Financial Aid

Cost/Financial Aid Overview

The University of Saint Mary graduate programs and undergraduate degree-completion programs are competitively priced and a great value. We offer excellent, top-quality degree programs that are among the most affordable in the Kansas City area.

Tuition for the 2011-2012 academic year varies by program:

Graduate Tuition

MBA - $500 per credit hour
Master of Arts-Psychology - $500 per credit hour
Master of Arts-Counseling Psychology - $500 per credit hour                                     
Master of Arts-Education - $400 per credit hour
Master of Arts-Adaptive Special Education - $300 per credit hour
Master of Arts-Teaching - $435 per credit hour                                

Degree-Completion Tuition

Bachelor’s degree-completion programs - $390 per credit hour

Other fees, including a $25 application fee, may apply.
Learn more about USM’s tuition and fees.

Doctor of Physical Therapy Tuition and Costs

Tuition Reimbursement

Many employers offer tuition reimbursement. Your employer may reimburse you for all or part of your tuition, because they understand that their organizations can benefit from the new, updated skills and knowledge that employees gain by furthering their education.

Even if your employer does not have an official tuition reimbursement program or policy, you may still be able to arrange for some type of reimbursement by talking with your supervisor about the benefits and features of the University of Saint Mary accelerated graduate and undergraduate degree-completion programs.

Your employer may also be interested in the fact that the University of Saint Mary is a highly respected, fully accredited institution named a "Best Midwestern College" by The Princeton Review for the fifth consecutive year.

Learn more about how your degree can benefit you and your employer. Call us at (913) 345-8288 or Request More Information

Payment Plan

USM offers a payment plan that allows you to divide your tuition into two installments per 8-week term. Contact the USM Business Office at (913) 758-6482 or email us for details.

The University of Saint Mary financial aid office is dedicated to helping you finance your graduate or undergraduate degree and maximize your aid.

For students in our graduate programs or degree-completion programs, financial aid typically involves federal or private student loans.

The first step toward securing and maximizing your student financial aid is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA can be completed online.

Call 1-800-752-7043, and select Option 4, or finaid@stmary.edu for more information on the FAFSA or payment plans. Main Campus office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Student Loans

Federal Stafford Loans

There are two kinds of federal Stafford loans. The subsidized loan is based on need; the federal government “subsidizes” the interest on this loan while the student is taking classes. The unsubsidized is not need-based; it is available to students regardless of personal or family income, but the student pays the interest on it while in school. Repayment must begin six months after graduation or when students drop below the required course load.

Private (Alternate) Student Loans

Alternative (Private) student loans are credit-based funds from lending institutions that can be used to cover the full cost of attendance after students have maximized scholarships, grants, and federal loans. These loans generally will have a higher interest rate and, although repayment of the principal may be deferred, interest payments could begin immediately.

To apply online, consult this list of private lenders or, if you wish to use a lender not listed, simply go to their respective website and follow the same process.

Progress Policy

Regulations of the U.S. Department of Education require that colleges establish specific standards of satisfactory progress for students receiving either federal or state financial aid. All students receiving assistance through the Pell Grant, FSEOG, Kansas Comprehensive Grant, Federal Work Study, Perkins Loan, or Stafford Loan programs must maintain satisfactory progress as defined by their college in order to remain eligible for these aid programs.

At University of Saint Mary, students receiving aid must maintain satisfactory academic progress according to a scale for minimum progress, available in the Financial Aid Office at the main campus in Leavenworth. Progress for part-time students will be measured on a full-time equivalency basis.

Visit USM’s main Financial Aid page for more information.

Nursing Scholarships

Looking for additional help financing your nursing education? Consider these resources for nursing education scholarships:

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• Johnson & Johnson’s Discover Nursing
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Navy Nurse Corp
• Army ROTC
• Kansas Nurses Foundation
• Providence/ Saint John’s Foundation
• University of Saint Mary Nursing Department Home Page

Scholarship requirements and deadlines vary. Please refer to individual sites for more information.

Buy Books

You may buy your textbooks through our online bookstore.