Fellowships/Grants
If you are interested in pursuing a graduate education, don't be discouraged by the amount that you think it might cost. While graduate school is extremely expensive, there is also more money available for graduate school students for this very reason.
Full-time graduate students
Two of the most common forms of funding for graduate school are research assistantships (RAs) and teaching assistantships (TAs). With these, graduate school students assist their professors either in researching a particular area or in teaching some of the undergraduate classes at the university. In return, students are typically awarded significant tuition remission and sometimes even a stipend for living expenses. There is competition for these positions, but less than for some of the other types of graduate funding.
Fellowships tend to be more competitive. Fellowships can either be sponsored internally by the university or externally by a funding agency interested in supporting degree candidates in a particular field. Fellowships are designed to help students wishing to pursue advanced study to finance their education over the years it typically takes to obtain a Ph.D.
Another source of funding for graduate education is grants. Professors often obtain grants to fund research into particular subjects. If you can find a university or professor that has earned a grant in a research area that interests you, go directly to that professor with your interest. Grants typically include funds for graduate students to assist in major research projects, and you may be able to capitalize on those available funds by going straight to the source.
Part-time working adults
Increasingly today, working adults are returning to school to earn graduate degrees while maintaining jobs and the rest of their financial commitments. While it may be more difficult to obtain the type of funding that is usually reserved for full-time students, part-time students may find that their employers help bridge the gap. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement for successful completion of classes by their employees. This allows employees to pursue their educational goals while continuing to contribute to their company. If you want to pursue a graduate degree and continue working, consider talking to your HR department to see what options are available to you.
Featured Graduate Fellowship and Grant Providers:
American Association of University Women - the largest source of funding exclusively for graduate women in the world, supports aspiring scholars around the globe, teachers and activists in local communities, women at critical stages of their careers, and those pursuing professions where women are underrepresented.
Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowships Plan - provides lists of scholarships and fellowships to and from over 480 universities drawn from the Commonwealth countries of Africa and Asia, Australasia and the South Pacific, Canada and the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, Cyprus and Malta.
DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service - Graduate students in social sciences, hard sciences, or in professional areas such as law, business, and medicine have particular needs for their research and study in Germany. They can help you master the German language, complete a research project in Germany, or expand your education with a stay at a German university.
Fellowships.GradSchools.com - online directory of graduate school fellowships
Fulbright Scholarships - For both Americans going abroad and incoming foreign students. Grants are made to citizens of participating countries, primarily for: university teaching, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools.
Marshall Scholarships - finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom. At least forty Scholars are selected each year to study either at graduate or occasionally undergraduate level at an UK institution in any field of study. Each scholarship is held for two years.
NAFSA Grants and Scholarships - including ASEAN Student Assistance Awards Program (ASAAP), Korean Student Assistance Awards Program (KSAAP) and Rhys Glynn-Jones Memorial South Pacific Scholarship Program
OAS Scholarships - awarded to persons to undertake undergraduate or graduate studies and/or research at a university or higher learning institution in a Member State. Studies may be carried out by on-site or by distance education or a combination of both. The IACD provides opportunities for professional development through short-term courses in specialized areas of training.
