Financial Aid Resources

This is a resource page for students from North America interested in studying at UPEACE but worried about funding. Although the thought of paying for a graduate school education may be daunting, there are many creative ways to go about the process.

First, the good news:

1. Loan Deferment for U.S. Students: On February 6th, 2009 UPEACE received official notification from the US Department of Education stating that our application for eligibility of loan deferral had been approved. UPEACE is still in the process of receiving eligibility for US students to receive Federal Loans. All paperwork has been submitted and we are working aggressively to make sure that this happens soon. Meanwhile, those of you who have the deferral forms signed can go ahead and add the UPEACE OPE ID number, 04052300, to the corresponding space.

2. Costa Rica is More Affordable than Most Places in North America: The cost of living in Costa Rica is low compared to other parts of North America. The average monthly rent for apartments and homestays is between 250 and 350 US dollars a month. Homestays typically include breakfast and dinner in the rental cost. A student can plan to budget between 500 and 600 US dollars of total expenses a month.

3. UPEACE Masters are One Year Long and More Affordable than other U.S. Based Programs: A typical graduate school program in the United States charges between 25,000 and 35,000 a year for tuition and lasts 2 years. That's 50,000 and 70,000 for both years.  Living in a U.S. city can be anywhere from 800 to 2000 dollars a month! By comparison, a UPEACE masters costs 22,465 for the one year and a total of 5 to 6 thousand dollars in living expenses.

4. Now is the Time to Go to Graduate School: With unemployment rates high and companies not looking to hire more employees, now is a great time to invest in yourself and your future. Why not spend a year as part of an incredible community in an incredible country and return on the tail end of global financial crisis with a competitive master's degree in an emerging and relevant field?

Some advice as you start the process:

1. Start Your Research as Early as Possible: There are many programs that require admittance to a scholarship program before the student selects a grad school. Too often UPEACE students wait until after they are admitted to start looking for scholarships and at that point many opportunities have already passed.

2. Get Creative: Because of the global financial crisis many banks are not loaning money or are charging high interest rates. Are there family members or friends willing to loan you money for graduate school?

3. Talk to UPEACE Alumni: Over 650 students from over 80 countries have graduated from UPEACE and many of them overcame the same challenges that you face in financing your graduate school experience. There are a number of ways to get in touch with alumni. Visit Upeacebuilders: the alumni website, or find alums on facebook, linkedin, or myspace. 

Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities:

UPEACE Scholarships

Limited financial assistance may be available for those students who demonstrate academic excellence and financial need. UPEACE endeavors to ensure gender balance as well as balance of regional representation for financial aid distribution. Both full and partial scholarships are available. The financial aid deadline for the academic year 2009-2010 has passed. Applications must be recieved by February 28th, 2010 to be considered for financial aid for academic year 2010-2011. 

Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships

Rotary Foundation's Ambassadorial Scholarships Program is the world's largest privately funded international scholarships program. The purpose of the program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas. Rotary scholarships for graduate study are also be available through local Rotary chapters, but students are encouraged to start the process as early as possible.  Contact your local Rotary chapter to learn more about processes and procedures.

Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program

The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program provides support for up to three years of formal graduate-level study leading to a masters or doctoral degree. Fellows are selected from countries and territories in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Russia and include Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, where the Ford Foundation maintains active overseas programs. U.S. nationals are not eligible, although Fellows may study in the United States.

Fulbright Program for US Students

The U.S. Student Fulbright Program operates in more than 140 countries worldwide; grants are available in all fields of study. The 2010-2011 competition will open on May 1, 2009. New information on participating countries will be available at that time.

Other general resources:

Idealist.org

The Idealist pages on how to prepare for and finance graduate school offer lots of excellent advice and resources on topics like where to find scholarships, how to understand loan options, and how to look at the big picture of grad school finances.

GradView
Another site with great articles and advice on how to fund graduate school; includes information on various scholarships, fellowships, budget management, and ways to prepare for other common costs.

Enotes

Enotes is a popular search engine for finding scholarships, fellowships, and loans. Their online database contains a total of 7,200 scholarships, grants, loans, prizes and fellowships. Search criteria includes type of award, school, gender, field of study, and special recipient allowing for easy searching.

Peace and Collaborative Development Network

Peace and Collaborative Development Network's discussion forum is a great place to find constant, often daily, updates on new scholarship and fellowship opportunities in many areas relevant to the masters degrees offered at UPEACE.