Institutional Aid

Direct institutional aid is awarded by the University in the form of scholarships, fellowships, payment plans and institutional loans. Availability of funding may vary by term. Students who are awarded institutional aid must remain in good academic standing and must meet their financial obligations to the University in order to continue to receive scholarship or fellowship disbursements. Eligibility for specific scholarships and fellowships may vary by program of study as described below.

Who is Eligible?

You may be eligible for institutional aid if you:

• Complete a University of Fairfax Application
• Obtain admission to the University of Fairfax

How to Qualify?

• Institutional aid is based upon merit and/or need
• Students qualify for only one institutional scholarship or fellowship at a time

Grants & Scholarships

Crisis Grant

In order to assist transfer students from other educational institutions, the university from time to time may extend the Crisis Grant to students from institutions that have closed or face imminent closure. Students from eligible institutions who transfer their studies during designated course sessions may receive, up to remaining need, up to $75 per credit hour. The grant may be renewed in subsequent course sessions as long as the student remains continually enrolled, until completion of their academic program.

Business Partnership Grant

The Business Partnership Grant was designed to provide additional assistance to students receiving employer tuition assistance, who are attending the University in order to obtain new job skills or to upgrade existing job skills.

Eligibility: Eligible students are identified through association with a company that has entered into a tuition assistance agreement with the University. Continued eligibility is dependent on the continued receipt of employer tuition assistance. This award is not available to those who are enrolled as international students on active SEVIS status (F1/F2, H1B/H2B, etc.) or working on CPT/OPT.

Application Process: Eligible students and their employers will complete the Business Partnership Grant application, available by contacting the Financial Services Office, and will return the completed application to the Financial Services Office.

Award: Awards are made up to $1 for every $2 of employer tuition assistance received and granted after all other aid has been applied.

International Online Studies Grant

The International Online Studies Grant is designed to enhance collaboration between educational institutions and facilitate continued higher education for international students. It is available to international students who enroll into a master’s program at the University of Fairfax and reside outside of the United States.

Initial Eligibility: International online students who have met the following criteria may qualify for this grant.

• Have met the requirements for admissions to an eligible master’s program at University of Fairfax.
• Student must be a non F1 International Student.

Application Process: Applicants will automatically be considered for this grant upon submission of a completed University of Fairfax international student application.

Award: Eligible students will be awarded $250 per course for the master’s degree level. Grant payments are applied directly to students’ tuition charges on their student accounts.

Continued Eligibility at University of Fairfax: Continued eligibility from term to term is contingent on students’ continuous enrollment at the university as an online student. Grant not to exceed more than $3000 per program. Repeat courses are not eligible for grant allocation.

This grant cannot be combined with any other grants or scholarships.

Blue Ribbon Grant

The Blue Ribbon Grant is designed to recognize and assist veterans, active-duty military personnel, spouse and dependents by providing additional grant funds upon the exhaustion or expiration of military education benefits to support the individual to enhance their educational benefits.

Eligibility:

The University of Fairfax provides a grant of up to 35% of the total amount that is paid toward the direct cost of education on behalf of an individual qualified by the Veterans Administration under Chapter 30, 31, 33, 35, 1606, Military Tuition Assistance or StateNational Guard. (MYCAA recipients are not eligible)

Application:

See Student Services for an application.

Award:

Eligible students may accumulate up to a maximum of $18,000 to extend or complete their programs of study, or assist a current spouse or qualified dependent at the University of Fairfax. Once earned the accumulated grant amount may be utilized to pay tuition and fees at University of Fairfax in any academic program or degree level including to fund an external certification that is associated with the students program of study. The grant funds must be used within 10 years of the last day of the term the Blue Ribbon Grant was earned.

The military student earning the grant may elect to transfer the earned grant to a current spouse or qualified dependent under the age of 30. In the event of such transfer, the grant will be considered earned, transferable, and payable toward the transferee spouse or qualified dependent’s account following the completion of any term in which the military student’s benefits are paid toward the transferor’s tuition and fees.

International Doctoral Scholarship

The International Doctoral Scholarship is designed to enhance collaboration between educational institutions and facilitate continued higher education for international students. It is available to international F-1 students who enroll into a doctoral program at the University of Fairfax.

Initial Eligibility: International F-1 students who have met the following criteria may qualify for this scholarship.

• Be in good standing with Department of Homeland Security and;
• Have met the requirements for admissions to an eligible doctorate program at University of Fairfax.

Application Process: Applicants will automatically be considered for this scholarship upon submission of a completed University of Fairfax international student application and the appropriate application fee.

Award: Eligible students will be awarded $350 per course for the doctorate degree level. Scholarship payments are applied directly to students’ tuition and fee charges on their student accounts.

Continued Eligibility at University of Fairfax: Continued eligibility from term to term is contingent on students’ continuous enrollment at the university. However, students who have had an interruption in their attendance due to a return to their home country for visa purposes or health issues may have the requirement for continuous enrollment waived and be eligible to receive the remainder of their award. Such students should discuss their situations with their Dean who will forward the information to the Executive Vice President of Operations who will make the final determination of eligibility.

The certification of receipt of the International Doctoral Scholarship will be based upon the date that the application for admission is received by an International Admissions Officer. The award year for the scholarship is defined as July 1st to June 30th. The total amount of funds allocated by University of Fairfax for the scholarship is $350,000 each award year. The availability of the scholarship will be evaluated at the end of each calendar year.

This scholarship cannot be combined with any other grants or scholarships.

University Transfer Scholarship

The University Transfer Scholarship is designed to enhance collaboration between educational institutions and facilitate continued higher education for international students. It is offered to students from Universities and Colleges or English as a Second Language programs within the United States who transfer their I‐20 to the University of Fairfax or its affiliates. The scholarship is a lifetime maximum award of $1,000, credited to the student’s account after their first term of enrollment, and is non‐renewable. The lifetime maximum award may be exceeded by an additional $1,000 in the event a student transfers to an affiliate of University of Fairfax due to the completion of a degree. This scholarship may not be combined with any other scholarship program and is available to students who enroll before May 9, 2023.

Fellowships

Information Security Certification Fellowship

The University has established an Information Security Certification Fellowship Fund for degree-seeking applicants who hold selected, recognized information security certifications such as CISSP, CISM, and CISA. This Fellowship serves to encourage information security professionals to advance their careers in order to increase the security of public and private information systems. Only active certifications held prior to enrollment in a University of Fairfax degree program are eligible for consideration. Students must remain in good academic standing and meet financial obligations to the University in order to continue to receive Fellowship disbursements.

FISMA Fellowship

The University has established the FISMA Fellowship Fund to support research that is needed to improve FISMA compliance. Preference is given to individuals who demonstrate a capability and motivation to undertake FISMA compliance-related projects. FISMA Fellowship awards are based on merit and/or need. Students must remain in good academic standing and meet financial obligations to the University in order to continue to receive fellowship disbursements.

Cyber Policy Fellowship

To support and encourage cybersecurity professionals to address cybersecurity policy level challenges, the University has established the Cybersecurity Policy Tuition Fellowship. This fellowship is awarded to qualified and motivated students who wish to address cybersecurity challenges and advance their cybersecurity careers. Students must remain in good academic standing and meet financial obligations to the University in order to continue to receive disbursements each session towards their tuition.

Cybersecurity Crisis Fellowship

In recognition of the persistent global cybersecurity crisis, the Cybersecurity Crisis Fellowship has been established to help prepare future professionals in their efforts to protect business  and government data systems.

For more information on how to apply and qualify for institutional aid, please request a personal consultation.