funding

[gradhopeful96]

so i'm definitely new to the whole grad school thing (applying straight from a BA) and i was just wondering if anyone had any helpful tips or resources for figuring out/assessing a funding package? 

[Duns Eith]

Yes. All of these I am suggesting are for PhD, not MA. (in the USA)

Ideal package

• All of tuition and fees covered
• Stipend for living expenses; >$22k in a high-cost-of-living city, >$17k in a mid-sized city, or >$14k in a small town
• A year (or two) of fellowship, so that you have no duties grading in order to work on courses or dissertation
• (Supplementary scholarship)
• Funding for 5 years, with a potential for a 6th year of funding if necessary

Common package:

• All of tuition covered, but not fees
• Stipend for living expenses; >$20k in a high-cost-of-living city, >$15k in a mid-sized city, or >$12k in a small town
• Funding for 5 years, with a potential for a 6th year of funding if necessary

Sub-par package: 

• >50% tuition covered, few to no fees covered XOR (exclusive or) healthy stipend for living expenses
• Supplementary scholarship
• Potential for full funding or extra work in the department

Avoid-me-like-the-plague package:

• Must pay out of pocket
• Tuition discounted less than 50% off
• No stipend

 

As you can see, there's quite a range. Most are in the "common package" and deviate in some way or another from it.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Duns Eith

[gradhopeful96]

@Duns Eith thank you! This is helpful. So I take it 5 years of funding guaranteed is pretty standard?

[hector549]

5 minutes ago, gradhopeful96 said:

@Duns Eith thank you! This is helpful. So I take it 5 years of funding guaranteed is pretty standard?

Yes. There are exceptions, however, such as Canadian programs, which offer four years of guaranteed funding.

[Duns Eith]

17 minutes ago, gradhopeful96 said:

@Duns Eith thank you! This is helpful. So I take it 5 years of funding guaranteed is pretty standard?

Yes.

Thanks. I just edited to make that clearer. I shouldn't have left it unstated.

Besides the one that @hector549 mentioned, there are some US programs, such as my own, that may or may not offer 4 or 5 years of funding. I was offered 4.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Duns Eith

[Moose#@1%$]

48 minutes ago, hector549 said:

Yes. There are exceptions, however, such as Canadian programs, which offer four years of guaranteed funding.

Also, ask how much the fees are. I and most in my MA program were surprised to learn how high the fees were. 1500 a semester with a stipend of 14,000 k. So, make sure you know what exactly will you be paying for and how much will you be making. 

[gradhopeful96]

39 minutes ago, Moose#@1%$ said:

Also, ask how much the fees are. I and most in my MA program were surprised to learn how high the fees were. 1500 a semester with a stipend of 14,000 k. So, make sure you know what exactly will you be paying for and how much will you be making. 

yikes! but thanks for the tip. yeah, i definitely want to make sure i know exactly what is covered and what isn't, and what i have to do, etc. 

[Duns Eith]

I think Ohio University's fees were like $1600, whether a semester or year I can't remember. But the stipend was also pretty low.

Where I am at right now we have about $750 in fees per semester. It seems ridiculous. (Stipend is $13,600)

[The_Last_Thylacine]

1 hour ago, Duns Eith said:

I think Ohio University's fees were like $1600, whether a semester or year I can't remember. But the stipend was also pretty low.

Where I am at right now we have about $750 in fees per semester. It seems ridiculous. (Stipend is $13,600)

Oh my!   I'm so sorry.

[gradhopeful96]

This might sound like a dumb question, but what’s the difference between a 9 month and a 12 month stipend? I mean I know that that is the number of months the stipend is disbursed over but is one better than the other? Do they each have pros and cons?

[TheFormOfTheGood]

32 minutes ago, gradhopeful96 said:

This might sound like a dumb question, but what’s the difference between a 9 month and a 12 month stipend? I mean I know that that is the number of months the stipend is disbursed over but is one better than the other? Do they each have pros and cons?

 

I think it’s this:

A 12 months stipend covers the whole year, a 9 month stipend covers the school year. In other words, the 9 month stipend often leaves you on your own for the summer and you have to get a part time job. I think 12 month stipends are more desirable as you get coverage through the summer (though you do have to work the summer usually as well). 

[Duns Eith]

2 hours ago, TheFormOfTheGood said:

 

I think it’s this:

A 12 months stipend covers the whole year, a 9 month stipend covers the school year. In other words, the 9 month stipend often leaves you on your own for the summer and you have to get a part time job. I think 12 month stipends are more desirable as you get coverage through the summer (though you do have to work the summer usually as well). 

This.

But a 9 mo stipend may mean more opportunities to teach or fulfill graderships over the summer above and beyond the guaranteed stipend.

This is been the case each place I've been, and I have always sought out those opportunities (and usually got them).

[mithrandir8]

3 hours ago, TheFormOfTheGood said:

 

I think it’s this:

A 12 months stipend covers the whole year, a 9 month stipend covers the school year. In other words, the 9 month stipend often leaves you on your own for the summer and you have to get a part time job. I think 12 month stipends are more desirable as you get coverage through the summer (though you do have to work the summer usually as well). 

Unless I'm missing something, if the amount of money is constant, wouldn't you want a 9 month stipend instead of a 12 month stipend?

[Moose#@1%$]

5 hours ago, mithrandir8 said:

Unless I'm missing something, if the amount of money is constant, wouldn't you want a 9 month stipend instead of a 12 month stipend?

I would think so. But, maybe they mean that 12 months stipend is usually more than the 9 months. I