Maintain good grades. Too many undergraduate students treat college as a big party, but graduate schools are highly competitive, and the free money usually goes to candidates who have demonstrated their ability to excel in their field of study.
Research what graduate schools in your field of study offer assistantships. Teaching and research assistantships will cover the cost of tuition and will often provide a small stipend to cover ancillary living expenses. Begin your research for an assistantship as soon as possible, preferably at least a year before you plan to apply to graduate school.
Apply for scholarships. Numerous schools and organizations offer various scholarships for certain fields of study or exceptional students.
Look for grants. Like scholarships, grants are offered by schools, government agencies, private organizations and foundations. Fellowships are a special grant awarded for specific types of programs or fields of study.
Borrow money for graduate school and pursue a degree in a field that offers forgiveness of student loans. Criminal justice, health care, education and several other fields provide graduates the benefit of having their student loans canceled after working in the public service sector for a predetermined number of years. Be sure to thoroughly research current regulations before undertaking the loan forgiveness option.