Education in the United States: Useful Information->Financial Aid for Graduates #0

Aid from US Universities: Fellowships, Scholarships, Assistantships

Although availability of financial assistance from university departments varies directly with the field,many foreign graduate students finance US education through assistantships. To locate likely sources of aid, first consult the Peterson 's Guide to Graduate and Professional Programs: http://www.petersons.com. General information about the program that you are interested in also includes information on financial aid awarded by the department. Choose several institutions that offer assistantships and consult other references for further information.

FELLOWSHIPS

As a rule they are based on academic merit and generally have no teaching or research obligations. The department normally awards fellowships after the first year of study. Graduate fellowships may be modest, covering only tuition and fees, and monthly cash payments for maintenance Fellowships do not usually cover the total cost of living and studying.

SCHOLARSHIPS

As a rule they are based on academic merit, generally require no repayment obligation and usually cover full or partial tuition.

ASSISTANTSHIPS

This is the most common form of financial aid at the graduate level. Assistantships are cash awards, which require the performance of services related to the field of study, usually about 20 hours per week. Sometimes an assistantship carries with it a waiver or reduction of tuition. Awards may range from as little as $500 to as much as $17,000 (or effectively higher, if high tuition costs are waived) for an academic year. US income tax must be paid on all forms of graduate financial assistance including assistantships. Competition for all types of assistantships is intense, since only limited numbers are available at any one institution.

Foreign applicants financial need is taken into consideration, the most important factor in selection is academic achievement and promise in the field of study. Practically all awards for graduate study are made one year at a time. Renewal is not automatic and depends on your performance and the availability of funds. There are several types of assistantships: Teaching, Research and Administrative.

Useful Information: Financial Aid for Graduates