Tuition & Funding

SUNY Plattsburgh’s graduate assistantships are an excellent way to gain professional experience while earning a tuition discount and stipend. Graduate assistants work 10-20 hours per week during the academic year in exchange for a 50-100% tuition waiver (at NYS resident rate), as well as a stipend valued at $3,000-$9,900 per year.

Applications for graduate assistantships are due by February 15. You must have a complete admissions application in order to be considered for an assistantship. The application will be available in December.

Learn more about graduate assistantships & apply

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Graduate Diversity Fellowship Program provides full or partial tuition funding for students who successfully demonstrate through their application that they will contribute to the diversity of the graduate student body. 

To be eligible for a diversity fellowship, one must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Be a newly applying full-time graduate student to a master’s or certificate of advanced study program
• Be able to contribute to the diversity of a graduate degree program or field of study
• Have overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education (particular consideration will be given to economic disadvantage)
• Have high intellectual and professional promise
• Have completed a diversity fellowship application, as well as an application for admission for fall by February 15.

The diversity fellowship application is available annually in November.

Learn more about diversity fellowships & apply

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP) offers tuition assistance of $1,000 to full NYS graduate tuition per semester for students who graduated from an EOP/HEOP/SEEK program.

If you identify on the Graduate Admissions Application that you graduated from an EOP/HEOP/SEEK program, you will be invited to apply. If you would like to apply for GOP funding, please complete the GOP Application by February 15th. The application requires you to provide the name and contact information of the EOP/HEOP/SEEK director of the program from which you graduated. An email will be sent to the director requesting certification of your participation. Funding for the program is extremely limited and awards are not guaranteed for all who apply. 

The Melissa Lahtinen Penfield Memorial Graduate Foundation Fellowship is awarded annually to new or returning full-time graduate students at SUNY Plattsburgh. An annual award of $1,000 (for tuition and fees) will be given to two recipients each year. The students must be in a master’s program in education and priority will be given to MST students. The annual deadline is in early to mid-March.

Questions? Contact the Office of the Dean of Education, Health, and Human Services at 518-564-3066.

MELISSA LAHTINEN PENFIELD MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION

To apply for Federal Financial Aid, file the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1 of the year prior to the start of your enrollment. Based on your FAFSA, your eligibility will be calculated for:

• Federal Direct Loan Program
• Federal TEACH Grant Loan
• Federal Work-Study
• Federal Graduate PLUS Loan

The following graduate degree programs and graduate certificate programs are eligible for federal aid at SUNY Plattsburgh:

• All master’s programs
• All combined bachelor’s and master’s programs
• School building leader certificate

For more information, visit Financial Aid Resources for Graduate Students or schedule a virtual appointment with a financial aid advisor.

Many graduate students seek on- or off-campus employment to help cover the costs of their education. As a SUNY Plattsburgh student, you have access to Handshake where you can find job postings. Handshake can be accessed via your MyPlattsburgh portal or via the Handshake Mobile App for Apple or Android devices.  

For more information, contact the Career Development Center.