Graduate Scholarships

General Scholarships 

Full-time students who are awarded the below scholarships must take a minimum of nine credits in both the fall and spring semesters. Part-time students must take a minimum of six credits in both the fall and spring semesters to be considered eligible. International students must take a minimum of nine credits in both the fall and spring semesters for eligibility. Changes in School/College, program, and/or term may impact scholarship eligibility. Funding may be limited; therefore, the timing of application submission is considered. You are encouraged to apply early. Fast-track, pathway, and combined degree students are not eligible for many of these awards.

Merit Scholarships

Awards range from $3,000 to $9,000. The admission application is used to determine merit scholarship eligibility automatically; no additional application is required. Scholarships are awarded based on your academic ability, School/College, and program of study. You are notified of your award in your acceptance letter.

Students accepted into the M.S. in Physician Assistant degree program cannot be considered for any merit awards. Several other programs (i.e., M.S. in Actuarial Science, M.S. in Enterprise Risk Management, M.S. in Risk Management and Risk Analytics, and M.S. in Library and Information Science) are not considered for this award as they offer departmental merit scholarships. Students accepted into doctoral and advanced certificate programs are not eligible for merit awards.

Alumni Scholarship

Alumni scholarships are automatically awarded to students accepted to a master’s program* who have already earned a bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree from St. John’s.

*The following programs are excluded from the alumni scholarship consideration: M.S. in Actuarial Science, M.S. in Enterprise Risk Management, M.S. in Physician Assistant, M.S. in Risk Management and Risk Analytics, and M.S. in Library and Information Science.

School/College-Specific Scholarships/Awards

The School of Education

Institute for Catholic Schools’ Catholic School Teacher Scholarship

Full-time Catholic school teachers and administrators in schools in the Archdiocese of New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn, and the Diocese of Rockville Centre who are enrolled in a master’s degree or an advanced certificate program in The School of Education may apply for the Institute for Catholic Schools’ Catholic School Teacher Scholarship. Applicants must identify as baptized Roman Catholics. A limited number of scholarships are available.

This scholarship offers a 30 percent reduction in graduate degree program tuition in The School of Education, which may be awarded in conjunction with the 40 percent Catholic School Educator discount from St. John’s University. For additional information and the application to apply, please visit www.stjohns.edu/academics/centers-institutes/institute-catholic-schools or contact Margaret Moss, Director, Institute for Catholic Schools, at [email protected].

The Peter J. Tobin College of Business

High-achieving students admitted into graduate programs within the Tobin College of Business are eligible for a select number of scholarships based on the academic strength of their application. These scholarships range from $5,000 to $10,000; students selected for the scholarships are notified by the department or dean’s office.

CFA Institute Student Scholarship

As a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute-affiliated University with six CFA charter holders on faculty, we are eligible to award more than 20 CFA awareness scholarships to students in the program every year. These scholarships provide a program enrollment fee waiver and reduced exam registration fee.

The Greenberg School of Risk Management Academic Scholarship

All students accepted into programs within the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science are automatically considered for an academic scholarship. These awards range from $5,000 to full tuition. Recipients are notified in the acceptance letter. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Insurance Leader of the Year Fellowships

A full tuition fellowship is open to accepted students in the M.S. in Enterprise Risk Management and M.S. in Risk Management and Risk Analytics programs. You must submit an application to be considered. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Promise Scholarship

Students accepted to the M.S. in Actuarial Science degree program who have two Society of Actuaries exams completed before classes begin (one must be exam P), receive a $40,000 scholarship award. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Work Experience Grant

Work experience grants are awarded to accepted students in The Peter J. Tobin College of Business graduate programs based on full-time work experience.

Zurich Fellowship

A partial tuition fellowship is open to accepted students in the M.S. in Enterprise Risk Management, M.S. in Risk Management and Risk Analytics, M.S. in Actuarial Science, M.B.A. in Risk Management and Insurance, M.B.A. in Enterprise Risk Management, and the STEM MBA programs. Accepted applicants must submit a Zurich fellowship application to be considered. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Clergy and Professed Members of Religious Communities Discount

Clergy and professed members of religious communities enrolled in the M.A. in Theology can receive a 50 percent discount on graduate tuition. A letter confirming religious affiliation must be submitted each academic year. This award cannot be combined with any other University discount or scholarship.

The Pope Paul VI Scholarship

This scholarship, which began in 1965, is available to diplomatic personnel from Permanent Missions to the United Nations (UN), as well as UN personnel interested in pursuing a Master of Arts in Government and Politics or an Advanced Certificate in International Law and Diplomacy or Public Administration.

Eligible candidates must be matriculated in the program, complete an application, submit a letter of employment to verify their affiliation with the United Nations or Embassy, and must be listed in the Blue Book of Permanent Missions of the United Nations. This partial scholarship covers 50 percent of tuition for the M.A. in Government and Politics or the Advanced Certificates in International Law and Diplomacy or Public Administration. This award cannot be combined with any other University discount or scholarship.

Rev. Brian J. O’Connell, C.M., Scholarship

The Division of Library and Information Science offers the Rev. Brian J. O’Connell, C.M., Scholarship, named after the late Dean of St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, to high-achieving applicants who earn grade point averages of 3.4 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) for their most recent degrees. Incoming students do not need to apply separately for this scholarship but are automatically granted partial tuition reprieve based on academic merit. This award cannot be combined with any other University discount or scholarship.

The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies

Graduate Law Enforcement Grant

Students currently working in criminal justice, homeland security, and related agencies are eligible for a 33 percent tuition grant for the M.P.S. degree in Homeland Security for up to six credits per semester. The applicant must provide supporting evidence of employment. Please contact Patricia Bartolomeo, Senior Secretary, at [email protected] for more information and instructions to apply for this law enforcement discount. This award cannot be combined with any other University discount or scholarship.

Other Awards

Alumni, Endowment, and Expendable Scholarships

Students may contact their college adviser to learn more about available endowed scholarships. 

External Scholarships

Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships

Scholarships cannot be combined with other scholarships and/or institutional discounts, assistantships, or tuition remission.

Fast-track/pathway/combined degree students are not eligible for many of these awards.