Applicants should note that admissions and financial aid are entirely separate matters. Documents intended to satisfy admission requirements should be carefully designated, with all correspondence directed to the School of Library and Information Science. Likewise, documents intended to satisfy financial aid requirements should be carefully designated, with all correspondence directed to:
The Catholic University of America
Office of Graduate Financial Aid
110 McMahon Hall
Washington, DC 20064
202-319-5185
Applicants for federal aid programs or for university funded awards based on need must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is suggested that applicants for the Federal Stafford Loan Program (formerly known as the GSL or Guaranteed Student Loan) submit the appropriate forms no later than June 1 for fall entrance. All applicants must submit a Financial Aid Transcript (FAT) from all colleges and universities previously attended, even if financial aid was not previously received.
Applicants for merit-based university scholarships should submit scores on the General (Aptitude) Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) even if the scores were not required in connection with the application for admission. Scholarships are awarded for September entrance only and for up to three years, with renewal required annually. Applicants must be admitted to graduate studies in order to be considered for merit-based university scholarship: therefore, for consideration for such awards, the applications for admissions and for scholarship, as well as all supporting documents, must be submitted no later than February 1 for the following fall semester. Only full-time students are eligible for fellowships and scholarships.
Applicants should contact the Office of Graduate Financial Aid to obtain a Graduate Application for Financial Aid form. Non-degree applicants and international applicants are not eligible for financial aid from the university.
Scholarships awarded by the university for which graduate students in the School of Library and Information Science are eligible include:
Knights of Columbus Scholarship/Fellowship
This award provides full tuition. In cases of superior academic ability, and when funding allows, a living allowance is also awarded. Lay students in any program except Law are eligible.
Board of Trustees Scholarship
These awards provide full tuition for study in any school except Law.
St. Vincent Palotti Fellowship
This award provides full or partial tuition for study in any school of the university. Awards are open to the laity as well as clergy and religious. Those interested in this award must submit a letter to the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid indicating a willingness to serve the mission of the Church for two years after completion of their degree program.
University Scholarships
These awards are for one-half tuition for study in the Schools of Arts and Sciences, Library and Information Science, Nursing, Philosophy, and Religious Studies. At the discretion of the dean of the school, these awards may carry a requirement to perform some academic service.
In addition to the scholarships listed above, earnings from endowments that have been contributed to the School of Library and Information Science support scholarships that are administered through a committee of the school's faculty. These scholarships typically are granted in amounts ranging from $200 to $1,000 as funds become available. The school's endowed scholarship funds include the Father James J. Kortendick scholarship, Florence R. Steefes Fund, and James Sartain Scholarship.
Periodically, funds are available for scholarships supported by gifts to the school from the H.W. Wilson Foundation. An up-to-date compilation of sources of aid is available directly from S.C.O.L.E., American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, Ill. 60611. Also, the Elizabeth Stone Loan Fund make funds available on a short-term basis. The fund is administered by the school. For information concerning the availability of these school-administered scholarships and loans, contact the Office of the Associate Dean.
A limited number of loans are given each year by the local chapter of the Special Libraries Association, the District of Columbia Library Association, and other professional associations.
See also information on the Graduate Library Preprofessional (GLP) Program.
