Welcome to Financial Aid

Overview and Some Pointers
GTS school code: G02726

Any student of the seminary who is at least half-time, in a degree or diploma program and is maintaining satisfactory academic progress is eligible to apply for financial aid. Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) full-time students are allotted financial aid for one year only since the expectation is that the course work for the S.T.M. will be completed in one year.

Financial aid is determined by the difference between the total cost of yearly attendance (within the parameters of "allowable expenses") and the student’s total resources, including family contribution, parish and diocesan support, and outside grants.

GTS offers both merit and need-based scholarships.  By completing the financial aid process each year students are informed about their awards.  Financial aid is normally credited to the recipient’s account in equal installments at the beginning of the Michealmas (fall) and Easter (spring) terms.

GTS grant levels are determined by the Office of Financial Aid in consultation with the Director of Admission and the Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations.  The only exceptions are the awards for the THD Students; those awards are determined by the Advanced Degrees Committees  The Office of Financial Aid administers all such decisions of these committees. Each award is subject to maximums and minimums established by the Seminary. All students applying for GTS grants and or Federal Aid must file the U.S. Department of Education Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can fill out this document online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA school code for GTS is G02726. Students must apply for financial aid on a yearly basis.

GTS may not be able to meet the total financial need of a student with a grant. The Director of Financial Aid has on file information on other scholarship resources. GTS students are highly successful at garnering outside scholarship awards to supplement their GTS grants. Sources include the Dubose Fund, Mercer Fund, Society for the Increase of the Ministry, Ladies Christian Union, and the Eastern Star Awards for Religious Leadership. Students can request information for outside scholarships from the Financial Aid Office. Many students also find scholarship and grant sources on the Internet. The largest, free search engine for these is located at www.fastweb.com.

GTS participates in the Federal Stafford , PLUS Loan and  Federal Work-Study programs. Therefore a student’s financial aid award may include a grant, work-study, and the option to apply for loans. There is also GTS institutional work-study, in which a student may participate regardless of financial need. Work-study responsibilities include  faculty assignments, the library, refectory, and several of the administrative offices. The Director of Financial Aid can advise students on the available work-study positions, on the federal loans, and how to complete the necessary forms for the federal loan programs.

All students requesting GTS grants are required to apply for at least three outside financial aid resources (i.e., grants, scholarships, etc) to supplement the GTS grant. All Students including non-advanced-degree applicants are expected to seek support from their Parishes and Dioceses. The Parish and Diocesan can be considered two of the three required outside grant resources that must be applied for.

GTS Financial Aid Office:
Debra Bush-Ford
locally: (212) 243-5150, ext. 380
toll-free: (888) 487-5649, ext. 380
financialaid@gts.edu