Applying for Graduate Financial Assistance

Undergraduate students, please follow the undergraduate student financial aid application process.

If you are unable to complete any of these steps, please contact The HUB for assistance.

The following list details the information and documents that you will need to complete the financial aid application process at Carnegie Mellon:

  1. 2008 Tax Doxuments or Employer/Income Information

    • A copy of your U.S. Federal Income Tax Return with your signature

    • Student and/or Spouse W-2 Wage and Tax Statements

    • If you were required to complete a Schedule C, and/or Partnership Schedule K-1, and/or IRS Form 2555 (Foreign Earned Income Exclusion).

    • Foreign Tax Documents, if necessary:

      Note: If you are required to file a Federal Income Tax Return in a country other than the United States, you must provide us with a copy of your foreign tax return and provide tax information translated into U.S. dollars on a 2008 U.S. Federal Income Tax Return. This document must be signed by you and a tax accountant.

    • If you and/or your spouse are not required by the IRS to file a U.S. Federal Tax Return or to file a tax return in any other country, you are required to provide a list of employers and the source(s) of any additional income.



  2. 2009-2010 FAFSA

    You are required to complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if you wish to apply for federal financial aid. Federal financial aid includes the Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Work-Study and Grad PLUS Loan. The Carnegie Mellon Federal School Code is 003242.


    Prior to completing the FAFSA on the web, you need to request a Personal Identification Number (PIN) from the Department of Education. If you are a dependent, undergraduate student, your parent must also request a PIN in order to electronically sign your FAFSA.* Request a PIN by visiting http://pin.ed.gov. If you already have a PIN, you do not need to request a new one. If you have lost or forgotten your PIN, you need to request that it be sent to you again. If you think someone knows your PIN, select the Change PIN option to request a new PIN combination. You may use your PIN for the duration of your school experience and beyond. The security of your PIN is important because it can be used to:

    • Electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents

    • Access your personal records

    • Make binding legal obligations


    Important: Please be sure to review your SAR (Student Aid Report) for any correctable items and comply with the resolution instructions provided.


  3. Completed 2009-2010 Carnegie Mellon Financial Aid Application.

    There are two options for completing this application:

    1. 2009-2010 Electronic Carnegie Mellon Financial Aid Application - You MUST have your student authenticate to the system. We cannot provide you with the login information. On the Aid/Account page, select Financial Aid, change the aid year to 2009-2010 and then select Financial Aid Application at the bottom of the page.

    2. 2009-2010 PDF Carnegie Mellon Financial Aid Application - Must be mailed to Carnegie Mellon, Enrollment Services - The HUB, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213-3890.

      • The recommended application deadline for graduate students is June 1, 2009.

      • Graduate loan certification will begin on or shortly after June 15, 2009.

      • The Carnegie Mellon Federal School Code is 003242-00.

      • Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to complete the PDF form.

  4. Federal Stafford Master Promissory Note (MPN) - If you borrowed a Federal Stafford Loan (FSL) at Carnegie Mellon and completed a Stafford Master Promissory Note (MPN), you do not need to complete another Stafford MPN for each subsequent academic year.

    First-Time Borrowers:

    • If you are applying for your Federal Stafford Loan through an AES (American Education Services) lender, please apply directly at www.aessuccess.org.

    • If you are applying for your Federal Stafford Loan through Sallie Mae, Citibank, or any other non-AES lender, please apply directly at the lender's website. Click here to review a list of recommended lenders.


      • Federal Student Loan Entrance Counseling - Prior to Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Grad PLUS Loan and/or Perkins Loan funds being credited, first-time borrowers at Carnegie Mellon are required to complete Federal Entrance Loan Counseling.

Note: Teacher Certificiation

If you are a teacher certification student at the graduate level, you should be aware that federal regulations classify you as a grade level 5 undergraduate student for Federal Stafford Loan purposes. You are, however, considered a graduate student by Carnegie Mellon for academic purposes. For additional information, please visit www.cmu.edu/hub/fa/fa_teachercert.html.