The RIT Master Plan

Complete and submit the application.

No, GRE and GMAT scores are waived for applicants applying for The RIT Master Plan.

Requirements vary by program, and admission decisions are made by the faculty committee in the academic departments. In general, faculty are looking for a cumulative 3.0 or higher GPA, with a strong background in related course work. In the programs that require a portfolio, the work submitted in the portfolio plays a significant role in the decision process.

Students with a GPA below 3.0 may apply and will be considered. The admissions committee will review your application and may request additional supporting documents in order to make an admission decision. Contact your graduate admissions counselor to discuss your situation and options.

Required prerequisite courses are outlined under the Admission Requirements section on each graduate program page. Students who do not meet all prerequisites may be considered for admission on a contingent basis upon completing additional bridge courses. Contact your graduate admissions counselor for more information.

You should receive an admission decision within one week of submitting your application. You will receive an email directing you to the application portal to view the admission decision. Your graduate admissions counselor will communicate with you directly if there are unforeseen delays in the admission review process.

Students must be certified for their RIT undergraduate degree in December 2019 or later. To receive the 40% scholarship, students must begin an eligible master’s degree program by August 2025. This scholarship is available for eligible on campus programs or the online Computer Science MS. Online degree programs that are already offered at the reduced online rate cannot be combined with the Master Plan scholarship.

The scholarship is not available for doctoral programs, advanced certificates, RIT Architecture Online M.Arch, edX and RITx courses or MicroMasters, or executive education programs (Executive MBA, Online Executive MBA, Product Development MS, Manufacturing Leadership MS).

Accelerated Scholars in a Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program do not qualify for the RIT Master Plan scholarship since they are already receiving the Combined Accelerated Scholarship toward their graduate tuition rate. This award and the RIT Master Plan award cannot be stacked.

Yes, if you meet the qualifications for The RIT Master Plan, and have already been admitted to a qualifying master’s degree program, we will honor your current award or the Master Plan scholarship, whichever is higher. Contact your graduate admissions counselor for details.

The RIT Master Plan scholarship is only available for students who begin their master’s degrees by August 2025.

Yes, you may enroll as a full- or part-time student.

The timeline to complete a master’s degree varies by program. A number of programs may be completed in one calendar year, others may take an additional semester or more to complete. Check curriculum requirements on the graduate program pages.

RIT graduates who apply for The Master Plan, and are admitted to a qualifying graduate program, will automatically be awarded a scholarship covering 40% of their tuition. The scholarship will be pre-credited to your account, and will pay to the account shortly after the Add/Drop period of each semester, based on 40% of the number of credits you are registered for at that time.

When you receive notification of admission, you will also be told how much scholarship you will receive.

As long as you are in good academic standing and return within 12 months from your last date of enrollment, you would be eligible to continue to receive the scholarship.

Yes, the scholarship will apply to prerequisite courses as long as you are admitted to the graduate program contingent on your completing those courses, and are matriculated as a graduate student when taking prerequisite courses.

These requests will be considered on an individual basis.

Students awarded The RIT Master Plan scholarship will receive 40% off the standard RIT tuition rate. The scholarship will apply only to courses required to complete your graduate degree, and will continue for up to 36 months, provided you make satisfactory academic progress toward your degree.

Students who meet the program criteria and are admitted to qualifying master’s degree programs will receive the scholarship. The scholarship is not available for doctoral programs, advanced certificates, RIT Architecture Online M.Arch, edX or RITx courses or MicroMasters, or executive education programs (Executive MBA, Online Executive MBA, Product Development MS, and Manufacturing Leadership MS).

Accelerated Scholars in a Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program do not qualify for the RIT Master Plan scholarship as they are already receiving the Combined Accelerated Scholarship toward their graduate tuition rate. This award and the RIT Master Plan award cannot be stacked.

Some ways that graduate students cover the remaining cost of tuition, as well as living expenses, are as follows:

• RIT Graduate Assistantships - RIT Graduate Assistantships are offered by academic departments to full-time, on-campus, matriculated graduate students to serve as teaching, research, or administrative assistants. Graduate Assistants receive wages (determined by the department making the appointment) in exchange for work performed. Positions that qualify to receive any tuition support in addition to wages CANNOT be combined with The RIT Master Plan scholarship. Students seeking more information about a possible appointment should contact their graduate department coordinator.
• Federal Loans
  • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan for Graduate Students is a federal loan program with an annual maximum amount of $20,500. To qualify for the unsubsidized loan, a student must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.studentaid.gov. You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen in order to file the FAFSA. As a graduate student, you are not required to include your parents’ financial information on the FAFSA.
  • Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students is a federal loan program provided to assist with remaining educational costs after the maximum federal Unsubsidized loans have been applied. Applicants must first file a FAFSA and must not have an adverse credit history. Otherwise, you must obtain a co-signer who does not have an adverse credit history.
  • Alternative Educational Loans - Alternative educational loans are private loans (non-federal) offered through banks to supplement financial aid awards.  You may borrow through any lender of your choice as RIT does not maintain a preferred lender list.  Please review our Alternative Educational Loans section for more details to assist you with the process of selecting a lender.
  • International students who are seeking educational loan sources may want to consider reviewing the information here to start your search for various student loan options. 

Please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships with questions regarding financial aid. They can guide you through the process of filing a FAFSA as well as address your student loan questions.

The RIT Master Plan scholarship cannot be combined with any other RIT discounts, scholarships, or programs that provide tuition support. Students who receive the scholarship can apply for on-campus jobs through student employment, and earn hourly wages for work performed.

If you borrowed federal student loans as an undergraduate student, you can request for an In-School Deferment through your federal loan servicer as long as you are enrolled at least half-time while attending graduate school. A deferment is a temporary postponement of payment of your federal student loans due to a qualifying reason such as enrollment in graduate school. Your servicer will need to verify that you are enrolled at least half-time through the National Student Clearinghouse. If you are unaware of how to contact your federal student loan servicer to request for a deferment, you can locate information about your servicer by logging on to the National Student Loan Data System using your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. This is the same FSA ID you use to file a FAFSA. The National Student Loan Data System will have the contact information for your federal student loan servicer.

If you borrowed alternative educational loans as an undergraduate student, you need to contact the lender(s) directly to inquire if these loans can be deferred of payment while you pursue a graduate degree. Lenders may have policies that differ from the federal loan programs.

Your graduate admissions counselor will work with you to process your updated I-20 after admission. It’s a very easy process, and you do not need to leave the country or arrange a new visa appointment. Your Sevis ID will remain the same. Contact your graduate admissions counselor with any questions.

The Master Plan scholarship does not apply to RIT online degree programs, with the exception of the online MS in computer science. The majority of our online degrees are already offered at the reduced online rate. For details, visit the Tuition and Fees website. Contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 585-475-2229 or gradinfo@rit.edu with questions.

Yes. RIT students who are certified for their master’s degree after December 2019 and before August 2025 are welcome to apply to another master’s degree program and will receive the scholarship, if eligible.

Yes. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students who qualify for NTID support are eligible for 40% off the NTID graduate tuition rate for any Master Plan eligible graduate program they select. Students who enroll in the secondary education for the deaf and hard of hearing MS degree, offered through NTID, are also eligible for 40% off the NTID graduate tuition rate.

Yes, students who graduate from RIT China, RIT Croatia, RIT Dubai, or RIT Kosovo after December 2019 are eligible to apply for The RIT Master Plan.