Tuition and Financial Aid

Online Master of Science in Social Administration (MSSA) students are charged tuition on a per-unit-hour basis. The current rate of tuition for the 2020–2021 academic year is $1,550 per unit. There is an additional $20 activity fee per unit for online MSSA students. Tuition rates are reevaluated each year.

Find more information regarding tuition and aid.

Funding Options

A number of financial resources may be available to you, including employer tuition assistance, scholarships funded by professional organizations, military education benefits and private loans. You may be eligible to apply for the following federal student aid options: 

  • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: Students are potentially eligible to receive up to $20,500 per academic year with the Direct Unsubsidized Loan. The potential eligibility amount of the Direct Unsubsidized Loan is not based on need or income.
  • Federal Direct PLUS Loan: Graduate students who are eligible for funds beyond their annual Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan amount may apply for this credit-based loan.
  • Private Loans: Students who require additional assistance may apply for education loans through private lenders.

IMPORTANT: You must be enrolled in a minimum of 4.5 credits to qualify for federal loans. Loan deferment forms should be submitted to the University Registrar at registrar@case.edu or 216-368-4310.

Federal Financial Aid Checklist

If you choose to apply for federal student aid, you will need to complete the following steps:

My Financial Aid

For further information regarding your FAFSA application, missing documents and award, log in to My Financial Aid using your CWRU Network ID and password.

Award Letter

Once you complete the financial aid application, you will receive an award letter that specifies your gross loan amount. This award letter will be emailed to your CWRU email account.

Loan Acceptance

To accept the loan amount offered in your award letter, log in to My Financial Aid using your CWRU Network ID and password. All students must accept their loans on My Financial Aid; you can complete entrance counseling and sign promissory notes at studentloans.gov.

Student loans will not be processed or disbursed until these necessary steps have been completed. 

Employer Reimbursement

Many organizations and employers offer tuition assistance to employees, and some even cover 100 percent of tuition costs. Programs and policies vary among employers. Consult your human resources office to learn more about tuition assistance at your organization. The university’s policy states that you must submit verification that you are eligible for your company’s reimbursement plan. This allows you to function as a paid student (obtain transcripts and preregister for courses), but you will be responsible for any late fees assessed to the account.

Viewing Your Bill

Once you are registered for your first semester, you will receive an email to your CWRU email account stating that you have new billing information. To view your bill:

  1. Log in to your SIS account using your CWRU Network ID.
  2. Under the Finance section, select “View/Pay Bills.”
  3. This will open a new window; confirm that you wish to continue.
  4. Select “View Accounts.” This action will display the current invoice summary.
  5. Under the “Select Action” field, you may then choose to view current statement, statement history or make a payment. 

Paying Your Bill

There are multiple options for you to easily pay your bill:

  • Online through SIS via eCheck, savings account deduction, Mastercard, American Express or Discover Card. Please note: Credit card payments will incur a convenience fee of 2.7 percent.
  • Checks and money orders. Make check/money order payable to Case Western Reserve University and include your student ID number on the check.
  • Authorize third-party payers (i.e., agencies, sponsors, etc.) to submit payments on your behalf. Please submit the paperwork for these requests by the first day of class.
  • E-Z Payment Plan: spread tuition over eight months.
    • The plan is an automatic deduction from the payee’s checking or savings account. The plan runs from June to January.
    • This arrangement must be made at the beginning of the academic year.

Financial Statements

Students may receive financial statements in the form of a receipted bill. To request a receipted bill, send an email to bursar@case.edu. The receipted bill will include all transactions on your account as of the day that we process the request.

More Information

For more information regarding the FAFSA, visit the FAFSA website.

If you have any questions or concerns related to financial aid, please reach out to Assistant Director of Financial Aid Matthew Colver at matthew.colver@case.edu or 216-368-1108.