Teacher Certification

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.

• The maximum subsidized Federal Stafford Loan for level 5 is $5,500
  
  
• Independent students at level 5 also have an additional $5,000 in unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan eligibility.

Teacher certification students fill out the same financial aid forms as graduate students. However, dependent teacher certification students must also report parental data and signatures on the financial aid forms with copies of parental tax returns (1040) and W2 forms.

You are independent if you can answer yes to any of the following:

• Born before January, 1980
• Married as of today or separated, but not divorced
• Have children who receive more than half of their support from you
• Have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2004
• An orphan or ward of the court of you were a ward of the court until age 18
• A veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces