Financing your education

Tuition and other costs

As a starting point, here is important information regarding tuition costs and other possible costs to attend Warner:

Tuition

Your tuition cost each semester will depend on the number of credit hours you register for that semester. To be considered a full-time student, you will need to register each Fall and Spring semester for a minimum of 9 credits;  exceptions may be made when working full time on your dissertation or other culminating assessment or practicum experience.  The minimum number of credit hours required to complete each program can be found in the respective program page.

Tuition rate for the 2022-23 academic year:                                   $1,670 per credit hour
 
Over the past 10 years, the tuition rate has generally increased by approximately 3-4 percent each year.

Other fees

The Warner School of Education does not add fees to the cost of your education. The only exception is the Mandatory Health Fee required by the University of Rochester for all full-time students:
 
Mandatory health fee (for full-time students):                               $760 per year

Other educational costs

If you need to use an estimate for education costs beyond tuition and fees for immigration or loan purposes, below is the official estimate provided by the University of Rochester:
 
Books, supplies and miscellaneous (estimate):                         $4,560 per year
 
This is an average across all programs in the University of Rochester, but the additional costs for books and supplies for students at the Warner School of Education should be minimal, as most of our courses do not require textbooks and you will have complimentary access to a computer lab where you can also print. Despite the computer access the lab provides, a personal computer is strongly recommended.
  
University of Rochester Health Insurance (if needed):                       $2,676 per year

All University of Rochester students must show evidence of adequate health insurance coverage.  If you do not already have such coverage, you can take advantage of special student health plans available through the University.

Living expenses

The cost of living in Rochester, New York, is much less than that of other major cities across the northeast. There are many housing options located adjacent to the University, which can result in significant savings. 
 
If you are interested in on-campus graduate housing, you will have the following additional costs:
 
Room and Board (estimated):                                                           $11,970 per year


For information on tuition and other fees, contact the Admissions team at admissions@warner.rochester.edu or call (585) 275-3950. 

Reducing your tuition costs through merit-based scholarships

We’re committed to helping you make your graduate education more affordable. Last year, we awarded more than $4.5 million in scholarships to our students. In fact, every applicant is automatically considered for the merit-based scholarships for which they’re eligible during the admissions process. 
 
Scholarships are awarded to offset tuition costs. The scholarship amount is determined at the time of admission, usually in the form of a percentage that will be waived out of the tuition charges incurred each semester. For master’s and advanced certificate students, this percentage is guaranteed for the expected timeframe for completion of the program, provided you are making good academic progress. Doctoral student awards are described in the following section.

Beyond these competitive merit-based awards are a number of program-specific scholarships made possible by federal grants and the generous support of donors, who are committed to supporting students. Visit the specific program of interest page to learn about these special scholarships and more that you may be eligible for.
 
Interested in programs leading to entry-level credentials for positions in K-12 schools as a teacher, school counselor, or school leader? We offer guaranteed scholarships. 
 
You may also be eligible for one of the following scholarship programs that can help offset the costs of your Warner School education:

• Rochester Urban Fellows/Rochester Youth Year Fellowship Scholarships:  Students who have successfully completed the Rochester Urban Fellows Program or the Rochester Youth Year Fellowship and have earned admission to any of our master’s program are eligible for these partial-tuition scholarships – covering one-third of tuition costs. Up to a total of 50 such scholarships will be awarded.
   
• Special agreements with regional Colleges:  If you are a graduate of a college in the Rochester region, contact our Admissions Office to explore whether you’re eligible for special scholarships.

Scholarships can be used to supplement other external scholarships or employee tuition benefits the student may be eligible for. However, these other sources of financial aid must be disclosed in advance and must be credited before any scholarship is applied.
 
Each program page provides specific information on scholarships by program, if available. Or you can inquire with our Admissions team at admissions@warner.rochester.edu or call (585) 275-3950 to learn more.

For doctoral students

Most full-time doctoral students are awarded assistantships that provide a combination of tuition remission and a stipend in exchange for providing services supporting the mission of the Warner School of Education. Opportunities include:

• Full assistantships:  Requiring 15-20 hours per week, and including a full-tuition waiver.
   
• Partial assistantships: Requiring 5-10 hours per week, and waiving a percentage of the tuition proportional to the hours assigned.

