Financing Your Degree

As demand for effective health care leadership grows,¹ so too does the need to deliver accessible, top-quality health administration education. It is our responsibility to prepare the next generation of health care leaders as we work together to solve unprecedented challenges confronting our communities and country.

Our online Master of Health Administration (MHA@GW) program maintains the same standards, rigor and quality of the on-campus equivalent. Therefore, the tuition rate is also comparable.

Please note the cost of tuition does not include out-of-pocket expenses such as books, additional course materials, immersions or other fees. While immersion fees include a majority of associated expenses, students are still responsible for travel costs, as well as some food and miscellaneous charges throughout the immersion experience.

There are a number of options available to help you fund your degree, including merit-based scholarships, private loans and federal loans. Please see below for helpful resources:

MHA@GW awards scholarships and partner organization benefits to students.

If you believe you are eligible for one or more of these institutionally funded scholarship opportunities, contact your Admissions Counselor.

If you intend to apply for federal or private loan funding, you should begin the process as early as possible to allow adequate time for processing. Students should take these initial steps to begin:

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using GW school code 001444.

2. Students who have not borrowed a Federal Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loan within the last 10 years should complete the Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan Agreement Master Promissory Note (MPN) online by visiting the Federal Student Aid Loan website.

3. All first-time borrowers are required to complete Entrance Counseling regarding their rights and responsibilities as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan borrower. Entrance Counseling can be completed online by visiting the Federal Student Aid Loan website.

4. Complete GW’s Supplemental Graduate Loan Questionnaire, only if:

5. For additional information on Federal Student Aid programs, please visit the Federal Student Aid website or contact our financial aid staff for further assistance.

E-mail: GWSPHfinaid@gwu.edu
Phone: 202-994-1950
Book an appointment

The FAFSA is available October 1st for the upcoming academic year. New students planning to use federal student aid should complete the FAFSA while applying for admission; you do not need to wait until you are admitted. 

Continuing students will need to submit a FAFSA each year they plan to receive federal student aid. Eligibility for federal student aid does not carry over from one award year to the next, you will need to complete the FAFSA for each award year for which you are or plan to enroll.

Please reference the chart below to determine which FAFSA academic year to complete based on your desired start, continue/return date:

An academic year at GWU starts in the fall and ends in the summer. This is used to calculate your federal eligibility for one academic year.  

Example: If you start in Summer (2022), and register for Summer (2022) and Fall (2022), you will need to complete both the 2021-2022 FAFSA and the 2022-2023 FAFSA.

Example: If you start in Fall 2022, and register for Fall (2022), Spring (2023) and Summer (2023), you will only need to complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA.

Example: If you start in Spring 1 or 2 (2023), and register for Spring (2023), Summer (2023) and Fall (2023), you will need to complete both the 2022-2023 FAFSA and the 2023-2024 FAFSA.

While international applicants will be considered for institutionally funded scholarships, eligibility for federal student aid is limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents and eligible non-citizens who are currently living within the United States for purposes other than studying.

International students should explore funding options in their home countries and talk with their employers about tuition benefits that may be available, including tuition reimbursement and low-cost loans.

Please note that international students in online degree programs are not eligible to participate in the U.S. Student Visa process.

¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor (2020). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Health Educators and Community Health Workers. Retrieved Nov. 4, 2020. ↑