Finding funding for graduate school doesn't have to be stressful or difficult. There are so many types of financial aid, and financing graduate school doesn't have to break the bank.
We spoke with Erin, a current WVU graduate student, and got her take on how to finance graduate school using traditional and creative ways.
Here's what she had to say.
Tell us a little bit about yourself: name, age and hometown?
My name is Erin Fields, and I am 24 years old. I grew up in a small town in the very top of the northern panhandle in West Virginia called New Manchester! I currently work as the Program Coordinator for the WVU Office of Graduate Admissions.
I graduated from Marshall University in Spring 2019 with my bachelor’s degree. I studied Advertising, and had minors in Marketing and English.
What graduate program are you pursuing at WVU?
I graduated in Spring 2021 with a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. My program was online.
What advice can you share about applying for the FAFSA for grad school?
I did apply for the FAFSA! Believe me, I KNOW it can seem like a daunting process to complete, but I absolutely recommend filling it out in order to be eligible for various financial aid opportunities at the university. Give yourself the best opportunity to have access to scholarships and other forms of financial aid as well.
When considering how to finance graduate school, did you take advantage of any scholarships, grants, or loans?
Absolutely! I always did my best to take advantage of those kinds of opportunities. Every year, I filled out the FAFSA to receive a few scholarships in graduate school, and I even won a scholarship in a social media contest once! You never really know what type of financial aid you are truly eligible for unless you fill out the FAFSA, and that’s why I always highly recommend filling it out.
Other than financial aid, how did you go about budgeting to offset the cost of graduate school?
I personally think that maintaining a healthy budget is an incredibly important skill to develop and have. I am no financial expert by any means, but actively keeping a budget has helped me figure out my long-term goals and how I can work toward them.
When I created a budget, I forced myself to map out my goals, see how I used my finances, and keep track of my progress. Having that mindset through graduate school really helped set me up on my feet because I had developed a healthy habit of budgeting that carried over in my life past graduation.
How is WVU preparing you to achieve your career goals?
Going to graduate school at WVU opened the doors in my life for a lot of opportunities that I would not have had elsewhere. Since my program was online, I was able to work on-campus throughout the week during the day, which helped me not only financially, but professionally as well.
I was able to help out with a lot of marketing projects in a real-life setting and expand my network.
Did you participate in a paid graduate assistantship?
YES! I absolutely adored my experience as a graduate assistant and would recommend a graduate assistantship to anyone enrolling in graduate school. Before the position that I am in currently at the university, I worked as the graduate assistant in the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Having that blessing of my initial experience as a graduate assistant allowed me to naturally advance the ladder in my career, along with also helping me financially during my time as a student as I was given a university tuition waiver, a stipend, and had my student health insurance paid for if needed.
What is your best piece of advice for financing graduate school at WVU?
I was initially concerned about this as well when I was going through the application process, but what helped me through that is thinking of graduate school as not a financial burden, but as a financial investment.
The goal of going to graduate school for me was to build my career, and I definitely think I am on the right track to continue doing that because of the opportunities that graduate school provided me.
Explore types of financial aid at WVU — connect with us!
At West Virginia University, we offer a variety of types of financial aid because we want to make the graduate school experience as simple and as affordable as possible.
As you consider obtaining a graduate degree at WVU, we encourage you to request more information, explore our financial aid options, or start your online application!
