Types of Financial Assistance Available
There are three main types of aid available to students—grants, loans, and scholarships. Grants, such as the Federal Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, are funds that do not need to be repaid. Available federal loans include Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, as well as alternative, credit-based loans that are not part of the federal program. Scholarships from SoPA are in the form of tuition discounts or lump sums applied towards tuition costs. Your financial advisor will help assist you in determining which type of aid is available and best suited to your pursuits. View our costs for undergraduate and graduate tuition, as well as associated fees and other expenses.
Scholarships
SoPA offers several scholarship programs, including discounts on tuition, student scholarships, and external scholarships.
20% Tuition Discount Scholarships*
A Tulane education can be affordable at SoPA. We offer a 20% tuition discount on undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate level-courses to students who meet the following requirements:
- Active and retired public safety personnel (firefighter, police officer, or paramedic)
- Full-time educators and paraprofessionals
- Veterans and active-duty military personnel**
- Graduates of HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions
- Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) members
- Tulane alumni
- Employees who work for government offices in Jefferson or Orleans Parish or City
- Adults over the age of 60
- Tulane SoPA adjunct faculty currently teaching a course at SoPA
- National League of Cities University partnership referral to the MPA program
- New Leaders Council partnership referral to the MPA program
* 20% discounts cannot be combined with each other (i.e. a student can only claim one type of 20% discount), but may be combined with scholarships. If 100% of your tuition is covered by a Tulane tuition waiver or scholarship, you are not eligible for a tuition discount. All students must fill out the tuition discount form each semester. The form is open 60 days before the start of the semester and closes after the last day to drop/add classes.
**To receive the 20% reduction in tuition, veterans should provide the school with a DD Form 214, Certification of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Active military should provide an official letter from the Education Office stating their Active Duty status. Both veterans and active duty military service members must provide a copy of your award letter indicating you have exhausted all of your educational benefits in order to receive this discount.
20% TUITION DISCOUNT FORM
Early Enrollment Scholarship
The early enrollment scholarship is available to all first-time students entering SoPA who register for their first semester of classes by the scholarship deadlines. This is a one-time scholarship and the amount of the scholarship will be applied towards their first semester's tuition.
The early enrollment scholarship is $500 for graduate students and $200 for undergraduate students.
SoPA students who enroll in courses by the following dates are eligible for a one-time scholarship. Graduate students will receive $500 and undergraduate students will receive $200. Register for classes early and save money on tuition!
Fall
Early Enrollment
Scholarship deadline
July 15
Spring
Early Enrollment
Scholarship deadline
December 1
Summer
Early Enrollment
Scholarship deadline
April 25
Transfer Scholarship
Students transferring credit into a Tulane SoPA undergraduate program are eligible to receive a $500 tuition scholarship for three consecutive semesters, for a maximum scholarship of $1,500*. Students must:
- Indicate on their application that they are a transfer student
- Submit a transcript from a prior undergraduate institution with a grade, credit hours and a course title
- Show credits from a regionally accredited institution
*Scholarships available to students who transferred to Tulane SoPA after Spring 2022.
Teacher Education Waivers, Stipends, and Discounts
Tulane SoPA is dedicated to reducing the financial burden of tuition costs to aspiring teachers. Through a grant from The U.S. Department of Education’s (USDOE) Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) Grant Program, students in the MAT program may qualify for a full tuition waiver. This grant also offers Tulane SoPA undergraduate students who enroll in Education Coordinate Majors to have tuition waived for their undergraduate education courses. We also offer a variety of discounts and tuition waivers available to aspiring and current educators and paraprofessionals.
TEACHER SCHOLARSHIPS & DISCOUNTS
PTK Scholarship
SoPA’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society scholarship for undergraduates helps fill the gap between tuition and mandatory fees, and awarded financial aid. It can pay for tuition and eligible fee-related expenses at Tulane, and is calculated after all other scholarships, discounts and financial aid for which a student is eligible have been accounted.
The scholarship is for up to $1,500 per semester to Tulane SoPA, or $3,000 a year. Visit the PTK page for more information.
Endowed Scholarships
We have eight scholarship programs designated for current students. Click below for information on the requirements for each scholarship.
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
Tulane SoPA also participates in the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program for eligible students enrolling in our master degree programs. Our military benefits page offers detailed information.
Some students may be eligible for multiple tuition discounts. Students may only claim one discount. Stacking discounts is not allowed.
Employer Reimbursed Tuition
Does your employer offer tuition discounts or reimbursement for you to go back to school? If so, Tulane SoPA will defer your tuition charges, according to your employer’s reimbursement schedule, for up to 45 days following the end of the semester. Accounts Receivable accepts employer reimbursement agreements on individual basis. Your employer should have written documentation regarding this benefit and the forms required. Once you gather the forms required from your employer, submit to sopa20@tulane.edu and Accounts Receivable will apply a deferment credit to your account.
SOPA CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP FORM