Graduate Student Funding Opportunities

Financial assistance is available in the form of research and teaching assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships. A limited number of funding opportunities are available. Approximately half of our graduate students are supported through these assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships. The remainder may be supported by their employer, by government or military programs, internships, or are self-supported.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are the most widely recognized form of funding nationwide. They are typically awarded by academic programs and are employment-based. They require a work effort in a teaching or research program. They typically provide a stipend, tuition remission, and sometimes health insurance. Stipends are administered through payroll, and taxes are withheld.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA): Graduate Research Assistants are hired to assist with research being conducted in the Department on externally-funded research grants. GRA’s are typically required to assist the faculty with performing the research required as part of the grant. This work can include reviewing literature, collecting and analyzing data, setting up and running experiments, and writing research reports. GRA positions are offered when needed to support the research grants. Students receiving a GRA are chosen by the faculty member overseeing the grant. Students interested in working as a GRA should contact each faculty member directly.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA): Graduate Teaching Assistants are hired by the Department to support faculty with specified courses. GTA’s are typically required to assist the faculty in the classroom, oversee course lab sessions, grade assignments, and support the faculty with other responsibilities associated with classes. The Department’s GTA positions are offered each April for each upcoming school year. Students receiving a GTA are chosen from the accepted applicants (applicants who have applied well before March 1 of each year and have been accepted by the Department). Those with the highest grades and scores, good evaluation letters, and statement of objectives are usually most likely to be chosen. Students interested in working as a GTA should contact the Department office.

Scholarships and Fellowships

Fellowships: Graduate fellowships are similar to graduate assistantships in that they provide a stipend and sometimes tuition remission and a research allowance. The primary difference is that fellows are not employees and do not have to provide service for the fellowship. Fellowship stipends are distributed directly to the student’s business account. Some fellowship stipends are distributed by check from the Research Accounting Office. Taxes are not withheld, but the fellowship may represent taxable income. Fellowships vary in value and duration and are often awarded at a specific stage in the educational continuum.

• Available fellowships