Federal Student Aid for Students from USA

What are available types of Federal Student Aid (FSA) at Masaryk University?

MU is eligible to award Federal Direct Loans (DL). The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program is a federal student loan program under which eligible students and parents borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) at participating schools.

Students are eligible for Direct Loans (DL), if they meet the following requirements:

• Must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen and have a valid Social Security number (with an exception, please see the link below).
• Must be enrolled at Masaryk University (MU) in a study programme that leads to a degree awarded by the school.
• Direct Subsidized Loans are available only to undergraduate students who have financial need.
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available to both undergraduates and graduate or professional degree students. Students are not required to show financial need to receive a Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
• Must maintain satisfactory academic progress according to MU’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
• Other requirements and specifications listed on the ED’s official website.

The school determines the loan types and the actual amount students are eligible to receive each academic year with regard to the annual and aggregate loan limits set by the ED.

MU is cannot award any other type of Title IV aid except for Direct Loans.

What types of study programmes are eligible for FSA at MU?

At MU, almost all types of study programmes are eligible for Title IV aid with the following exceptions (ineligible for FSA):

• Nursing (Faculty of Medicine)
• Any joint degree or double degree programme
• Any non-degree programme (Lifelong Learning programmes)
• Programmes using telecommunication as a method of delivery for instruction:
  • Any study programme in “distance” form, with Czech or foreign language of instruction (International Commercial Law Studies; Information Services Design).
  • Any study programme in “combined” form, with Czech or foreign language of instruction.

These programmes are not certified for participation in Title IV, and therefore our school is not allowed to disburse FSA to their students. In case a student of ineligible study programme at MU applies for aid, the aid will not be processed.

How much am I eligible for in FSA?

Please see the section Admission – Aid Calculation.

When can I receive the FSA? Can I use the aid to pay for my tuition fee in advance?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to pay your first tuition fee from the aid if you just enrolled in MU. Per federal rules we are not able to disburse aid sooner than 10 days before the semester starts (or even 30 days after the first day of class in case of first year undergraduates who are also first time borrowers).

Therefore before applying for your studies, please make sure you have enough resources to pay for the initial expenses - moving to Brno, accommodation, visa costs, part of the tuition fee, etc.

Can you provide me with 1098-T Tuition Statement forms so my parents can do tax refund for tuition fees I paid?

Masaryk University does not have U.S. tax ID number and therefore cannot provide 1098-T forms at this moment. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

To apply for Federal Student Aid (FSA), you must complete and submit the official Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The application is open every year between Oct 1 and June 30. For example, to receive FSA during the academic year of 2024–2025 you can apply until 30 Jun 2025.

However, in order to process FSA at Masaryk University you need to submit your FAFSA by 15 September (start of studies in Autumn) or by 15 February (start of studies in Spring). For example, if you want to receive FSA at Masaryk University in academic year 2024/2025, you have to submit your FAFSA until 15 September 2024 (if starting studies in Autumn) or until 15 February (if starting in Spring). If you do not submit your FAFSA or contact the FSA Manager at MU by these dates, your aid will be processed in a subsequent academic year. Exception can be given only in duly justified cases (serious illness, loss in family, etc.).

Applying for a study program (procedure explained in the Admission section) does not guarantee your eligibility for FSA and reversely, being eligible for FSA does not guarantee being admitted into study program you applied for. These two are separate processes, each managed by different authority. To study at MU and to receive FSA, you must apply for both.

Apply for Federal Student Aid HERE.

Application Process for the Direct Loan Program at MU

1. Choose the programme you want to study. You can choose from varied list of both Bachelor and Master level study programmes, as well as Doctoral programmes. Please note the list of ineligible programs at MU – see „Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)“ tab above.
2. Make sure you are an eligible student for FSA. The US Department of Education (ED) lists the requirements here.
3. Apply for FSA using FAFSA - the official Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Make sure to apply for FAFSA by 15 September (if you begin your studies in Autumn) or by 15 February (if you begin your studies in the Spring).
4. Contact the FSA Manager at MU (see the contact on the right) to let them know you are applying for aid by by 15 September (if you begin your studies in Autumn) or by 15 February (if you begin your studies in the Spring). They can check your FAFSA for potential errors and clarify some information if needed. Failure to meet these deadlines can result in the delayed processing of the aid (which will be pushed back to subsequent academic year).
5. Complete the admission procedure. This starts with the submission of an electronic application to a MU faculty, follows with passing the admission exams and ends with physical enrolment in the study programme. See more information in the Admission tab and on faculty's website.
6. Open a bank account with any Czech bank. Your faculty will also inform you on this as part of the admission process. Having a bank account in Czech currency (CZK) is highly recommended for paying tuition fees, receiving potential scholarships, charging your SUPO account etc.
7. After completing the admission procedure and enrolling in the study programme you will meet the FSA Manager for an in-person meeting where you will talk about eligibility requirements, SAP rules, your loan limits, loan amount and other important things.
8. Students are required to complete the Master Promissory Note and the Entrance Counseling online. Let the FSA Manager know that you have completed these tasks so it can be checked in the system.
9. After that, you will come to sign two documents:
   • an agreement with the faculty (signed at the faculty) stating your involvement with FSA and obligations as a student (such as payment of tuition fees, etc.). This has to be countersigned by the Dean of the faculty;
   • an award letter (signed at the FSA Manager‘s office) containing more details on disbursement of the aid that were discussed during your in person meeting.
10. After that, your aid can be disbursed.

