Cost & Funding

Information for Cost and Funding for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

Full cost information is forthcoming as we finalize program details. Tuition will be consistent with comparable counseling graduate programs and supported by a range of financial aid options. The Elon University admissions and student financial services teams are ready to help guide students through available resources in order to plan accordingly.

Financial Aid Information

The Federal Stafford Student Loan Program

The primary source of financial assistance for physician assistant students attending Elon University will be the Federal Stafford Student Loan Program. Graduate students may borrow up to $20,500 through the Unsubsidized Stafford Loan program. The student will be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. If the interest is capitalized (allowed to accumulate) it will be added to the principal amount of the loan and will increase the amount the borrower will have to repay. If the choice is made to pay the interest as it accumulates, the total interest charges paid during repayment will be considerably less. The maximum unsubsidized loan for graduate and professional study is $20,500 per year.

The total amount a graduate or professional student may borrow from all Stafford Loans combined is $138,500 (no more than $65,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans). The graduate borrowing limit includes any Stafford Loans received for undergraduate study.

Under current law, the fixed interest rate charged on Federal Stafford Loans is set each year by the Department of Education at the beginning of July. There are also small origination and guarantee fees associated with each loan. These fees are deducted up front and thus lower the actual amount of each disbursement.

Repayment of Stafford Loans begins six months after graduation or withdrawal from the PA Program. This is called the grace period. During the grace period on a Stafford loan, no payment of any principal is due.

Federal Stafford Loans are disbursed in two payments: one at the start of the academic term and one at the midpoint of the term. The loan funds will be sent to the university in equal disbursements.

For information on how to obtain a Federal Stafford Student Loan, see How To Apply for Student Loans. First-time borrowers are required to complete student loan entrance counseling and a Master Promissory Note, which are available at studentloans.gov.

The Federal Graduate PLUS Loan Program

For students who need financial assistance beyond the $20,500 Stafford Loan maximum, there is the federal Graduate PLUS loan program. The PLUS loan allows for the deferment of repayment while the student is enrolled in the Physician Assistant program. Under current law, the fixed interest rate charged on Graduate PLUS is set each year by the Department of Education at the beginning of July. There are also small origination and guarantee fees associated with each loan. These fees are deducted up front and thus lower the actual amount of each disbursement.

The maximum amount a student may borrow from the PLUS Loan program is $78,173 less any Stafford Loans and other forms of financial aid a student may be receiving.

Information about the Graduate PLUS Loan may be obtained from the Office of Financial Aid website. First-time borrowers are required to complete student loan entrance counseling and a Master Promissory Note, which are available at studentloans.gov.

How to Apply for Student Loans

  1. Complete the Elon Financial Aid Application and submit to the Office of Financial Aid. This is found in your student portal.
  2. Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA should be filed electronically online at fafsa.gov. Elon’s Federal Title IV School Code is 002927.

Note: For those enrolling in January 2025, please complete the 2024-25 FAFSA. 

For additional information, please contact Lynette Lorenzetti in Elon’s Office of Financial Aid at lorenzet@elon.edu or (336) 278-7640.

Billing and Payment Process

Students will receive a bill from the Bursar’s Office in early December that will be due in the January of their start term. A second bill will be sent in May that will be due in June.

Information on tuition refund policies can be found on the Bursar’s Office website.