The federal government has a standard loan program for post-graduate students that includes loans for doctoral programs. This program is called the Federal PLUS Loan. There are two types of PLUS loans: loans for the grad student and loans for the parents of grad students. The benefit of PLUS loans is the low interest rates, which make these loans much more affordable than private loans. Since 2006 students are directly eligible for these loans, though parents of grads students are also still eligible. The application process requires students or parents to meet certain qualifications to be eligible for the PLUS program. PLUS loans can be applied to online or though a school's financial office.
Federal PLUS Loan
studentaid.ed.gov
Most schools offer scholarships and grants to help doctoral candidates afford the tuition. A candidate should inquire about grants when applying to any program. These grants are awarded based on factors such as availability and candidate qualifications. For example, the NYU Reynolds Foundation Program in Social Entrepreneurship offers a graduate fellowship every year.
NYU Reynolds Foundation Program in Social Entrepreneurship
Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
The Puck Building
295 Lafayette St., 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012
212-992-8703
nyu.edu
A large number of scholarships are available, and a thorough search can save candidates a lot of money. Online search engines, such as Collegescholarships.org, are dedicated to helping candidates narrow their search and apply for scholarships.