More information about FSA:

• Video about FSA
• Are you eligible to get FSA?
• How is the aid calculated?
• Estimate your FSA
• Understand the Federal Direct Loans
• How will you receive your financial aid?
• Manage your FSA: Starting, studying and leaving the school

General information

The admission procedure begins with the submission of an application to an MU faculty and proceeds in compliance with the Higher Education Act and Masaryk University Statutes. Applications for studies at Masaryk University are submitted electronically (hereinafter called e-applications). After choosing a field of study, fill out an electronic application and submit it in a timely manner.

Study programmes

We offer the following study programmes which enable you to apply for the loan:

• Bachelor's and master's programmes
• Doctoral programmes

If you are applying for FSA, please note the following study programmes which are not eligible for Title IV aid:

• Nursing (Faculty of Medicine)
• Any joint degree or double degree programme
• Any non-degree programme (Lifelong Learning programmes)
• Programmes using telecommunication as a method of delivery for instruction:
  • Any study programme in “distance” form, with Czech or foreign language of instruction (International Commercial Law Studies; Information Services Design).
  • Any study programme in “combined” form, with Czech or foreign language of instruction.

These programmes are not certified for participation in Title IV, and therefore our school is not allowed to disburse FSA to their students. In case a student of ineligible study programme at MU applies for aid, the aid will not be processed.

Application fees

Fees associated with admission procedures at all Masaryk University faculties have been set at 400-800 CZK depending at the level of study and the faculty. Please find more information on faculty websites.

Application deadline

Individual faculties set out admission procedure dates. Please find more information on faculty websites. Should a given field of study fail to reach full capacity, the faculty may extend the application deadline.

Recognition of Education and Qualifications

After applying

Further communication and any conditions related to the admission process will be communicated to you through the online application and by a letter/e-mail from the University. You can track the status of your application yourself via the online application system at any time.

Enrolment

Every applicant accepted for studies is obliged to come in person to enrol in their studies and to receive notification of admission. The dates will be announced in the Letters of Acceptance sent directly to students. Prior to the beginning of the semester, there is an Orientation Week offered to all international students for 590 CZK.

Contact admission office

Are you interested in studying at Masaryk University but you still have a plenty of specific questions related to the admission procedure? You can request further information from the International Student Advisor:

• Faculty of Law: admission@law.muni.cz
• Faculty of Medicine: admission@med.muni.cz
• Faculty of Science: admission@sci.muni.cz
• Faculty of Arts: admission@phil.muni.cz
• Faculty of Education: admission@ped.muni.cz
• Faculty of Pharmacy: admission@pharm.muni.cz
• Faculty of Economics and Administration: admission@econ.muni.cz
• Faculty of Informatics: admission@fi.muni.cz
• Faculty of Social Studies: admission@fss.muni.cz
• Faculty of Sports Studies: admission@fsps.muni.cz

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are paid per academic year and vary depending on the faculty and the degree program.

​Tuition fees are non-refundable including cases where the applicant (student) has withdrawn, interrupted or terminated studies. An exception can be made when serious health problems prevent the student to attend his or her study programme. In such cases, the Dean of the Faculty shall decide on the amount of the sum to be refunded to the applicant (student) based on medical evidence. Tuition fees for a semester already concluded will not be refunded under any circumstances.

More information about tuition fees can be found on the Masaryk University website. 

Costs of living (monthly in CZK)

• Accommodation (inc. appliances): 10000 Kč
• Books and study materials: 3000 Kč
• City transport card: 550 Kč
• Food: 8000 Kč
• Health insurance: 2500 Kč
• Travel costs (round ticket 2x a year): 2000 USD
• SUM: *24050 Kč/month (this sum does not include the travel costs)

*All MU faculty students have the same estimated living costs in Brno. For other living expenses the maximum amount is counted in general.

Cost of attendance

Cost of attendance (COA) is calculated per year as follows:

• COA = tuition fee + costs of living + travel costs.

To convert currency from CZK or EUR to USD, we use official monthly exchange rates as issued by the Czech National Bank. The Czech National Bank publishes the exchange rate list on working days around 2.30 pm, until then it is possible to obtain the values of currency conversion of the previous working day only.

Please note: Due to differences between exchange rates, currencies converted to USD on initial consultation with the student represent the final amount used in the calculation of aid (and therefore stated in all legal documents) and will not be changed later.

Aid calculation

The actual loan amount depends on several factors:

• Student's aid eligibility (whether he/she can actually receive a loan),
• Cost of attendance (see above),
• Year of study,
• Dependency status (dependent or independent student),
• Annual and aggregate loan limits.

The FSA Administrator will determine your loan amount on the initial consultation, and then at the beginning of every academic year you are eligible for aid.

You can learn more about the loan limits and other important information on the official website of US Department of Education.

For medical students

• Student’s Insurance and Liability Policy
• Medical School Consumer Information (see the Documents section)

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Requirements for the “official closure” of the study are described in article 15 of the Study and Examination Regulations at Masaryk University.

Exit Counselling

Exit Counseling is required by the federal law of the USA. If you are a student who has received subsidized, unsubsidized or PLUS loans under the Direct Loan Program or the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, you must complete Exit Counselling every time you:

• Drop below half-time enrolment
• Graduate
• Withdraw from school

The exit counselling provides important information you will need as you prepare to repay your federal student loan. You will learn how to understand and repay your loans, how to avoid defaulting and how to make your finances a priority.

Exit Counseling at MU is done online through the official ED portal Studentaid.gov. The counselling should be done in a single session and takes approximately 20-30 minutes to be completed.

COMPLETE YOUR EXIT COUNSELING HERE.

Find further resources in the Direct Loan Exit Counseling Guide (see the Documents section below).