• Whether you plan on applying for scholarships, Federal Aid, private student loans, or a combination, you should start the financial aid process as soon as you are admitted to KGI, or as soon as applications become available.

    Please be aware, failure to apply and complete all documents for financial aid in a timely manner does not relieve you of your obligation to meet the payment deadline. If by the payment deadline you do not have aid awarded or you have not made payment/set up a payment plan and you have a balance due you will receive a late fee. For specific information about late fees, please access the KGI Student Accounts page.

  • Since KGI has a rolling admissions process, there is no set deadline to apply for financial aid. However, if all steps and/or documents are not complete in enough time to process your aid and apply it to your student ledger, you will receive a late fee on your KGI Student Account. A good rule of thumb is to complete all steps to obtain the aid you are requesting as soon as you are admitted to a program. At the latest, the KGI Financial Aid Department recommends you complete all steps to obtain the aid you are requesting 30 days before the official start of classes for your program.

  • KGI has scholarship funds available through endowed, gift, and KGI funded sources. For more detailed information, please visit the Funding your Degree page.

  • The KGI Financial Aid Office receives scholarship information from various organizations periodically throughout the year. Students are notified via the KGI Twitter Account @KGIFinancialAid, or by the Student Services Department. Check with your affiliations for scholarship opportunities, such as clubs, religious organizations, employers, and Native American Tribal Associations.

    You can also utilize reputable scholarship search engines to find criteria driven scholarships just for you.

  • Federal Loans are available to U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents.

    KGI International Student Loan is available to KGI’s international and DACA student body.

    Private Student Loans are available to domestic, international, and DACA students. Most students should be prepared to have a co-signer that is a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident when applying for private loans.

  • G38533

    Pleases note that KGI is listed as Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences. This is the school code all KGI students should use, even if you are NOT in the Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences.

  • For all Federal Financial Aid programs, students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The school code for KGI is G38533. In order to complete the FAFSA, students will need a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA). Students can create a FSA ID on the Federal Student Aid Website.

  • An FSA ID is a username and password that you must use to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites. Students and endorsers are required to use an FSA ID. Your FSA ID is used to confirm your identity when accessing your financial aid information and electronically signing your federal student aid documents such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students can create a FSA ID on the Federal Student Aid Website.

  • Students applying into the PPC or PPA program is considered a 5th year undergraduate certificate program which may require parental information. Most of the KGI programs are graduate or professional degrees not requiring parental information.

  • Students will receive a confirmation number upon completion of the FAFSA. If a valid email address was included on the application, the Department of Education will email you instructions on how to access your Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR summarizes the information you provided on your FAFSA. Review it carefully to make sure it is correct and complete. We suggest you keep a copy for your records. If your SAR indicates that your schools Financial Aid Office will need additional information, please contact the KGI Financial Aid Office.

  • Students can complete the FAFSA beginning on October 1 for the upcoming school year.  Financial aid will be based on tax data from two years prior to the award year to provide ease when reporting tax information.

  • Some applicants may have special circumstances that the Department of Education is asking the school to verify before any federal awards can be offered to a student. The KGI Financial Aid Office may request you provide copies of official documentation to fulfill a verification request. Documentation can be emailed to financial_aid@kgi.edu. Documentation can also be brought to the KGI Financial Aid Office during the business hours of M-F, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    Keck Graduate Institute has the following Federal Verification policies and procedures in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations §668.53(a) that verifies an applicant’s FAFSA information. Verification is required for most Federal Student Aid programs with the exception of those receiving only Federal Direct Unsubsidized, Federal Grad PLUS loans, and/or Federal TEACH Grant.

    Timeframe for students to submit verification documentation:

    Students selected for verification are required to submit acceptable documentation by June 30 of the current award year or before the student ceases enrollment, whichever occurs first.

    Consequences for failing to submit documentation:

    If the verification process is not completed by June 30 of the current award year, all Title IV funding will be forfeited.

    Method to notify students if EFC and Title IV aid amounts change:

    Students will be notified through a revised Financial Aid Award letter if any changes are made to the EFC or Title IV aid amounts due to verification.

    Procedures to correct FAFSA data:

    Any conflicts discovered during the verification process will be resolved by comparing all documentation submitted to the financial aid office. Appropriate changes are updated in Empower and corrections will be electronically transferred to CPS. In the event the student is required to correct any FAFSA data, he/she will be notified in writing via email and directed to: www.fafsa.ed.gov to make the correction(s).

