Financial Aid Options for Quinnipiac University Students

Located in Hamden, Connecticut, Quinnipiac University is a private university dedicated to the success of its students. Quinnipiac University students, both undergraduate and graduate, have many opportunities to obtain student loans.

Quinnipiac University students may be eligible for four types of financial aid: scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and loans. To determine your estimated financial-aid award at Quinnipiac University, you can use the school’s financial-aid calculator. 

FAFSA

A student’s financial need is determined when they submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

Before filling out your FAFSA, you should gather your relevant personal information. If you are considered a dependent student, your parents will also need to provide the following information:

• Social Security number or Alien Registration number
• Records of money earned, including federal income tax returns and W-2s
• Records of investments and bank statements
• Records of untaxed income

Federal Loans and Grants

After completing the FAFSA, you will be able to accurately calculate your financial need and decide which types of loans will work best for you. 

There are three main types of federal loans available.

• Direct subsidized loans: These loans are for undergraduate students with financial need. Interest is covered by the Department of Education while you are at least a half-time student and during periods of grace and forbearance. You can receive up to $5,500 annually.
• Direct unsubsidized loans: This type of loan is for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree students. The student does not need to demonstrate financial need; however, the student is responsible for paying interest during the life of the loan. Students can borrow up to $20,500 annually with this type of loan.
• Direct PLUS loans: These loans are for parents borrowing money to pay for their dependent undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree student. Parents do not need to demonstrate financial need. The maximum amount available is the school-determined cost of attendance minus any other financial aid received by the student.

The U.S. Department of Education also offers grants to students. Grants, unlike loans, are considered free money.

Federal student grant programs for students attending colleges, career schools, and universities all have different requirements and annual awards.

• Federal Pell Grants: For the 2020–21 school year, the annual award is up to $6,345. These grants are available to undergraduate students who have exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants: These grants provide up to $4,000 a year for undergraduate students who have exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree. Funds depend on the school’s financial ability, and not all schools participate.
• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants: These grants offer up to $5,829 for students whose parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service after the events of 9/11 in Iraq or Afghanistan. Students must have been younger than 24 years old or enrolled at least part-time at a career school or college at the time of the parent or guardian’s death.
• Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants: These grants contribute up to $3,764 annually for undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or graduate students enrolled in a program to teach at the elementary or secondary school level. Students must commit to working a minimum of four years in a high-need field in a school or agency that serves low-income students.

Tuition and Financial Aid for Undergraduate Students

Tuition and financial aid for undergraduate students at Quinnipiac University are based on the direct and indirect costs of attendance. These costs include tuition ($48,200), student fees ($1,820), technology fees ($740), and room and board fees ($15,440, or $420 for home-based students). 

Returning students incur the same fees, with room and board being the only cost that varies. For returning residents, the total direct cost is $66,660. For returning commuter students, the cost is $51,180, and for students living off campus, the cost is $66,160.

Assuming that an undergraduate student takes 12–16 credits a semester and lives on campus, their direct costs of attendance for the 2020–21 school year would be $66,200. For students living off campus, first-year costs are $51,180.

When including a room-and-board allowance for commuter students ($1,800), and costs related to books, personal expenses, and transportation, the total indirect costs range from $2,800 to $5,100.

Combining the direct and indirect costs of attendance, the total cost of attendance at Quinnipiac – which is an important consideration when calculating loan eligibility – is $69,000 for first-year resident students, $56,280 for first-year commuters, $69,460 for returning residents, $56,280 for returning commuters, and $69,460 for students living off-campus.

Merit-Based Scholarships and Grants

There are also many merit-based scholarships and grants available to Quinnipiac University undergrads.

