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Financing Graduate School: Financial Aid

Choose from financial aid, grants, and scholarships for your Early Childhood Graduate School Program.

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“We promise that the scholarship you receive for the first year of your studies is guaranteed for subsequent years provided you maintain good academic standing and reapply as needed.”

— Monique Foster

Financial Aid for grad school Overview

Your Graduate Degree in Early Childhood Education is Within Your Reach

Access to premier education shouldn’t depend on your financial situation.

At Erikson, our Financial Aid team can help you find the funding and support to achieve your degree in early childhood education. Erikson’s mission is to educate and promote leadership to serve the needs of children and families. Our vision is to provide easy access to our distinctive and high-quality education to diverse populations.

$ 2000000
Awarded annually in institutional scholarships and aid
412
Current grad students
90 %+
Students receive financial aid

 Financial Aid for Early Childhood Education: Erikson Institute Scholarships

Access to Erikson scholarships and grants help make your degree in early childhood education more affordable.

You will have multiple pathways for aid with two types of scholarships and the ability to qualify for both. And teacher licensure students have an additional grant opportunity.

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Earn a merit-based Leadership Scholarship as an admitted master’s or certificate program student with your academic and professional achievement as well as your potential for leadership in your field.

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Qualify for an Affordability Scholarship annually as a master’s degree or graduate certificate student based on your demonstrated financial need.

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Master of Early Childhood Education students may be awarded this grant from Erikson that covers full Erikson Institute tuition and fees based on serving underinvested communities post-graduation.

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Secure a doctoral scholarship and assistantship each year based on your academic promise, experience, and research interest.

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Earn a merit-based Leadership Scholarship as an admitted master’s program student with your academic and professional achievement as well as your potential for leadership in your chosen fields.

Apply Before a Priority Application Deadline

We accept applications on a rolling basis in most instances. This means we accept applications throughout the year for all academic terms and programs, and applications are evaluated as they are completed.

Want primary consideration for scholarship awards? Apply before our Priority Submission Dates.

Priority Rolling Application Deadlines:

  • Spring and Summer Terms: November 15
  • Fall Term: March 15

Non-Rolling Application Deadlines:

  • PhD: February 1
  • Master of Science in Child Development, Child Life: January 15

ERIKSON GRANT

Full Tuition & Fee Awards Available with Erikson’s Educator Impact Grant

Early childhood education teacher licensure students could be eligible for this grant that covers all Erikson Institute tuition and fees for both full-time and part-time students working toward earning their degree in early childhood education.

Illinois needs teachers who are ready for every child that walks through the classroom door. Erikson is ready to support teachers in their journey to build on the strengths of every student in their classroom with the Educator Impact Grant. These grants are awarded to admitted students in the Master of Early Childhood Education program who are committed to serving underinvested communities for four years post-graduation.

The Erikson Educator Impact Grant is open to those eligible to obtain work authorization to work in the U.S. prior to program completion. Grants are available on a first come, first served basis.

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Eligibility

Must be an admitted Master’s of Early Childhood Education (triple endorsement) degree in good academic standing for Summer 2023 or Fall 2023 and enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours). The Educator Impact Grant is intended to diversify educational professionals to reflect and represent the communities in Illinois. As such, preference will be given to applicants from historically and presently marginalized communities (including but not limited to: Black, Latinx, Indigenous, low SES, multilingual, dis/abled). Additional criteria may apply based on other requirements.

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To Apply

Complete the grant application including two essays, in addition to the admissions application for the degree in early childhood education. There will also be a follow up interview for finalists of the grant.

Requirements

Grants are conditioned on recipients, post-graduation, serving underinvested communities for 4 years and participating in 2 years of a professional learning community; failure to meet these conditions will require, in most cases, repayment of Erikson Institute tuition and fee amounts.

Recipients may be required to complete a Recipient Biography form at the beginning of the award year, which is used to compile stewardship reports for the respective donors and/or organizations.

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Review Process

The review may include but is not limited to: prior academic performance; recommendations submitted within the application; additional biographical information regarding an applicant’s career, academic and other relevant experiences; and conclusions which the committee may draw as to the applicant’s motivation, character, ability, or potential. Criteria will also include applicant’s willingness to commit to servicing underinvested communities for 4 years and participation in the professional learning community for 2 years post-graduation.

Utilize Federal and State Grants, Scholarships & Aid to Earn Your Early Childhood Development Degree

As an Erikson student, you could also participate in several federal and state financial aid programs. Based on your eligibility, you may have access to the following sources of funding:

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HOW TO APPLY

Start Your Application for ECE, Social Work, & Child Development Program Financial Aid for Grad School

Applying for Erikson financial aid and scholarships is simple.

Leadership Scholarship applicants will complete a scholarship application as part of your graduate school application.

The only form you need to complete for an Affordability Scholarship is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can complete the FAFSA online for free. The Erikson code for the FAFSA is G 35103. You must have an FSA ID to complete your Renewal FAFSA on the Web. If you do not have an FSA ID, you may create one online .

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FAFSA Application

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Erikson’s Affordable Graduate Education

Hear from our financial aid office on how they can help make your graduate education more affordable with scholarships, grants, and loans.

Erikson’s Affordable Graduate Education
Video: Erikson’s Affordable Graduate Education.
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Find The Help You Need with Erikson’s Financial Aid Office

All prospective students including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are invited to speak with our staff to learn about how to apply for aid, what you need to qualify, and what types of financial aid are available.

If you are awarded a scholarship, we promise to spell out in writing the amount of scholarship funding you will receive for each year that you are enrolled in your program. And there is no work or service requirement attached to our scholarship awards.

Erikson Institute Tuition & Fees

Erikson’s Financial Code of Conduct

TALK TO FINANCIAL AID

Hear From an Alum

Headshot of Susan Pryor, Erikson Institute alum, MS ‘09, Bilingual/ESL Certificate ‘16.
Susan Pryor
MS ‘09, Bilingual/ESL Certificate ‘16
“ My parents, who left Cuba having completed only middle school, were supportive of my decision to continue my education, but they were not able to help me financially. My funding was critical to my ability to attend Erikson. I could not have come here without this financial assistance. ”
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Your Financial Aid Application Checklist for Financing Graduate School

Make sure you have everything covered with our checklist:

  • Gather 2020 federal income tax documents (W-2s, tax forms, etc.) and current checking and/or savings account and investment information.
  • If you do not have an FSA ID, create one at Federal Student Aid.
  • Submit 2022-2023 FAFSA online at studentaid.gov.
  • Receive financial aid award letter after admission notification and FAFSA information received.
  • Return signed award letter to Erikson’s Financial Aid Office.

If receiving federal student loans, complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and loan entrance counseling online at studentaid.gov.