Paying For Your Education

Tuition and Fees

M.S.W. Program - Distance Option

Distance students register between 6-11 credit hours each term, depending on the curriculum. 2010-11 tuition and fees is approximately $2,641 for 6 credit hours and $4,600 for 11 credit hours. (These amounts include tuition and fees, including fees for distance delivery and field instruction). Students can expect to pay approximately $33,000 in tuition and fees for all three years of the program.

For financial aid planning purposes, M.S.W. Distance Option students take 6-7 credits per term the first year of the program. This is considered "part-time." Distance students take 10-11 credits per term the second year, which is considered "full-time." In the third year of the program, students take 10 credits (full-time) during fall and winter terms and 6 credits (part-time) in spring term.

How To Pay For Your Education

Funding your education is critical component of planning for graduate school. To assist students to cover the costs of your graduate education, both the University and the School of Social Work offer a variety of funding opportunities. It is important to note that most students utilize a combination of options to finance their M.S.W. education. Some options are listed below.

Loans

Two different types of educational loans are available through the University: Stafford Loan (Guaranteed Student Loan) and SLS (Supplemental Loans to Students). Further information and applications are availabe from the PSU Financial Aid Office.

PSU Laurels Graduate Tuition Remission Program

This program, available to admitted graduate students, provides tuition remission to academically qualified applicants on a competitive basis. The program offers annual awards of tuition credit equivalent to the instruction portion of graduate fees. Diverse students are encouraged to apply. This program is based on available resources.

SSW Administered Scholarships

The school has a number of privately funded scholarships. Application for these scholarships occurs during spring term for students entering their second year of field placement. Scholarship opportunities for incoming students are limited. Scholarship for newly admitted students are announced in late summer.

Child Welfare Education Program

Students interested in a career in public child welfare may be interested in applying to this program. Students can receive up to $6,000 per academic year toward tuition, depending on the number of credits registered for each term. Students accepting funds from this program agree to work for the Oregon Department of Human Services for the same number of years as they received support from the Child Welfare Education Program.

Students in Service Americorps

The SSW receives a number of part-time Americorps positions each year. Students participating in this program perform 300 hours of service in the community, generally using their feld placement as their service site. Upon program completion, students receive a tuition voucher for $1,132, which can be applied to an educational loan balance or applied to current tuition. Information on tihs program is available in fall term from your site coordinator.

Employed Social Worker Option

The school offers an organized program of study that enables employed human service workers to complete the M.S.W. degree and satisfy one year of the practicum requirement in their place of employment. The place of employment must reassign the student to work 16 hours a week in activities which are (1) consistent with ther practice curriculum and year in field and (2) different from their regular job. Students interested in this option are encouraged to discuss it with their site coordinator.

Working While Attending the M.S.W. Program

Many students find it necessary to work in addition to attending classes and field placement. The school encourages students to keep outside work to no more than 20 hours each week, if possible, to ensure time for classes, field work and out-of-class reading and homework.