Graduate Assistantship without Tuition Waver

[Tooma]

Guys,

I got an offer entailing a graduate assistantship (that is not a tuition waver) of an annual stipend that can barely cover the tuition fees.

So how do you see accepting the offer and when I get there I search for other sources of funding (fellowships/assistantships ... )?

[jprufrock]

Many places that offer a graduate assistantship / teaching assistantship / research assistantship do so with the implication that tuition remission (and fees and health insurance) come along with it.

As an official "university employee," most places absolve you of the responsibility of paying for tuition. You should check up on this, however.

The main caveat I would have, I think, is that sometimes the differential between out-of-state tuition and in-state tuition is not covered. In that case, you'd have to worry about tuition a little more.

Edited April 1, 2011 by jprufrock

[Tooma]

Um, I'm pretty sure the assistantship from this specific University is not a tuition waver.

[Topper]

I certainly know of a school that offers assistantships, without tuition waivers.

[jprufrock]

Um, I'm pretty sure the assistantship from this specific University is not a tuition waver.

Ah, sucks.

In this case, it really depends on how comfortable you think you can be while going to school and having to worry about money. There are probably opportunities for outside funding when you get there (fellowships, etc, but also maybe just a normal job or tutoring positions).

If you can make a reasonable estimate of your total costs and project it out to see how long it would take to pay it off, then that might give you a better idea if the option is worth taking.

In my own case, I would not attend a school without full funding, as this economy seems unstable and merciless. Coupled with an equally bleak future for academia in general, a poor funding situation would really hinder my ability to learn, teach and research.