Search
Today’s graduate and undergraduate students are in a much different place financially than previous generations of students. In 2012, total student debt for the first time exceeded $1 trillion. Rising debt levels can cause some students to defer graduate study or to decide that a graduate degree is not for them. At a time when public funding for education is decreasing and student debt is rising, more students are taking on debt to support their educational aspirations.
To help students learn how to successfully manage their finances and educational costs, the Council of Graduate Schools, funded by a grant from TIAA-CREF, a leading financial services organization with a long history of serving those in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields, has launched a three-year project to enhance the financial literacy of graduate and undergraduate students.
Project Goals
Participating colleges and universities will design programs that prepare students to play an active role in managing their personal finances and making informed decisions about saving, spending, and borrowing. The institutions will address the needs of different groups of students, while considering factors such as their field of study, degree levels, and chosen career pathways, each of which has significant financial ramifications. CGS and partnering institutions will also collect and analyze data to inform the development of innovative, new tools and resources for students.
Research Partners
Through a competitive proposal process involving an independent selection committee, 15 institutions have been selected to participate in the project as funded research partners. The institutions selected to receive funding are:
- Arkansas State University
- Cornell University
- The Ohio State University
- University of Colorado System
- Eastern Illinois University
- Florida A&M University
- Iowa State University
- Kansas State University
- Loyola University Chicago
- Mississippi State University
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- University of Kentucky
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- University of South Florida
- Winthrop University
An additional 19 universities will participate in the project as affiliate partners.
Background
Explore the links and presentations below for more background on this project:
- Why is Financial Education Necessary for Today's Undergrads and Graduate Students?
- What Do Students Need to Know?
- What Can Institutions Do?
- Resources
Contacts
In collaboration with:
As the national advocate for graduate education, CGS serves as a resource for policymakers and others on issues concerning graduate education, research, and scholarship. Based in Washington, DC, the organization provides its members with regular updates and analyses of legislative and regulatory proposals and policies that affect graduate education.
View Public Policy work
