Funding Your Degree

Whether you have submitted an application or are planning to, it’s time to start- or continue- thinking about how to fund your UMSI degree. As per last post, submitting your application by January 15th was the best way to position yourself for first-round consideration for a slew of scholarships such as the UMSI merit scholarship, the UMSI diversity scholarship, the Joyce Bonk assistantship, and the Professional Practice Fellows Program.

One of the great things about the School of Information is that they are committed to making the MSI degree affordable to as many students as possible. Be sure to listen to the stories of some previous scholarship recipients:

As you wait to hear back about UMSI funding, be strategic about considering some additional resources:

1. Apply for the FAFSA. You may end up qualifying for great government loans.
2. Consider external scholarship sources. Some useful websites to find scholarships are: Peterson’s, Fastweb, and Unigo.
1. Note: If you end up landing one of these scholarships (within your first year of study), you are eligible for up to $10,000 in matching funds from the School of Information. Talk about a win/win!
3. Look into Graduate Student Assistantships which cover tuition and provide a stipend and benefits.

If it turns out that you don’t receive a UMSI merit scholarship, don’t fret! Scholarships are awarded in multiple rounds. For subsequent rounds admissions staff will consider your motivation to attend UMSI, as well as your financial need. So maintain clear communication with admissions!

For more detailed information on funding opportunities at UMSI, please check out this talk: