Funding Resources
There are many sources of funding for your graduate education and we can only address the most general ones here. You should also consult with your program faculty and administrative assistants, who may know of discipline-specific sources.
Need-based Aid
The UConn Office of Student Financial Aid is the office charged with administration of financial aid based on demonstrated financial need. This aid takes a number of forms and is governed by an extensive set of guidelines. Information on all of the need-based programs is available from that office.
Graduate Assistantships
Students enrolled in graduate degree and certificate programs at UConn are eligible to hold a Graduate Assistantship (GA), which is the primary means of support for graduate students at UConn. Appointments ordinarily are made for the nine-month academic year, August 23 through May 22. As a recipient of a GA you would serve as a teaching assistant, a reader for a class, or assist in a laboratory or research environment. Graduate Assistants are full time students and must remain registered for at least 6 credits while holding the appointment. To be appointed, you must hold Regular (not Provisional) academic status, maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least B (3.00).
Graduate assistantships can be for as much as 20 hours/week and as few as 10 hours/week, with pay adjusted accordingly. Each assistantship carries a full waiver of tuition (but not fees) and highly subsidized health insurance. Since the assistantship involves "work for hire," the stipend is subject to U.S. taxes. There are three rates of pay, varying by experience and the degree program you are in. The levels of pay are published each year in the Graduate Catalog.
Graduate School Predoctoral Fellowships
Predoctoral fellowships are awarded to doctoral students on the recommendation of the graduate faculty of your program. Award amounts vary considerably. Predoctoral fellowships carry no service commitment. You must be a Regular (not Provisional) full-time doctoral student to be eligible for these fellowships.
Multicultural Scholars Program
The Graduate School and the Provost's Office have established a fund for the promotion of diversity within graduate education. This program functions to promote the recruitment and retention of diverse populations of graduate students by matching the funding support provided by the schools, departments, or fields of study. Students are nominated by the graduate program to which they are applying. Eligibility for support is based on the student's academic qualifications, U.S. citizen or permanent resident status, and the demonstrated need for increased cultural diversity within the field of study.
Outstanding Scholars Program
The Graduate School and participating academic departments and programs offer a number of fellowships for new outstanding doctoral students. Each award includes a stipend of $8,000 for the academic year plus a $2,000 summer stipend, provided by the Graduate School, and a graduate assistantship for each of the fall and spring semesters, which is provided by the department or program. The award is renewable for two additional years. Each spring, doctoral fields of study recommend applicants who intend to commence graduate study in the subsequent fall semester.
Tuition Assistance Program For Outstanding Master's Degree Students
The Tuition Assistance Program for Outstanding Master's Degree Students provides tuition assistance for a maximum of four semesters for selected students, who are classified as out-of-state for tuition purposes, in terminal master's degree tracks. In effect, these grants permit the recipients to pay tuition at the in-state rate. The specific selection criteria for these grants include: admission to and full-time matriculation in a master's degree program which ordinarily does not lead to a doctorate; absence of graduate assistantship support (which carries with it a tuition waiver); out-of-state residency status; evidence of academic excellence (based on grade point averages, GRE/GMAT scores, etc.); and U.S. citizen or permanent resident status. This program is administered by the Graduate School. Students are nominated by faculty members in terminal-track master's degree programs.
Graduate Student Senate Short-Term Loan Fund
This fund is administered by the Graduate Student Senate (GSS), and is funded by graduate student activities fees. It provides loans of up to $500 to assist graduate students in dealing with financial emergencies. Loans are issued for 60-day periods and are interest free. Applications are available in the Graduate Student Senate Office, Student Union Room 213 and on the GSS Web site.
Semi-Annual Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Program
Twice each year, the Graduate School awards a number of $2000 Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships for advanced doctoral students. Their purpose is to enable students to concentrate on writing the doctoral dissertation, without as many demands from other work. The competitions for these fellowships are held in late fall and late spring. To be eligible, you must have completed your general examination and obtained approval of your dissertation proposal (including human or animal subjects requirements). You also must have a total annual income not exceeding $30,200. You may receive only one fellowship during your doctoral studies and the application must be made prior to the completion and defense of your dissertation.
Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Application, Deadline, May 31, 2008
Contact Dr. Tom Peters for more information
Doctoral Student Extraordinary Expense Award
Up to $500 is available to defray extraordinary expenses involved with completion of your dissertation research. Extraordinary expenses include those related to collecting/analyzing data, such as printing and mailing of questionnaires, fees paid to subjects, fees paid for the transcription of recorded research material, travel necessary to administer questionnaires, to interview subjects, or to do research at libraries and sites away from the campus, and unusual items of equipment or supplies that your academic program may not have. You may receive only one of these awards during your doctoral studies. Eligibility requirements are the same as those of the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, except that there is no income limit. Application for the Extraordinary Expense Award must be made before the expense(s) to be covered are incurred.
Summer Research Fellowship Program
Summer Fellowships are intended to support advanced graduate students during the summer months so that they may accelerate the process of completing their doctoral requirements. The Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Education provides funds for this program directly to the academic units. Each unit uses its own criteria to determine who will receive an award. The amount of each fellowship varies from department to department but awards typically are in the range of $1,000. Contact your graduate program staff for information on applying for this fellowship.
Dissertation Research Travel Awards
If you are in a doctoral program, once you complete your General Examination you become eligible for a $1000 travel allowance. This travel fund is made available through your major advisor and can be used for travel to the professional meeting or conference of your and your major advisor's choice. All doctoral students are eligible for this award. THe details of the rules governing the program are available here.
Contact Danielle Farrands for more information.