All assistantships include stipends, which are determined based on the number of hours of service assigned. 

Full-time Ph.D. students that are participating in a full assistantship (15+ hour/week) will have their health insurance covered by the University.
 
Doctoral assistantships are intended to provide not only financial support, but also invaluable learning experiences for students – helping them build their resumes and be more competitive upon graduation. Therefore, our doctoral assistantships are designed to contribute to the preparation of future education scholars and leaders, by providing opportunities to:

• Perform supervised teaching responsibilities, which may include a range of supportive roles in a course taught by a Warner faculty member or being the main course instructor under the mentoring and oversight of a faculty member. This can also include supervisory responsibilities of students engaging in internships, or interacting with K-12 students in some of our outreach programs or other instruction-related responsibilities.
• Play a supporting role in research projects conducted by faculty members, whether or not they are supported by an external grant. This may include a variety of responsibilities depending on the nature of the project, as well as the preparation and background of the research assistant.
• Participate in a supporting role in other projects and operations of relevance in preparing for a faculty or leadership role within a college or university (such as institutional research, admissions, external relations, mentorship/support of new students, etc.) or other advanced career opportunities within your chosen field.

Decisions regarding doctoral student support are made at the time of admission and will be included in the offer letter (although the specific assignment will not).  These award offers are typically guaranteed for three years, assuming good academic progress, and in many cases can be extended for additional years.
 
The best doctoral applicants each year will also be automatically selected during the admissions process to compete for one of these prestigious University-wide fellowships:
 
Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull University Fellowships: These four-year fellowships are awarded each year to 10-12 incoming doctoral students with exceptional academic credentials and talent in research, in disciplines throughout the University.
 
Provost’s Fellowships: These four-year fellowships are intended to attract talented members of underrepresented groups, who intend to pursue careers in university teaching and research, to Rochester’s doctoral programs .

Opportunities for master’s students to earn experience and income

As a student at the University of Rochester, you may be eligible for a number of on-campus opportunities that can help you earn income to help offset your education and/or living expenses (although they do not provide tuition waivers).  These opportunities are available to both domestic and international students (although international students have some limitations regarding the total number of hours of services per week). For domestic students, these opportunities may also include work experiences at other local colleges and organizations. Lists of available opportunities are created and circulated throughout the year.
 
Here are just some of the opportunities students have taken advantage of in the past, depending on their interests and areas of expertise:
 
·     Residential Life Assistantships
·     Orientation Coordinator
·     Greek Life Advisor
·     Admissions Staff
·     Assistant in the Dean’s Office
·     Horizons Summer Program Teacher
·     Tutor
·     Camp Advisor 
·     Library Support Staff
 
If you are interested in these opportunities, our Admissions and Student Services staff can help connect you with the appropriate offices.

Program for Master's in Teaching with Initial Certification

The ROC Urban Teaching Fellows Program is a paid teacher residency program designed to prepare teachers for the Rochester City School District.
·     Earn your Master's in Teaching with Initial Certification
·     1 year paid teacher residency while studying
·     2 years of employment following graduation
·     $10,000 toward your tuition

Student loan programs

After you’ve received your scholarship or assistantship award, and pursued other opportunities to offset tuition cost and fees, you may be interested in obtaining federal and/or alternative loans to help fund the remaining costs of your education. The University of Rochester Financial Aid Office can work with you and guide you through this process.  Contact a Financial Aid counselor.
  
Public service loan forgiveness
If you are employed by a non-profit or government entity and have student loan debt, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness, cancellation, and/or consolidation of federal student loans under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. 

University of Rochester and other employee-based benefits

The University of Rochester offers generous tuition benefits to its faculty and staff to encourage the pursuit of coursework and programs relevant to their job. University employees can receive an 80-95 percent waiver on tuition costs for up to two credit-bearing courses taken at the University of Rochester per semester/quarter. For specific information, consult Human Resources regarding tuition benefits.
 
Other colleges in the area, as well as select school districts and organizations, also provide some tuition benefits to their employees. Make sure you check with your employer on the availability of tuition assistance. The Warner School of Education also has agreements for matching tuition waivers with a select number of local employers. Contact our Admissions team for more details.