Graduate Financial Aid Counselor

Graduate Financial Aid Counselor

Join Syracuse University as a Graduate Financial Aid Counselor. The Graduate Financial Aid Counselor supports Syracuse University’s mission to attract and retain graduate students by advising a diverse population of approximately 4,000 enrolled and prospective students on federal and private loans, graduate aid, and financial planning. The role involves guiding students through eligibility, sensitive family financial circumstances, payment options, and academic progress while applying knowledge of rapidly changing federal regulations and institutional policies.

Operating in a high‑volume, fast‑paced environment, the counselor ensures compliance with U.S. Department of Education and University policies, provides individualized advisement tailored to the unique challenges of graduate students, and coordinates with campus partners to resolve concerns. In addition, the counselor represents the office at on‑ and off‑campus graduate events throughout the year, supporting recruitment, retention, and student success.

• Bachelor’s Degree required, Master’s preferred.
• Two (2) plus years of financial aid experience preferred, though counseling experience in other higher education student services area could be a reasonable substitution.
• NASA‑FAA credentials recommended:
  Fundamentals in Student Financial Aid, Application Process, Need Analysis, Satisfactory Academic Progress and Professional Judgment.

• Possess comprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs and regulations, with specialized expertise in graduate and certificate programs, including online and flexible‑format offerings.
• Skilled in evaluating the impact of graduate awards and stipends on aid eligibility and providing clear, empathetic counseling to diverse student populations.
• Demonstrated ability to advise with professionalism, tact, discretion, diplomacy, and compassion while thriving in a high‑volume, fast‑paced environment that requires attention to detail, initiative, and the ability to prioritize multiple deadlines with minimal guidance.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering an office culture where students and staff of all backgrounds feel safe, accepted, and supported.
• Actively contributes to financial literacy initiatives that help students overcome barriers to college access and success.
• Experienced with People Soft, OnBase, and Microsoft Office products, with flexibility to work overtime during peak award seasons to ensure exceptional service.

• Counsel graduate students, both prospective and currently enrolled, on all aspects of financial aid through approximately 400 in‑person or virtual appointments annually, along with several hundred phone and email communications, with the heaviest activity during admission and returning award seasons.
• Manage a population of about 4,000 graduate students, including 1,500 who receive federal or private loans, providing advisement that is sensitive to the unique challenges of independent graduate students while adhering to evolving U.S. Department of Education and University policies.
• Monitor aid eligibility weekly and adjust awards as needed throughout the year to ensure compliance and accuracy.
• Participate in outreach programs such as FAFSA filing nights held over multiple evenings and weekends during the fall and spring, as well as numerous on‑campus Admissions events, supporting both recruitment and retention goals.
• Determine and review financial aid eligibility for approximately 4,000 graduate students on the main campus, applying federal, state, and institutional regulations to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Evaluate enrollment changes, monitor satisfactory academic progress, review scholarships and graduate awards, resolve federal match issues, and assess eligibility for Ameri Corps, veterans’ benefits, and refunds.
• Conduct weekly reviews of an average of 200 students receiving graduate awards to ensure federal financial aid limits are not exceeded, particularly during semester starts.
• Develop and deliver financial aid and financial literacy…