U-M and federal funding | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

U-M and federal funding

University of Michigan resources

Rackham Graduate School

  • The Rackham Graduate School administers a number of fellowship programs with various eligibility criteria. These fellowships often require a detailed application and have deadlines that precede the start of the academic year. Students should contact Rackham directly for information.
  • Ford School master’s students have received multiple fellowships through Rackham including the Barbour, International Student Fellowship, and the Non-Traditional Fellowship.

Office of Financial Aid

  • The U-M Office of Financial Aid provides assistance and resources for questions around financial aid, including types of aid available, how to apply for aid, loans and work-study, planning tools, a guide for graduate students, and more.
  • The U-M Office of Student Financial Services is a source for information on the U-M Tuition Payment Plan and how to pay your tuition bill.

Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships

  • The Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships (ONSF) provides scholarship and fellowship support to U-M students seeking national opportunities such as the Rhodes, Truman, and Marshall Scholarships
  • A number of Public Policy, Service, Teaching, and International funding resources are available on their website here.

Graham Sustainability Institute

  • The Dow Sustainability Fellowship, administered by the Graham Sustainability Institute, selects full-time students pursuing a terminal master’s degree in arts, business, policy, engineering, environment, etc., and provides up to $20,000 of monetary support.

International Institute

  • The International Institute provides generous support to graduate students for language study and conference travel, as well as internships, research, and study overseas. Some fellowships include:
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship
  • The purpose of the FLAS award is to provide support for extensive language study with language acquisition as the central goal. This award provides summer or academic year support (tuition, registration fees, and a stipend) for language study through the University of Michigan.

Federal programs

Federal grants, loans, and work-study awards

If you are interested in federal support for your school and living expenses, you will use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

  • The FAFSA offers access to three types of federal student aid: grants, loans, and work-study. More information about these types of aid can be found on the FAFSA website. They have a number of relevant resources on their site, so it’s worth spending some time exploring it.

Loan forgiveness programs

There are a number of loan forgiveness programs, particularly if you pursue work in public service. Some of these programs are listed below, and we encourage you to search for others that might fit your circumstances. It's important to remember that these programs affect certain kinds of loans, and consolidation may affect your eligibility, so be sure to seek assistance when considering consolidation to make sure you are not disqualifying yourself from thousands of dollars in aid.