Fellowships Vs. Assistantships

[noncompliant94]

What is it like having a fellowship versus an assistantship in terms of responsibilities, workload etc?

[there_is_a_so_long_wait]

+1

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Fellowships usually are funding without strings (other than maintaining good GPA/the qualities that got you the fellowship). Assistantships either require you to work as a TA, RA, or something similar in exchange for the funding. These often include a stipend as well as tuition waiver (in my experience, fellowships rarely include a tuition waiver).

Each assistantship and fellowship is different at each school. Most schools I've seen say you'll be working an average of 20 hours a week as a TA/RA, but, if you're a TA, this is often less most of the time and much more right around the due date of a major assignment (students wanting help before and all the papers you need to grade after). Some fellowships may offer enough for you to live on while others are small. Fellowships and other funding sources (like grants) are great to have on your CV so you can show universities you can attract money (when it's time to land a TT position).

[Emily Roberts]

As @GreenEyedTrombonistsaid, assistantships come with a work requirement (usually up to 20 hrs/week), while fellowships do not. Fellowships allow you to be 100% devoted to your studies and your dissertation work, while in the worst case scenario for an assistantship up to 20 hrs/week could need to be devoted to something else (teaching, administrative work).

In my observation, a research assistantship for which you are allowed to work on research that will go into your dissertation (typical in STEM fields, but not universal) is on a day-to-day basis equivalent to a fellowship. All your time is devoted to research (and maybe taking classes) in both cases. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference between an RA and a fellowship student unless you look at their tax returns!

[TakeruK]

To add on to what others said above, a few more differences:

- Fellowships are usually sourced from some sort of communal funds. For example, the department may have a pot of money to award them, or the school, or some extra agency (big national ones such as NASA and NSF, as well as small private ones). On the other hand, research assistantships usually comes out of someone's budget, often a professor's grant. 

- Because of this, you often have a little more flexibility / academic freedom when you are doing research funded by a fellowship you've won/earned than if you are being paid by someone's grant as a research assistant. In particular, at many schools, this means you are not reliant on your advisor for most of your funding, meaning that you might be more able to start side projects with other profs, or forge your own research path to some extent. 

- Also because of this, if you are being funded externally to your advisor (e.g. fellowship), this might mean your advisor has extra money to spend on you in other ways (travel, equipment, etc.). Relatedly, you'll come with a lower price tag to any advisor and you might be able to secure a spot in an advisor's group where you might not have otherwise (since they might not have enough funds in their grants to fully support another student).

- Some fellowships for grad students come with tuition support (usually not enough to cover the whole thing but defrays costs for your advisor).

- Some fellowships for grad students come with research funds. I had one that paid for the equivalent of an extra 2 conferences per year. My advisor held formal approval on spending of the funds but it was basically my money to spend how I wanted. It was especially useful in my final year when I was applying for jobs to "invite myself" to give talks at schools where I wanted to meet people since if you're paying your travel costs, many schools will be happy to host you as a seminar speaker and cover local expenses.

- Generally, fellowships are more valuable and prestigious than assistantships and look better on your CV.

[scadgradtobe]

How do you get considered for a fellowship or assistantship? Do you have to reach out to the school? Ive been accepted to three different programs and none have come out and offered me any funding or financial assistance, so im wondering what my first steps are. Thanks!

 

[cabbysaurus]

In regards to fellowships being more prestigious - does that mean that going to a lesser ranked school (in terms of department reputation) with a fellowship would be comparable, or at least worth considering, vs. a higher ranked school with an assistantship?

I know that I can apply for external fellowships in the future, but had one good school offer me a 5 year fellowship... I'm wondering if this is something I should seriously consider over going to a top 10 school in my field where I will have to be a TA/RA, at least for a year or two.

[TakeruK]

1 hour ago, cabbysaurus said:

In regards to fellowships being more prestigious - does that mean that going to a lesser ranked school (in terms of department reputation) with a fellowship would be comparable, or at least worth considering, vs. a higher ranked school with an assistantship?

I know that I can apply for external fellowships in the future, but had one good school offer me a 5 year fellowship... I'm wondering if this is something I should seriously consider over going to a top 10 school in my field where I will have to be a TA/RA, at least for a year or two.

Originally, when writing about prestige of a fellowship, I was thinking about the external fellowships, not University-internal ones. I don't think there is any large gain in prestige from a university-granted fellowship, unless it's something that comes from a University-wide competition and is well publicized, but even then, the level of prestige is not much to an external reader of your CV (however, as I wrote above, it can help your reputation within your department!)

I wouldn't pick a fellowship over a TA/RA just because of the prestige though. I don't think it makes a huge difference. However, I would certainly consider a slightly lower ranked school with a fellowship that means I don't have to do any TA or RA work and can focus on my dissertation over a slightly higher ranked school that required a large TA/RA work load. I would choose the funding package and school/advisor/research fit combination that would allow me to be the most productive!

[waltzforzizi]

@TakeruK Wow, thank you for this breakdown!! I was nominated for a fellowship and will receive news shortly. I knew nothing of the background just hat my department was hoping I would receive it, it covers two years of x and z, so I could focus on my studies the first two years.