DUI on Record while applying

[OneTimeIssue]

Hello, so long story short, I received a DUI this summer for which I received a deferred judgement which means that if I complete a period of time supervised by the court there is no legal conviction. It did however require a guilty plea and is on the court record. (Can never be expunged)

I was wondering if this would impact two things. Firstly my application to IR grad schools and secondly any eligibility for merit aid or research assistant positions if accepted.

From what I have seen right now, it seems like the schools on my radar do not ask about anything but felonies and my case was a misdemeanor.

Any info or insight is appreciated.

[MaxwellAlum]

Based on my knowledge of people in a similar situation, I don't think this will affect your applications/aid eligibility.

[PeterQuince]

This would only be for informational purposes, but you could consider calling up the financial aid office of a school similar to your top school(s) but not one you plan to apply to, and ask them. It's not in any way a guarantee, but it might give you a sense of how the financial aid offices think about situations such as yours. There may also be different requirements for different public institutions in different states, so if you're thinking about Indiana or Michigan or Berkeley or Maryland (etc., etc., etc.) just know that their hands may be tied more tightly (although I can't give you a good reason for why I think this could be a concern).

[Kosmosis707]

I would definitely reach out to a Financial Aid office.  From what i understand, a DUI conviction can affect federal loan eligibility, but it may be only in felony convictions or multiple offenses.  This is something you'll definitely want to investigate before creating any finite plans.  I think each school has its own policy as well.