Financial Support

What is the cost of tuition for the year?
        For the 2005/2006 academic year, the in-state tuition costs were $3,690, and the out-of-state tuition costs were $14,958.

What percentage of those applicants accepted into the program receive funding?
        At time of acceptance, a few applicants may be guaranteed graduate funding in the form of assistantships. Historically, virtually every student in the program who has requested financial support has received funding from the program. This funding has covered tuition and a monthly stipend toward living expenses.

How many years of funding are available to students?
        Students who are making good progress toward completing the Doctorate can usually count on at least four years of financial support.

How and when are funding decisions and assistantship assignments made?
        Initial decisions are made in March-April; rolling decisions are made throughout the year. Funding decisions and assistantship assignments are determined by considering what teaching and research assistantships are available, which students need funding, and the skills and abilities of the students (e.g., advanced students differ from incoming first years).

What types of assistantships are available?
        There are two types of assistantships: Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) and Graduate Research Assistant (GRA).   

What are some tasks associated with the GTA and GRA assistantships?
        GTAs' tasks are to assist faculty with class management, prepare exams, maintain records, help students understand class materials, etc. Some GTAs teach a lab associated with a large section of a psychology course. GRAs' tasks include assisting faculty with designing and conducting research.

Can students request a particular assistantship?
        Students' preferences are solicited.

What is the average stipend for an assistantship?
        The average stipend for a GTA or GRA is $1,000 per month after taxes. GTAs and GRAs receive an additional $200 per semester. This money is provided to buy graduate student health insurance, but can be used in any way desired by the student.

Are fellowships available?
        There are fellowships available to advanced graduate students such as the Graduate School Fellowship or the Psychology Department Teaching Fellowship. Organizations such as the National Science Foundation provide competitive fellowships to graduate students as well. Students are encouraged to apply for NSF awards before entering graduate school as many are slated for incoming graduate students rather than established ones.

Do students usually need to take out loans or seek outside employment?
       It may be possible to live on the financial support provided by the I/O program, but some students do take out loans or seek family support in order to achieve a higher standard of living than program support allows. Since the financial support provided by the program is usually only for 9-month (GRAs funded by grants can receive supports up to12-month), many students take internships or other forms of summer employment to supplement their income. Summer consulting work or paid research assistantships through the program faculty members are sometimes available. Advanced graduate students are also occasionally able to find funding during the summer as a paid instructor of an undergraduate course.