Types of Aid

Master's Degree Scholarships

Both US and non-US citizens are eligible for merit-based Weitzman School of Design scholarships. Scholarships are awarded on the merits of your application, which includes your essay responses, academic performance, portfolio (if applicable), letters of recommendation, and video interview. Your financial need or background is not included in the admissions review nor is it considered in the scholarship review process.

Candidates do not apply for these scholarships; rather, the faculty admissions committees will distribute these during the admissions review. If you are awarded a scholarship, this information will be included in your admission letter.

Scholarships are deducted from tuition charges, with half applied toward the fall and half toward the spring semester, each year of your program provided that you maintain full-time status and satisfactory academic progress. Scholarships do not increase from year to year even though tuition will likely increase each year. Please consult the Weitzman Student Handbook for full details on Weitzman scholarship policies.

Weitzman Scholars

The Weitzman School of Design awards several full tuition scholarships to Weitzman Scholars – students whose backgrounds and experiences offer varying perspectives on living and learning in a multicultural world. These scholarships are awarded each year of your program provided that you maintain full-time status and satisfactory academic progress.

Dual Degree Students

Dual degree students whose programs are both within the Weitzman School generally receive the same scholarship amount throughout the length of their dual degree program. If the student discontinues one of the programs, their scholarship may be reduced. Students enrolled in external dual degree programs should work with the Weitzman School’s Financial Aid Office to map out the distribution of their scholarships.

Doctoral Degree Fellowships

The Weitzman School of Design offers a limited number of fellowships to admitted PhD students. These fellowships include full tuition, general fee, clinical fee, health insurance, and a twelve-month stipend. Fellowships are generally given each year for four years, provided that full-time status and satisfactory academic progress are maintained.

Outside Scholarships

We provide a list of outside scholarships on our website that may be available to our graduate students. This list is not exhaustive; you are encouraged to do your own research on outside scholarships.

US Citizens and Permanent Residents

You will be eligible for the following loans if your FAFSA evaluation indicates that you need financial aid.

Federal Direct Loan
New Legislation enacted in July 2025 made significant modifications to the Federal Direct Loan programs beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year (effective July 1, 2026). Visit the Student Registration and Financial Services (SRFS) website for the following resources:

• Federal Direct Loan information and borrowing instructions
• Navigating changes to federal student loans

Private Alternative Loans

Private education loans are non-federal, credit-based loans offered by banks, credit unions, state agencies, and private education loan providers. These loans can help cover educational expenses that may remain after all other forms of financial aid have been applied not to exceed your Cost of Attendance.

Penn has entered Preferred Lending Agreements with several well-known, reputable lenders. You may use any lender, but the agreements Penn entered with these lenders give Penn students unique and highly competitive options* such as:

• Pre-approval with soft credit check.
• Multi-year approval: You can submit one application for the length of your entire program.
• Competitive interest rates and approval for even those with less than perfect credit.
• Cosigner release: If you need a cosigner, some lenders will release your cosigner after you make the required number of on-time payments.

Use ELMSelect to search Penn’s preferred lenders.

* Not all lenders offer all options listed; students should review the terms of each loan in ELMSelect.

You can use federal loans, private loans, or a combination of both to cover your tuition, fees, and living expenses. If you have questions about loans, please visit Penn's Student Registration and Financial Services (SRFS) Graduate and Professional Loans website or email graduateaid@pobox.upenn.edu.

Foreign Nationals

Private Alternative Loans: Private lenders and other financial institutions offer some alternative educational loans; however, they usually require a US cosigner. Several of Penn’s preferred lenders offer loans to foreign nationals.

The Rowe Fund is an educational loan program of the Organization of American States (OAS) that helps citizens from Latin America and Caribbean OAS Member States finance their studies or research in accredited universities across the United States by awarding interest-free loans of up to $15,000 USD.

Loan Repayment

If you are considering borrowing educational loans, we recommend consulting the following loan repayment resources:

• Repayment plans on the US Federal Student Aid website
• Financial Wellness @ Penn has created a series of video modules to help borrowers better understand student loan repayment and the options available to them.

All students in the Weitzman School of Design are required to be enrolled full-time to receive their awarded financial aid. Although students may be employed on or off campus, it is not advised that they work more than 15-20 hours per week. Foreign national students entering under F-1 visas are permitted to work on campus but are prohibited by law from having employment off campus. More information can be found on Penn's Student Employment website.

Federal Work-Study

Federal work-study awards of up to $3,500 are granted by Student Financial Services. Work-study permits students to earn money in part-time jobs while attending school. This is a federal program based on financial need and is available only to US citizens and Permanent Residents. The work-study award represents the maximum earnings potential while employed under the program for the academic year (fall/spring). The award is not deducted from the student's University tuition bill. Once the student obtains a work-study job, the student is paid weekly by the employing department for those hours worked. If a student chooses not to use their work-study award, it will not affect the student's current financial aid package, or future eligibility for work-study. Students can choose to replace their work-study award with a loan.

Non-Work Study

Students who do not receive work-study and/or who are ineligible for work-study may still be employed on-campus.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching Assistantships (TA) are generally given to students in the final year of their programs. These students have shown specific skills in the areas for which TAs are used in their departments. TA positions are not awarded during the admissions process. TAs are paid directly for their work; there is no tuition remission. Students interested in a TA position should contact their department.

Graduate Resident Assistants

Penn College Houses and Academic Services (CHAS) hires Graduate Resident Advisors (GRA), graduate students who live in one of Penn’s 13 College Houses and provide counseling, academic support, supervision, and activities for resident students. The priority application is typically April 1. Visit the CHAS website for more information. 

The Weitzman School of Design is proud of our commitment to help America’s military veterans obtain a graduate education. Penn, in partnership with the federal government, will help fund the cost of tuition for veterans by participation in the Department of Veteran Affairs' Yellow Ribbon Program. Please visit the Veteran and Military-Affiliated Students website for more information or email fin-aid@design.upenn.edu.