Research Fellowships

Research fellowships are awarded primarily by individual faculty and are paid from their externally funded research grants. To increase your likelihood of receiving a research fellowship, contact the professor with whom you would like to work early in the application process. Award amounts vary and may include any combination of the following across different semesters based on the satisfactory research and academic performance, as well as availability of funds.

• Reduced tuition – Student pays $1000/semester regardless of the number of credits + fees +  health insurance (if applicable)
• Full tuition waiver - Student pays fees + health insurance (if applicable)
• Full tuition and fee waiver - Student only pays for health insurance (if applicable)
• Monthly stipend (amount varies based on the availability of funds)

Ph.D. students are generally provided at least a full tuition waiver + a stipend.

Exceptionally qualified Ph.D. students who have completed their MS degree (or an equivalent number of credits) may be considered for additional teaching assignment beyond the minimum required if they wish to improve their teaching skills. Such teaching assignment may provide an additional stipend to the student ro replace part of the research stipend. Please discuss with your thesis / dissertation advisor.

Fellowship amounts vary but - as described above - may be available up to the full cost of attendance, in addition to possible stipend. In order to obtain and maintain status as a Fellow, all students must, at a minimum:

• Be an admitted, matriculated full-time and active student in good standing in the program.
• Must be a M.S student on thesis track or a Ph.D. student.
• Registration each term must meet or exceeds the enrollment minimums outlined on the Fellowship Agreement Form. This will typically be full time (9-12 credits) in fall and spring, and part-time (3-9 credits) in summer. International students must meet the requirements of their visa with respect to full-time status (please visit the International Center for details). 
• Maintain a minimum 3.000 cumulative GPA each term and adhere to the Minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for their particular academic program.
• Commit significant hours each week of each term to academic research under the guidance of their Advisor/Program Coordinator/Research Supervisor.
• Work with faculty members on research projects leading to the Master’s thesis or Ph.D. dissertation.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching assistantships are awarded by the Department to students with 1) excellent communication skills, and 2) demonstrated expertise in a topic area taught by the department in that semester. Most teaching assistantships are also awarded to Ph.D. and thesis-based MS students.

Contact the department head about your skills / expertise that may uniquely qualify you for a teaching position. Teaching assistantships are paid the same rate adjunct professors are paid on a per-credit basis. As of Fall 2023, that is $1705/credit. Typically, teaching assistantships are assigned to help faculty members in lab classes, and can be 1, 2 or 3 sections of a lab class, each carring 1 credit workload. Please note that teaching assistantship positions do not come with a tuition benefit.