Graduate Support
Departmental Scholarships
All students accepted full-time into the MAPW program receive a tuition remission scholarship that generally covers about 1/3 of the graduate tuition. Students who apply by February 1 for the following fall also are eligible to be considered for additional merit-based aid from the department. The amount of merit-based aid available varies from year to year but can generally increase the total package of financial aid to around 40-45% of tuition. And we guarantee to keep your tuition constant through your three semesters of study even if the university should increase the graduate tuition rate applicable for your third term.
Federal Government Loans for Graduate Students
All students accepted into the program full-time are eligible to apply for Federal Stafford Loans to cover living costs and educational expenses, including tuition. There are two types of Federal Stafford Loans: subsidized and unsubsidized. Subsidized loans are based on financial need and do not begin to accrue interest until after graduation. Unsubsidized loans are available and awarded regardless of student or family income. For unsubsidized loans, Interest begins accruing when the loan is awarded and may be paid while the student is in school or deferred until after graduation.
Federal Stafford Loans are made by a lender such as a bank, credit union, or savings and loan association. The Financial Aid Office recommends borrowing through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) to avoid delays in loan processing and disbursements.
The maximum amounts available under each type of loan vary from year to year. You can learn about loans and other federal and state financial aid options from Carnegie Mellon's Office of Financial Aid.
Payment Options
Carnegie Mellon provides a tuition payment service, TMS, which allows you to pay academic year expenses in 10 interest-free monthly installments. The only cost is a small initial application fee. Additional information on payment options through TMS is available through the indicated link.
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Cost of Study
While tuition and related fees for 2012-2013 have not as yet been set by the university, we expect they will resemble 2011-2012 rates. Fees and expenses for full-time graduate study in 2011-2012 are as follows:
| Academic Year | Per Semester | |
| Tuition | $35,850 | $17,925 |
| Activity Fee | $190 | $95 |
| Technology Fee | $350 | $175 |
| Transit Fee | $102 | $51 |
|
Books and |
$600 | $300 |
Research Assistantships
The English Department offers a limited number of Research Assistant (RA) positions each semester. These positions generally involve 5-8 hours of work per week at $11 per hour and generally involve working with individual faculty members on ongoing research or administrative projects.
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Editorial Position with Undergraduate Research Journal
One incoming MAPW student is chosen each year as an editorial assistant for Thought, the Carnegie Mellon undergraduate journal. The position is paid ($11-$12 per hour), involves 8-10 hours of work per week, and involves working with a 3rd semester MAPW student to learn the ropes of managing the journal and its undergraduate staff. In the spring semester, the assistant is promoted to managing editor and works solo on the journal during that term. In the 3rd semester, the editor continues to manage the journal and trains the editorial assistant selected for that year.
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Part-time Enrollment
While full-time enrollment in the MAPW is the norm, the program does include a part-time option for applicants who must work full or part-time during their studies. Applicants considering this option should contact the MAPW program director to determine whether or not part-time study is feasible in their individual cases. One consideration is that a number of the core and elective courses are offered only during the day, so part-time students must be able to arrange their work schedules to accommodate daytime classes.
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Housing
The Carnegie Mellon Housing Services provides information to help new students find apartments within walking distance of campus or near the city bus lines or the CMU shuttle bus routes.
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