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.
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.
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.
Predoctoral fellowships are awarded to doctoral students on the recommendation of the graduate faculty in their 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. The Vice Provost for Graduate Education provides funds for this program directly to the academic units. Contact your graduate coordinator for more information about the Predoctoral Fellowship 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.
Nominations should be sent to Joanna Desjardin at Unit 1006. Nominations should include a brief cover letter addressing the applicant's accomplishments along with a description of how well the applicant fits in the program (including faculty mentor (s)), copies of his or her transcripts (including GPA), GRE scores, applicant's personal statement and letters of recommendation. A faculty committee will review and select awardees.
As part of the Multicultural Scholars Program, the Graduate School will make a limited number of awards to incoming doctoral students who represent the very best of the year’s entering graduate student class and who will enhance the diversity of our graduate programs. The award will consist of an annual service-free fellowship, equivalent to a half-time academic-year graduate assistantship paired with a half-time academic year graduate assistantship and a $2000 summer stipend, guaranteed for three years. Teaching or research duties associated with the graduate assistantship will be determined by the graduate program in which the scholar is enrolled. In 2012-2013 the Graduate School may also make a limited number of one-year awards to outstanding multicultural scholars who are already enrolled in doctoral programs at the University of Connecticut.
To nominate an applicant for an OMSP award, please complete the cover sheet and forward the completed form along with copies of the applicant's transcripts, GRE scores, applicant's personal statement and letters of recommendation to Joanna Desjardin at Unit 1006 or as a PDF to Joanna.Desjardin@uconn.edu. Nominations must reach Joanna by the deadline date to be considered for an award. A faculty committee will review and select awardees.
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.
The Graduate School and participating academic departments and programs offer a number of OSP awards for new outstanding doctoral students. Each award includes a fellowship equivalent to a half-time graduate assistantship (there are three rates of pay varying by experience and degree program) for the academic year plus a $2,000 summer stipend, provided by the Graduate School, and a graduate assistantship for 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. The academic quality of the candidate and the nominating program are the prime cirteria for an OSP award.
To nominate an applicant for an OSP award, please complete the on-line OSP cover sheet and forward the completed form along with copies of the applicant's transcripts, GRE scores, applicant's personal statement and letters of recommendation to Joanna Desjardin at Unit 1006 or as a pdf to Joanna.Desjardin@uconn.edu. Nominations must reach Joanna by the deadline date to be considered for an award. A faculty committee will review and select awardees.
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 and are 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.
Nominations should be sent to Joanna Desjardin at Unit 1006 or as a pdf to Joanna.Desjardin@uconn.edu and should include a brief description of why the candidate is deserving of such award. There are a limited number of awards, hence nominations should be sent as early as possible to be considered for an award.
This fund is administered by the Graduate Student Senate (GSS), and is funded by graduate student activities fees. It provides loans of up to $1000 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.
Twice each year, the Graduate School awards a number of $2,000 Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships for advanced students in doctoral programs requiring a dissertation. Their purpose is to enable students to place a high priority on writing the doctoral dissertation as expeditiously as possible. The competitions for these fellowships are held in late fall and late spring each year (pending budgetary approval). To be eligible, the student must have passed the doctoral General Examination and have obtained full approval of the Dissertation Proposal (including the use of any human or animal subjects or stem cells). There is a maximum personal income limit for an applicant to be eligible. The limit is specified for each competition on the application form. The application is posted to the Graduate School Web site approximately October 1st and April 1st. Students are notified of the posting of the application at those times by UConn Listserv e-mail. Application deadlines are in late-November and mid-May respectively. Students based at the Health Center in Farmington are not eligible to apply for this fellowship program.
Summer and Fall 1012 Doctoral Dissertation 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 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. Contact your graduate program staff for information on applying for this fellowship.
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 Martha Marroni for more information.
