Financial Aid

Extension School degree, certificate, and health careers candidates should visit the financial aid section of their program websites for information about funding for which they may be eligible.

Community Scholarships

A limited number of scholarships are available for Cambridge Rindge and Latin students, Cambridge city employees, and Allston-Brighton residents.

Cambridge Rindge and Latin students. A limited number of tuition scholarships is awarded to eligible students who are in the Community-Based Learning Program at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. Interested students should call (617) 998-8516.

Allston-Brighton residents. The Allston-Brighton Community Scholarships cover tuition for any course taken for noncredit, undergraduate, or graduate credit by residents of Allston and Brighton. Five scholars are chosen each term by the Allston Civic Association. Interested residents should contact Sarah Markell at the Brian J. Honan Library, (617) 787-6313.

The Allston-Brighton English Language Scholarships cover full tuition for one course in the Institute for English Language Programs (IEL). Fifteen residents of Allston-Brighton are selected each term. Applications may be obtained from Sarah Markell at the Brian J. Honan Library, (617) 787-6313.

Cambridge city employees. The Leonard J. Russell Scholarships cover tuition for one Certificate in Management course for three City of Cambridge employees each term (download* form). Interested Cambridge employees should call (617) 495-4005.

Lowell Scholarships

Lowell Scholarships enable middle and high school teachers and students in New England schools to take one Extension School course per term for undergraduate or graduate credit at reduced tuition rates. Teachers should submit a Lowell Teachers Scholarship form, with their registration form (download* form), 50 percent of the published tuition, and the $50 nonrefundable registration fee. The Lowell Teachers Scholarship form must be signed by a school principal and include a contact number. Lowell Scholarships cannot be used for internships, practicums, independent studies, or master’s theses or projects, nor can they be combined with any other scholarship. Interested teachers should call (617) 495-4024.

Students who would like to apply for a Lowell Students Scholarship should talk with their school coordinators for special registration forms or they may download* a form. If a school has no coordinator, interested students should call Rita Pandey, (617) 998-8516.

The number of scholarships is limited, so teachers and students should apply early in the registration period. Applicants cannot register online.

Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship

The Extension School awards a limited number of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarships to community-college graduates who wish to join the Bachelor of Liberal Arts (ALB) Program. Scholarships are available to PTK members who have earned their associate degrees with 3.25 or higher cumulative grade point averages. For more information, see the Scholarships section of the ALB website.

Veterans Benefits

Eligible veterans may be entitled to educational benefits at the Extension School. They may be certified for benefits for two terms; to continue to be certified after two terms, they must be admitted to an Extension School degree, certificate, or diploma program. For more information, veterans can call Student Financial Services, (617) 495-5850.

Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC)

Candidates in Extension School undergraduate and graduate degree programs may be eligible for Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships. For information, visit the Paul Revere Battalion ROTC website or call (617) 253-4471.

Current federal policy of excluding known lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals from admission to ROTC or of discharging them from service is inconsistent with Harvard Extension School’s values as stated in its nondiscrimination policy. Although the Extension School respects the right of students to participate in ROTC, the Extension School does not provide any financial or other direct support for the ROTC program at MIT. Students should be aware that one or more of the military services may impose limitations on cadets’ freedom of speech and that there may be certain academic requirements for eligibility for ROTC scholarship aid. Students should also be aware that the military may require the repayment of scholarship funds if their sexual orientation results in their discharge from ROTC.

Private Education Loans

Private education loans, based on credit history, may be available for students who are not officially admitted to a degree or certificate program. Students apply directly to the lender and submit a request for private loan certification form (download* form) to to the Financial Aid Office. Students submitting a request for private loan certification less than two weeks before any registration deadline may need to make other payment arrangements to register. Common private loans are the CitiAssist Loan through CitiBank and the Signature Student Loan through Sallie Mae.

Helpful Resources

Students should begin researching private scholarship options at least a year in advance of the time they will need funding. Resources are available locally and on the Internet. The Boston Public Library houses a TERI college access center that offers a variety of services to help research funding, including walk-in and phone counseling; also see the resources on the TERI website. The FinAid website provides comprehensive information about how to research funding as well the types of financial aid that are available. Students can also investigate private funding through professional organizations, fraternal groups, unions, and corporations.