Tuition & Scholarships

Tuition Costs

Tuition costs and fees for the Master's in Counseling program can be found on the Bursar’s website, although general student fees are not charged for the Jan, May and Summer semesters. A minimum of 63 credit hours will be required to earn this degree. Students in the School Counseling Specialty who are current teachers and can provide annual documentation of such from their school or district, will pay the TFA tuition rate listed on the Bursar’s Tuition schedule. Students who pay the TFA rate commit to the School Counseling Specialty and cannot transfer to a different Specialty within the program.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Financial aid is available to M.S. in Counseling students. Students applying for Federal Student Loans must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by going to StudentAid.gov. The School Code for SMU is 003613. It is important that you refer to the Student Financial Services webpage for details about applying for and accepting financial aid, including recommended deadlines. All federal financial aid, including student loans, is managed by Financial Aid Services, which is located in the Laura Lee Blanton Building. General financial aid questions should be directed to the SMU Mane Desk by calling 214-768-5555 or through email at manedesk@smu.edu. You may also contact graduate financial aid advising staff directly by email at gradfinaid@smu.edu.

Also consider contacting your employer for tuition assistance information. Companies frequently provide tuition assistance for graduate programs to enhance the skills of their employees.

Financial Aid Bulletin

In addition to the possibility of federal loans and employer assistance, the Counseling program offers some scholarships to qualified candidates.

Scholarships

The SMU Master of Science in Counseling Program offers scholarships, to recognize academic excellence or assist deserving students with financial need.

Application deadline is April 1 for Discovery Travel Scholarships and April 15 for all other continuing student scholarships

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General Requirements and Information for all Scholarships

  • Good academic standing (Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher)
  • Good program standing
  • A completed FAFSA application for the academic year in which you are applying (you are not required to qualify for financial aid or to accept loans or other financial aid to apply for Counseling program scholarships). For FAFSA information, see: fafsa.gov/. For other SMU graduate financial aid information see: https://www.smu.edu/enrollment-services/student-financial-services/apply-for-aid.
  • Students may only receive one Counseling Program scholarship in any given application window.
  • Students who are already the recipient of a Counseling Program scholarship are considered ineligible for additional Counseling Program scholarships until their award period has elapsed. Students may not apply for or be awarded concurrent scholarships from the SMU Counseling Program.
  • Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Please read all eligibility requirements and application forms carefully. Some applications request a brief essay. Applications without the essay will not be accepted.
  • Scholarships may be revoked due to changes in academic standing, less than 6 credit hours of enrollment (if required), or disciplinary/remediation circumstances.
  • All scholarship awards are dependent on availability of funds.

Scholarship by Type