Financing Graduate School

Graduate school is a financial investment; even if you get a funded position and your tuition is covered, you may need to take out loans for supplementary income and you likely will be living with limited means during your program of study. But as a college student, you are probably already well prepared for that! And, the long-term benefits of a graduate degree will very likely outweigh the temporary hardships of limited cash.

There are many resources to help you finance graduate school. Check out these links:

For nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships, see ASPIRE's list.

Be sure to explore the financial packages for graduate students at each school you apply to. For example, graduate teaching assistantship stipends may range from $10,000/9 months to $25,000/9 months, depending on the school and field. You might need to pay fees at some programs while others packages will cover the cost of fees. Do your homework so that you can be sure to get the best possible financial deal.

Finally, once you start graduate school, you will be able to continue looking for outside funding for either summer research or a new fellowship to replace your original graduate assistantship. Outside funding from a national foundation or government agency is usually higher than an institution’s funding.