Funding a DPT Education

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The first step in funding your DPT Education is to .  The FAFSA is the federal form that is used to determine eligibility for the Federal Direct Loan Programs including the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and Federal GRAD PLUS Loan.  The process for completing the FAFSA can be found here.

Tuition, Fees and Payment Plans

The tuition, fees and payment plans approved by the Board of Trustees as well as the Cost of Attendance figures for financial aid are published each year.  This information can be reviewed here.  É«ÖÐÉ« also offers payment plan options for students to manage their out-of-pocket expenses.

Federal Direct Loan Programs

As a graduate student, the federal financial aid is limited to the Federal Direct Loan Programs.

Direct Unsubsidized Loan – A loan a student borrows to finance their cost of education.  A graduate student is only eligible for the Direct Unsubsidized Loan up to $20,500 per academic year.  The student is responsible for paying the interest on this loan while they are in school.

GRAD PLUS Loan – A federal loan for eligible graduate or professional students.  A separate application is required to apply for the GRAD PLUS Loan.  A credit check is performed and the student must not have an adverse credit history to qualify.

For more information on Federal Direct Loans please visit

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

PSLF is a program for people who work in public service in federal, state, tribal, or local government, or for a non-profit organization.  To learn more about PSLF, or to see if you would qualify visit .

É«ÖÐÉ« DPT Academic Graduate Assistantship

The DPT Program offers Academic Graduate Assistantships that a student can apply for with the Director of the Program.  These Assistantships offer tuition assistance in exchange for working in the DPT Department to gain experience.  For information about these open positions, please contact Dr. Arvie Vitente, DPT Program Director at avitente@lewisu.edu.

External Scholarships

Applicants are encouraged to seek external opportunities for scholarship.

  • Some APTA offer scholarships to DPT students.
  • APTA
  • Illinois Physical Therapy Foundation’s
  • The
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