to estimate monthly repayments.

Questions about federal student aid? Contact the Brown School Office of Student Financial Services.

Federal Student Loans

To qualify for federal loans, you must be enrolled in half-time status or greater: 4.5 hours or greater during the Fall & Spring semesters and 3 hours or more for Summer. Please note that federal loan rates change every July 1st. 

2024-2025 Student Loan Information

Loan Type	Federal Direct Unsubsidized	Federal Direct Graduate PLUS
Interest Rate	8.08% Fixed for life of the loan starting 7/1/24	9.08% Fixed for life of the loan starting 7/1/24
Origination Fee	1.057%	4.228%
Annual Maximum Amount	$20,500	No Annual Limit Awards can reach the maximum cost of attendance (COA).
Repayment Information	Six-month payment-free grace period if less than 1/2-status or graduation occurs	Immediate repayment (within 30 days) when a student is less than 1/2-time status or graduation occurs. (Call your servicer for deferment options.)

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

This loan is available to all graduate students eligible for U.S. federal student aid who submit a completed FAFSA for the applicable academic year. The maximum award for each academic year is $20,500. The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan has a current interest rate of 8.08 percent that begins accruing when the loan is disbursed to the school. However, students are not required to begin paying on the principal or the interest until after they complete their program or drop below half-time status, with a six-month grace period.  This type of loan has an origination fee of 1.057%

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

If a student needs financial assistance beyond the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, they may apply for the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, a credit-based loan which has a current interest rate of 9.08 percent. If a student is approved for the PLUS loan, they may borrow up to their annual Cost of Attendance (as calculated by the university) minus any other financial aid (scholarships, loans, or work-study). The PLUS loan begins accruing interest when the loan is disbursed to the school. However, like the Unsubsidized loan, borrowers are not required to begin repayment until after they complete their program or drop below half-time status, with a six-month grace period.  This type of loan has an origination fee of 4.228%.

Note: The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan have variable fixed interest rates. The interest rates for these loans may vary between academic years. However, once a student borrows a loan, the interest rate is fixed for the life of that loan.

Federal Work-Study

Federal Work-Study is a federal aid program through which you can obtain qualified on-campus employment and earn money for your education. Students may be eligible for up to $3,000 in work-study aid per academic year. 

To be eligible for Federal Work-Study, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Be eligible for U.S. federal student aid and submit a completed FAFSA for the applicable academic year.
• Have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 2000 or less. Your SAI will appear on your Student Aid Report after you have completed the FAFSA.
• Enroll full-time for the upcoming academic year.

Many students acquire part-time employment at the Brown School through the federal work-study program. Students may be hired for clerical positions, information technology, facilities or library services, or as research assistants to faculty members. Students are responsible for securing a federal work-study positions, and are encouraged to explore the many work opportunities offered at the Brown School Washington University’s Center for Career Engagement.