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We use a lot of technical terms and abbreviations in higher education. Definitions of terms used in this website are listed below.
Definitions are adapted from ETS.org and StudentAid.gov. Both of these websites are great resources for definitions of many commonly used academic and financial aid terms.
Accreditation Confirmation that a university or academic program maintains a high level of academic standards. If the degree is preparing students for a specific profession, programmatic accreditation may also be required.泭泭泭
Aggregate Borrowing Limit The maximum amount of money an individual can owe from all federal student loans received, including undergraduate loans. If the total loan amount you receive over the course of your education reaches the aggregate loan limit, you are not eligible to receive additional loans.
Alternative Loan These loans are nonfederal loans, made by a lender such as a bank, credit union, state agency, or a school.泭泭泭
Annual Borrowing Limit The highest amount that you can borrow from your Federal Direct Loan each academic year, as determined by the federal government. Your school’s Financial Aid office will determine your eligibility up to this annual borrowing limit.泭泭泭
Assistantship A type of gift aid that requires the recipient to perform research or teaching duties in exchange for funding (similar to work study). Most assistantships also cover some or all of the recipient’s university fees and university health insurance.泭泭泭
Capstone Requirement The final requirement that a masters degree student must submit in order to demonstrate that they have acquired the knowledge and skills of the discipline as appropriate for a masters degree holder. The capstone requirement will vary based on the field of study, however some examples are completing an internship, writing a thesis, compiling a portfolio, or creating a new body of artwork and hosting a formal exhibition.泭
Commitment Deposit See Enrollment Deposit泭泭泭
Cost of Attendance (COA) The Cost of Attendance (COA) is the amount it will cost a student to go to school, and includes estimates for associated costs such as housing, transportation, and school supplies.泭泭泭
Curriculum Vitae (CV) The Curriculum Vitae describes in chronological order the path of ones life including education, employment, awards/fellowships, experiences (for example international), publications. 泭Unless an organization prescribes a specific page limit, there is no page limit. 泭
Dependency Status Graduate and professional students are considered “independent” for the purpose of the FAFSA. Independent students report their own tax information on the FAFSA (and, if married, their spouse’s tax information).泭泭泭
Direct Unsubsidized Loan A federal loan that graduate or professional students use to help pay for education expenses. This loan has a set annual borrowing limit, a fixed interest rate, and interest accrues throughout the life of the loan (including while the student is enrolled in school).泭泭泭
Dissertation 泭This is the formal document demonstrating a doctoral students independent research or scholarship. It is constructed of multiple chapters and can be published as a book or articles in professional journals. Dissertations are presented to the public and defended before a committee of specialists in the field. The completion and successful defense of a dissertation marks the successful completion of a students doctoral degree.泭泭
The corresponding document on the masters level is called a thesis. Due to the shorter time to complete a masters Program, a thesis is normally shorter than a dissertation.泭
Doctoral Degree Doctoral degrees are conferred (awarded) to students who complete a research doctorate, leading to a PhD, or a professional doctorate, such as a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Juris Doctor (JD).泭泭泭泭
Enrollment Deposit A payment you make before starting your program, as a way to secure your spot. This payment is deducted from your bill for your first academic term, and in many cases it is non-refundable, even if you decide not to attend the university.泭泭泭
Fellowship A type of gift aid that requires the recipient to perform research or teaching duties in exchange for a financial award. Fellowships might require recipients to provide a product or service, but this varies based on the award. 泭泭泭
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) This is the application for federal student aid. You need to complete the FAFSA form to apply for federal student aid such as federal grants, work-study funds, and loans. 泭泭泭
Gift Aid A broad term for financial aid that does not have to be repaid, such as scholarships, grants, assistantships, and fellowships.泭泭泭
Graduate Certificate A specialized, credit-based graduate program comprised of graduate level coursework. These programs are usually 9-15 credit hours and can be earned after completing a bachelors degree. Upon completion of this type of program, the student earns a graduate certificate, not a graduate degree.
Grant A grant is a monetary gift for people pursuing higher education. It is often based on financial need and does not need to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund).泭泭泭
Letter of Intent See “Personal Statement“泭泭泭
Masters Degree This is a postgraduate degree pursued after a bachelors degree. It typically takes between one and three years to complete depending on the program and field of study, and often requires some research component resulting in a thesis or research project as a final requirement.泭泭泭
Matriculation Deposit See Enrollment Deposit泭泭泭
Non-Repayable Funds See “Gift Aid“泭泭泭
Personal Statement An essential part of your application package that will give the admissions committee insight into who you are as a person beyond your transcripts and test scores. While they need work and attention, they often also provide an opportunity to explain challenges that a student encountered and that could explain why some lower course grades do not reflect the student’s intellectual capacity. 泭 泭泭泭
Practice-Based Degree A degree that focuses primarily on the student gaining hands-on experience in their field, culminating in a final project (also called a capstone) or internship tailored to the students focus area.泭泭泭
Private Loan See “Alternative Loan“泭泭泭
Professional Degree See “Practice-Based Degree“泭泭泭
Research-Based Degree A degree that focuses primarily on the student conducting their own research under the supervision of a mentor, culminating in a dissertation or thesis.泭泭泭
Resume A document that summarizes a person’s relevant education, work experience, and skills and that is composed in its listings specific to the organization to which it will be sent.泭
Scholarship Scholarships are gifts that dont have to be repaid and are designed to help students pay for an undergraduate degree. They can be a one-time gift or are renewable, depending on the scholarship.泭泭泭
Statement of Purpose See “Personal Statement“泭
Stipend An amount of money paid to a student as part of their assistantship or fellowship. Stipends can be paid as one full amount at the start of the semester, or as smaller payments throughout the semester.泭泭泭
Thesis A thesis documents a students original research/scholarship in a masters degree program. The completion and acceptance of a thesis marks the successful conclusion of a students masters degree.泭
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