Free Master Degree Eligibility

• Students must meet the standard academic and requisite requirements of an eligible master's program.
• Students must complete the Free Master’s Scholarship Request to request a free master's degree.

Fill out Request for Free Master’s Scholarship

• The number of hours required for your chosen degree program is included in the free master's offer – 30 hours up to 36 hours, with each degree varying in the number of required hours.
• Additional concentrations beyond the core degree are not included in the Free Master’s Scholarship but may be taken by students at their own expense. 
• All courses within the required credit hours must apply to the degree requirements.

• 36 months after starting an eligible master's degree program

No expiration date (may be used immediately after graduation or anytime in the future).

The Free Master’s Scholarship is not transferable.

• Students cannot change master's degree programs once enrolled in an eligible Free Master's Degree.
• The only exception is for students who must enroll in the Organizational Leadership (MOL) degree to gain eligibility to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA).  The total number of credits the scholarship will cover is 36 credit hours.

The policy for academic standing and dismissal for students receiving the Free Master's Scholarship is consistent with what is required for all graduate students.

Tuition and fees for repeated courses due to failure or low grades will be the student's financial responsibility.  The scholarship does not cover repeated courses.

The FAFSA is not required for the Free Master's Scholarship to be applied to a student's bill.  However, students should submit a FAFSA if they want federal financial aid for related costs not covered by the Free Master’s Scholarship (e.g., course fees, books, resource materials).

• The SAP policy for students receiving the Free Master's Scholarship is consistent with what is required for all graduate students.
• Even if students receive a free master's degree or a tuition benefit, they are subject to satisfactory academic progress (SAP) rules.   The standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) apply to all students, regardless of whether they receive federal aid. Institutions are required to have an SAP policy that is at least as strict as the policy applied to students not receiving Title IV aid¹.  This means that the qualitative (grade-based) and quantitative (time-related) standards used to monitor SAP must be consistent for all students.  In summary, SAP policies are designed to ensure that all students are making adequate progress toward their degree completion, and these policies apply to all students.

• Fall 2020/Spring 2021
• All students who were full-time (FT) and continued registration at the traditional campus until graduation (no breaks in registration or FT status)
• Fall 2021 and forward
• Freshmen: All traditional students who start FT and stay FT at the traditional campus with no registration breaks until graduation
• Transfers: All traditional students who start FT and stay FT at the traditional campus with no registration breaks until graduation AND either completed 4 FT semesters OR 60 BU GPA credit hours.

All international students studying at Belhaven University under an F-1 visa are eligible to receive the free online master's but must take their course work while living or working outside of the United States. All other degree requirements apply including any requirements related to academic standings detailed in the Belhaven University catalogue.

You are eligible if you study a year abroad at a full load, under our approval. It counts as continuous registration even if the credits are from a different school.

• Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC)
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
• Undergraduate or prerequisite courses for an eligible master's degree program
• Degree offerings may change.  Your scholarship may be applied to any 100% online master's program offered by Belhaven University on the date you are accepted into your chosen degree program.

• Students enrolled in Belhaven's 100% Online or Adult undergraduate programs.
• Students who enrolled part-time
• Students who graduated before the fall of 2020
• Students who already graduated with an eligible master's degree using the Free Master's Scholarship