Financing Your Graduate Education
(with excerpts from Peterson’s Grants for Graduate & Postdoctoral Study 1)
Definitions -- Know your needs; match them; pay attention!
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Graduate Assistantships are the most widely recognized form of funding nationwide. They are
typically awarded by academic programs and are employment-based. They require a work effort in
the teaching or research program. At OSU, assistantships provide a stipend, tuition remission, and
health insurance benefits. Stipends are administered through payroll, and taxes are withheld.
Graduate Fellowships are similar to graduate assistantships in that they provide a stipend and
sometimes tuition remission and a research allowance. The primary difference is that fellows are not
employees and do not have to provide service for the fellowship. At OSU, stipends are distributed
directly to the student’s business account. Some external fellowship stipends are distributed by check
by the Office of Post-Award Administration. Taxes are not withheld, but the fellowship may represent
taxable income. Fellowships vary in value and duration and are often awarded at a specific stage in
the educational continuum. Require timely and satisfactory progress.
Residential Graduate Fellowships are generally awarded by a sponsoring organization to support
work at a specific location. These typically provide stipends for travel and living expenses.
Scholarships are more common at the undergraduate level and are used interchangeably with
“fellowships” at the graduate level. These typically cover cost of education expenses, such as tuition
and fees.
Grants and Grants-in-Aid are available at all levels and typically support research or specific
projects. Selection criteria often include quality, originality, importance of research and qualifications.
These are more frequently available for doctoral dissertation research. These rarely provide living
expenses.
Internships/Traineeships typically last from a couple weeks to an entire academic year. They
provide practical experience under professional supervision and typically involve learning techniques
or conducting projects of interest to the host organization. Compensation is optional.
Other sources of funding include travel awards, federal financial aid (student loans and college work
study), and student employment.
Note: IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education is a good reference for determining whether a
fellowship or scholarship is considered taxable income. Download available at http://www.irs.gov.
Sources of Funding – Internal (within OSU)
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Your academic department is your primary resource for grad assistantships & departmental
fellowships and scholarships. Some academic colleges may also offer funding opportunities.
Graduate School scholarships and fellowships (all require departmental nomination)
Financial Aid & Scholarships (U.S. citizens only - complete the FAFSA for student loans & work study
employment)
E-Campus offers need-based scholarships for students pursuing E-campus degree programs
Associated Students of Oregon State University (limited grants for conference registration fees)
Sources of Funding – External (agencies, foundations, industry, government)
Prepare your search by defining yourself and your project as thoroughly as possible, including:
 Type of funding being needed – Dissertation fellowship? Travel grant? Equipment grant? Training
opportunity or internship? etc.
 Duration of project and amount of funding sought – Living expenses during dissertation year?
Tuition expenses for completion of program coursework? Research funds for field summer? etc.
 Personal characteristics of the applicant – Your gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, veterans
status, disability status, place of residence, honors, publications, etc.
 Field of Interest – both generally and specifically
 Purpose of project
 Constituency affected
1
Peterson’s Grants for Graduate and Postdoctoral Study (4th ed.). (1995). Princeton, New Jersey.
Define your project as completely as possible:
 Create a comprehensive list of general and specific keywords that apply to your topic.
 Include geographic location of study
 Include constituency that may be interested in this work
 View your work in its largest perspective
Use Available Resources to Conduct your Search
 Valley Library Online Resources, including electronic databases: http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/
 Graduate School web site, including compiled listings and database links:
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/grad_school/current/externalfellowships.html
 Various compiled listings:
Council of Graduate Schools http://cgsnet.org/Default.aspx?tabid=163
OSU Financial Aid & Scholarships http://oregonstate.edu/admin/finaid/
Understand the Partnerships between Recipients and Sponsors
 Scholars provide creativity and expertise
 Sponsors provide the dollars
 Both are essential
Consider what sponsors expect in return for funding:
 Progress reports
 Presenting and publishing results
 Future service (payback period)
 Agreement to return to home country (if sponsored by international agency/government)
 Make sure your values match that of the sponsor’s stated goals/ideology (otherwise don’t apply.)
Understand the linkages:
 Identify your sponsor’s goals and then, through your work, help to fulfill them
 Make information-seeking your first priority – use this information to tailor your proposal to fit with the
sponsor’s goals
 Limit yourself to 5-6 applications that are the closest match in terms of eligibility requirements, subject
area, funds available, and deadlines.
Other Tips
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Think and plan ahead – develop a clear idea of your goals; how do you intend to integrate your
studies into your professional career; understand the funding cycle; use your downtime wisely;
understand the effort it takes to apply; always meet the deadlines.
Apply – you won’t be funded without asking to be funded.
Don’t procrastinate – start the process early.
Capitalize on your success – sponsors like to support recipients of other awards; even small awards
bring prestige and make an impression regarding your potential for success.
Persist – if you aren’t successful, keep applying. Learn from your mistakes.
Be patient – your search will take more than an hour; an investment of time now will repay you many
times over in the future.
Be resourceful – draw upon the expertise of the faculty who compete regularly for support.
Critique – have faculty and other professionals review the quality of your ideas, your proposal, and
the presentation of it.
Network, network, network!!!
For more information, visit with Graduate School web site at:
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/grad_school/future/financing.html
Prepared by: Mary Strickroth, Coordinator of Graduate Services
Oregon State University Graduate School
Email: Mary.Strickroth@oregonstate.edu; Voice: (541) 737-4881