• The First-Year Student Merit Scholarship, which provides $12,000–$28,000 annually, is awarded by the admissions office. Students who receive this scholarship are generally in the top 40% of their class, with ACT scores of 22 or higher and SAT scores of 1100 or higher. This scholarship is only offered to incoming students.
• The Multiple Sibling Award is a $2,000-per-year, per-eligible-sibling award for full-time, undergraduate, and graduate siblings concurrently attending Quinnipiac. The scholarship is granted in addition to the students’ financial aid offer.
• The International Student Scholarship varies in amount and is available to international students who demonstrate strong academic achievement. Students must be enrolled full-time with satisfactory academic progress for the scholarship to be renewed.
• The Transfer Student Scholarship, awarding between $6,500–$20,000, is an automatic scholarship for transfer candidates with a cumulative GPA of 3.3. This scholarship is renewable each year, as long as the student maintains a 3.0 Quinnipiac GPA.
• Athletic scholarships of varying amounts are available for incoming first-year students as well as transfer students who have been recommended by the athletic director and coaching staff. In order to be eligible for renewal, students must maintain full-time status and adequate academic progress and comply with NCAA and institutional rules and regulations.
• Theater merit scholarships of varying amounts are available for students who major or dual major in theater. To continue the award after the first year, students must remain in the major with good academic standing.

In addition, the Quinnipiac Tuition Assistance Program is available for part-time students, to make higher education accessible.

Quinnipiac University also offers the following grants:

• Quinnipiac University Grant: for students who show financial need and have completed the FAFSA (amounts vary).
• Roberta B. Willis Scholarship: for Connecticut residents with an expected family contribution of less than $12,390, who are full-time Connecticut high school students without a previous bachelor’s degree, ranking in the top 20% of their class with SAT scores of at least 1200. Annual awards go up to $5,250.

Work-Study

More than 1,000 students work around campus in various departments for six to eight hours a week, earning at least minimum wage, as part of the Federal Work-Study Program at Quinnipiac University. Students are not guaranteed a job, however, and must secure their own positions based upon the available opportunities.

Graduate Student Tuition and Financial Aid

Graduate students have many opportunities for financial aid to help finance their education at Quinnipiac University. For most programs, the tuition rate is $1,075 per credit (although sixth-year educational leadership is $705 per credit). Additionally, there are student fees, technology and lab fees, a mandatory auto insurance fee, and a required commuter meal plan. 

Graduate grants, assistantship positions, veterans’ benefits, and loans can all help students pay for the costs associated with pursuing a graduate degree.

Law Students

Law students are eligible for merit scholarships and grants that can be renewed annually if the student is ranked in the top 50% of their class, and these awards typically range from $5,000 to $40,000 a year. The Dean’s Fellows Scholarship is a full-tuition scholarship for students with exemplary achievement and leadership who are in the top 50% of their class. 

School of Medicine

Students attending the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine receive guidance through the financial aid office when applying for scholarships, grants, and loans. The school offers academic, need-based, and merit scholarships annually, including: 

• The Academic Excellence Scholarship offers up to $25,000 a year for medical students demonstrating exceptional performance, motivation, and integrity. 
• The Dr. Bruce M. Koeppen Scholarship is awarded to a medical student who has faced educational or economic hardships.
• The Commitment to Community Service Scholarship is given to a student who has served others in need of assistance.
• The First-Generation College Graduate Scholarship is for a first-generation graduate with a commitment to community service.
• The Health Care Shortage Scholarship is for medical students who are pursuing a career in medically underserved areas.
• The Leadership Scholarship is for exceptional leaders.
• The Primary Care Scholarship is for a medical student interested in pursuing a career in primary care.
• The Quinnipiac Alumni Scholarship is for a medical student who has demonstrated leadership or service during their undergraduate years at Quinnipiac University.
• The Primary Care Fellowship Program is for an incoming student focusing on primary care. 

The school also offers benefits to assist eligible veterans. The school matches the Post-9/11 GI Bill with up to $15,000 a year through its grant and scholarship programs.

Online Program Students

For students participating in Quinnipiac University’s online programs, federal loans, private loans, graduate assistantships, and reduced rates for military members can all help in financing students’ educational goals. 
As you evaluate the many options available to you for financial assistance at Quinnipiac University, we at College Finance are here to guide you through the ins and outs of planning to pay for your college education. Be sure to sign up for emails and explore the College Finance website for all of your college financing needs.