Graduate scholarships
Continuing your education at the graduate level? NAU provides a range of scholarships and funding options to support your advanced studies. Whether you’re pursuing a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree, we’re here to help you manage costs and stay focused on your goals.
NAU offers graduate students scholarships based on financial need, research, and more. Find the right scholarship to support your higher education journey and advance your career.
Department-specific scholarships
The following colleges have department-specific scholarships available through ScholarshipUniverse.
- College of Arts and Letters
- College of Education
- College of Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences
- College of Health and Human Services
- College of Nursing
- College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Steve Sanghi College of Engineering
- W.A. Franke College of Business
Tuition waivers
NAU tuition waivers are scholarships which pay for all or part of a student’s tuition. There is no work requirement for tuition waivers. To be awarded a tuition waiver, students must be:
- Full-time, graduate degree-seeking students
- In good academic standing
These awards may be based on academic merit and/or financial need. They are available to both resident and non-resident graduate students. You can apply for a tuition waiver through your academic program. Reach out to your graduate coordinator to determine if your program offers tuition waivers.
Graduate assistantships
Graduate assistantships (GAs) fund graduate education while simultaneously developing professional skills. Graduate assistants perform vital teaching, research, and service duties to their program and earn a stipend for their work. To be awarded a graduate assistantship, students must be:
- Full-time, graduate degree-seeking students
- In good academic standing
- Have a 3.0 GPA or higher
Students that are conditionally admitted to a graduate program due to a GPA below 3.0 upon admission are not eligible to receive a graduate assistantship.
All graduate assistants with an appointment of 10 or more hours per week are considered residents for tuition purposes during the term of appointment. The application process for graduate assistant positions is available through the academic program or service unit.
Graduate assistantship benefits
Full-time (20 hours/week) graduate assistantships offer:
- 100% tuition remission (excluding any university and program fees)
- For online students, tuition payment is capped at 9 credits per semester. Talk to your GA coordinator to learn if further tuition coverage can be offered departmentally.
- Student health insurance premium waiver
- Please visit NAU Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) to explore insurance plan eligibility
- Stipend. Please note that the minimum stipend for full-time GAs has increased to:
- $15,000 for masters level students
- $18,000 for doctoral level students
Part-time (10 hours/week) graduate assistantships offer:
- 50% tuition remission (excluding any university and program fees)
- Stipend
Teaching and research assistantships
Graduate teaching and research assistantship opportunities at NAU are offered through individual academic units and grant-funded programs. Connect with your graduate coordinator or department chair in your specific program area for detailed information on available assistantships.
NAU non-academic or “at-large” graduate assistantships
Non-academic graduate assistantships are available through many university-wide offices. They are awarded with stipends that vary by office, job duties, and degree level.
Out-of-state tuition savings
The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) offers two tuition-savings programs for students from participating states who are enrolled in eligible graduate degree programs.
Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)
If you live in a western U.S. state or territory, you may qualify for in-state tuition rates at NAU—even as a graduate student from out of state through the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP).
Note: WRGP is only available for in-person graduate programs. Online programs do not qualify.
Who is eligible?
To qualify for WRGP, you must:
- Be a legal resident of one of the following states or territories: Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming
- Be admitted to an NAU graduate program that participates in WRGP
- If you’re enrolled in two programs (dual/concurrent degrees), both must be approved WRGP programs
Which NAU programs qualify?
- Anthropology, MA
- Applied Criminology, MS
- Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language, MA
- Applied Sociology, MA
- Athletic Training, MS
- Business Administration, MBA
- Climate Science and Solutions, MS
- Combined Counseling/School Psychology, PhD
- Communication with an Emphasis in Documentary Studies, MA
- Counseling- Student Affairs, MEd
- Ecological and Environmental Informatics, Graduate Certificate
- Educational Leadership – Community College/Higher Ed Administration, EdD
- Educational Leadership – K-12 Administration, EdD
- Educational Leadership – Principal Pre K-12, MEd
- English: Rhetoric, Writing and Digital Media Studies, MA
- Environmental Sciences and Policy, MS
- ESL and Bilingual Education- ESL, MED
- ESL and Bilingual Education- Bilingual, MED
- Forestry, MF
- Forestry, MSF
- Geography, MS
- Global Business Administration, GMBA
- Human Relations, MEd
- Materials Science, MS
- Mechanical Engineering, MS
- Music, MM Suzuki Pedagogy (Violin) Emphasis
- Political Science, MA
- Public Health – Health Promotion, MPH
- Public Health – Nutrition, MPH
- Sustainable Communities, MA
Save on tuition for health-related graduate programs
If you’re planning to study occupational therapy at NAU and live in a participating western state or territory, you may be able to receive in-state tuition support through the Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP), a tuition-savings initiative from WICHE.
Who is eligible?
To qualify for PSEP at NAU, you must:
- Be a resident of one of the following WICHE member states or territories that support occupational therapy (OTD) students through PSEP: Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Apply and be admitted to NAU’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program
- Apply for WICHE PSEP certification through your home state agency
Important disclaimer
WICHE membership does not guarantee PSEP funding. States have limited budgets, and funding decisions are made by your home state, not NAU. Make sure to apply early and check with your state’s certifying agency for deadlines and requirements.
Students from California, Colorado, Guam, Idaho, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington are WICHE members, but these states do not fund occupational therapy students through PSEP.
Questions about graduate scholarships?
Call: 928-523-4951
Email: financial.aid@nau.edu
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