    Procedures to refer a student to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG):

    Verification results that reveal an attempt to fraudulently obtain federal funds will be referred by KGI to the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education for investigation.

    OIG Hotline: (800) MIS-USED
    Email: oig.hotline@ed.gov
    Web address: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/hotline.html
    Long Beach Regional Office: (562) 980-4141.

  • No. You can apply for financial aid any time after October 1. To actually receive funds, however, you must be admitted and enrolled at least half-time at Keck Graduate Institute.

  • Yes. Because eligibility for federal student aid does not carry over from one award year to the next, you need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for each award year in which you are or plan to be a student.

    International and DACA students requesting the KGI International Loan will need to complete the KGI International Loan Master Promissory Note each academic year. The KGI International Student Loan Entrance Counseling will only need to be completed one time when the initial loan request is submitted. International and DACA students are not required to complete a FAFSA.

  • PLUS Loans are federal loans that graduate or professional degree students can use to help pay education expenses. The U.S. Department of Education makes Direct PLUS Loans to eligible borrowers through schools participating in the Direct Loan Program.

    Here’s a quick overview of Direct PLUS Loans:

    • The U.S. Department of Education is the lender.
    • The borrower must not have an adverse credit history.
    • The maximum loan amount is the student’s cost of attendance (determined by the school) minus any other financial aid received.

  • Cost of attendance is the total cost to attend a school for an academic year. This amount includes not only your tuition cost but also estimated living expenses such as rent, food and transportation. You are legally allowed to receive financial aid up to the COA amount Keck Graduate Institute has established.

  • The Master Promissory Note is a legal binding contract promising to pay back your Direct Federal loans. The note also includes language about your rights and responsibilities as a borrower. You must sign a separate MPN agreement for Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS Loans.

    KGI International Student Loan

    KGI has a loan available for the international student body called the KGI International Student Loan. Approval of a KGI International Student Loan is contingent upon the KGI Financial Aid Office receiving the KGI International Loan Promissory Note, with an original signature and the KG International Loan Entrance Counseling. All documents must be received two weeks prior to the start of classes to insure on-time disbursement. 

  • There are several different repayment plans for student loan borrowers. The best way to set yourself up for success is to choose the repayment plan that’s best for you to avoid falling into default. Borrowers start on a standard 10-year repayment plan after a six-month grace period passes; however, if you are unable to afford that payment, there are other repayment plans based on your income that can adjust your monthly payments. If you aren’t sure which repayment plan best fits your needs, you can learn more and see what your monthly payment plan would look like with a different plan on studentaid.gov. It’s also important to communicate with your student loan servicer and let them know if you need help in repayment.To find out who your loan servicer is, visit your account dashboard and scroll down to the “My Loan Servicers” section, or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-433-3243.

  • Financial aid will be released within 10 days before a term or rotation start with the expectation all required documents have been supplied for processing.

  • Refund checks will be available from the Student Account Department 14 days after your loans have disbursed to your student ledger.

  • Once you have been notified by the Financial Aid Office that your loans have been disbursed to your student ledger, you will need to contact the Student Account Department if it takes longer than the 14 days processing period.

  • If you decide you no longer want a refund for living expenses, you have the right to cancel a student loan within 10 days from the time the funds were posted to your student ledger. 

  • Federal loans are funded by the government. The terms and conditions are set by law, and include many benefits (such as fixed interest rates and income-driven repayment plans) not typically offered with private loans. For detailed information regarding federal loans, please visit www.studentaid.gov.

    Private Loans are credit-based consumer loans for students that can be used for educational-related purposes. Private loans may not have the same repayment options as Federal Direct Loans, so be sure to review the payment options before borrowing.

    KGI is partnered with FASTChoice to make it easier for you to learn about private loans by providing information in a straightforward format to help you determine which private student loan best meets your needs.

    Most students should be prepared to have a co-signer that is a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident when applying for private loans.

  • We provide one request per semester to increase the Graduate Plus loan, as long as there remains unmet need.

  • The lender will send the funds to Student Accounts, who in turn will verify with the Financial Aid Office to disburse the funds.  Whether the funding is an electronic transfer or a physical check, the timeframe is contingent on the lender’s processing time.

  • The Department of Education provides all funding in whole dollars; no cents are used in the Direct Loan programs.