Financing and Aid

MSES is committed to developing the next generation of energy and sustainability leaders. In order to recruit and retain top graduate student talent for the program, the MSES Scholars Fund provides limited grants to students each year. Merit-based awards are allocated during the application review process; there is no additional process or documentation required for consideration.  Applicants who wish to be considered for additional limited needs-based awards may apply upon completion of the application Round.  The MSES program does not have access to any needs-based data during the application review process; admissions decisions are needs-blind. 

Any funding provided by the MSES program may be in addition to other scholarships, loans or private financing that an applicant may pursue.  Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply during Round 1 to be given scholarship priority.

MSES Scholars grants are typically in the range of $1,500-$10,000; a very limited number of more substantial awards may be granted annually, and are highly contingent on a combination of application merit, high-need, and Scholars fund availability.  MSES Scholars funding is granted against the cost of tuition, and is never awarded to fund housing or living expenses.

Northwestern’s Office of Fellowships provides an extensive Fellowship Finder database, detailing funding opportunities commonly awarded to Northwestern students.

MSES has identified a series of relevant scholarships & grants for consideration. This is not an exhaustive list and applicants are encouraged do their own research.

The MSES program does not offer TA/research assistantships at this time. However, students can apply for several graduate assistant roles elsewhere at the University. The Housing Office has several assistantships open to graduate students. These roles often grant students free housing and monthly compensation in exchange for ~20 hours of work per week. A complete list of graduate assistantships can be found here.

Students interested in finding a more traditional teaching or research assistantship may reach out to individual departments and lab groups at Northwestern to inquire about openings.

The following web pages provide student employment postings; student jobs are also advertised at various locations on campus.

• The Graduate School (note that MSES Students are McCormick Engineering students, and are NOT part of the Graduate School)
• University Dining Services
• University Library
• University Career Services
• Athletics (tutor student-athletes)

When considering loans, students are encouraged to consider Federal loan options first, as these loans typically offer advantages that are not available with other loan types (e.g., relatively low-interest rates, a repayment grace period, no credit history needed). Students may apply for funding up to the estimated cost of attendance with available federal loan programs.

To be eligible for federal loan assistance, a student must satisfy all of the following criteria:

• Matriculated
• Citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States
• Enrolled at least half-time (2 credits per quarter) during the entire loan period
• In good standing on prior federal loans - check the status of your prior federal loans on the National Student Loan Data System
• Borrowing funds for a current loan period - federal loans cannot be processed for a past loan period

To apply for federal loan assistance, eligible students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), use school code 001739 to send their results to Northwestern University, and work with the Evanston Office of Graduate Financial Aid to evaluate their options. Students using financial aid to fund their graduate degree must comply with the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy to maintain eligibility.

Private loans may require creditworthiness, co-signers, or require payments while in school. Unlike federal loans, interest rates are not fixed, and the terms of private loans are set by the individual lenders.

The MSES program will waive the application fee for active duty military service members and veterans. The applicant should email mses@northwestern.edu to have this waiver applied. Once enrolled, service members and veterans in approved programs at Northwestern University may use any VA educational benefit toward the cost of their program. An overview of applicable VA benefits can be found here. Additional information on U.S. government support for military can be found here.