is it appropriate to ask current students about their funding?

[Stevie K]

I was offered a graduate assistant ship and tuition waiver for 5 years. The GA salary amount was much lower than I was expecting, and I'm worried about making ends meet. I decided to contact some current students and ask them if what I was offered was the standard offer (I'm sensitive about his because I was offered admission after being on the wait-list, so I'm afraid I was offered less than everyone else), and if they think that it is enough to get by.

While I received forthcoming responses from all of them, I'm worried of "stepping on people's toes," and alienating them before I even meet them.

As an incoming student, is it appropriate to ask current students about funding?

[UnlikelyGrad]

I was offered a graduate assistant ship and tuition waiver for 5 years. The GA salary amount was much lower than I was expecting, and I'm worried about making ends meet. I decided to contact some current students and ask them if what I was offered was the standard offer (I'm sensitive about his because I was offered admission after being on the wait-list, so I'm afraid I was offered less than everyone else), and if they think that it is enough to get by.

While I received forthcoming responses from all of them, I'm worried of "stepping on people's toes," and alienating them before I even meet them.

As an incoming student, is it appropriate to ask current students about funding?

Yup. I did it, and the prospective grads who come through MyU do it all the time. Funding can play a major role in school choice, so it would be silly not to ask.

[StrangeLight]

yes, but it depends on how you ask it.

if you say, "this is the stipend they offered me, does that seem to be enough to live off of in X city/town?" then you'll get some idea if you're on par with the other students. this is a totally appropriate question to ask.

however, saying something like, "i was offered a TAship for 5 years, is this what they offered you?" would not be appropriate. you can offer up information about your own package and ask for their opinion, but asking them about their own funding package is generally considered bad form.

at many programs, incoming students are not all offered the same financial package. some will get fellowships mixed with TAships, some will get more or fewer years of funding, and all of this is based on (the perception of) your merit. asking someone else what funding they have should only be done after you've gotten to know the person a bit.

if the difference between one student's funding and another's is substantial, it can create some jealousy or tension. if you want to know if your stipend is livable, check a cost-of-living calculator online. if you want to know if your package is comparable to the other students', you'll have to wait until you're there and ask very, very gently. if you've already asked them what their packages are, assume they're a little miffed already and try to talk about anything but money once you get there in the fall.

edited to add: asking them if your package seems "standard" for the program is fair too. that way, they don't have to reveal if their own funding is above or below standard. i would just really advise not asking what their own funding looks like. people will answer you, but they'll probably also complain to their colleagues that they were even asked. that's been my experience in my own program, at any rate.

Edited May 16, 2011 by StrangeLight

[runonsentence]

yes, but it depends on how you ask it.

if you say, "this is the stipend they offered me, does that seem to be enough to live off of in X city/town?" then you'll get some idea if you're on par with the other students. this is a totally appropriate question to ask.

however, saying something like, "i was offered a TAship for 5 years, is this what they offered you?" would not be appropriate. you can offer up information about your own package and ask for their opinion, but asking them about their own funding package is generally considered bad form.

This.

At my institution the master's students are all on the same funding package, but the PhD students are not, and it's a bit of a touchy subject. In fact, after two years, I don't know how much most of my colleagues make. Other programs will have students who are perfectly forthcoming about how much they make, but there's no way to know for certain until you're there.

I'd reiterate StrangeLight's advice, and recommend that you ask about tips for living on the amount you have. After all, that's the kind of question that will be productive in the end—not knowing how you compare to the other stipends out there.

[runonsentence]

Yup. I did it, and the prospective grads who come through MyU do it all the time. Funding can play a major role in school choice, so it would be silly not to ask.

I'd agree with this if you were shopping around for schools/still applying—after all, funding is an important thing to know when choosing schools, and knowing what kind of funding a school generally offers students is a standard question to ask during the admissions process. But I think it becomes a touchier subject after one is already admitted as an incoming student.

[UnlikelyGrad]

I'd agree with this if you were shopping around for schools/still applying—after all, funding is an important thing to know when choosing schools, and knowing what kind of funding a school generally offers students is a standard question to ask during the admissions process. But I think it becomes a touchier subject after one is already admitted as an incoming student.

It wasn't clear to me that he had accepted the offer--it sounded like he was deciding whether to accept it or not, since it seemed stingy.

I should clarify that you should ask students who are already students what they make--not those who are going to be coming in with you!

Also, I should add that, at my school, there is a regulation mandating the minimum you can pay a grad student. Almost everyone makes this rate. (My advisor generously gives me an extra $50/month.) I advise you to search the school website to see if such a minimum exists--if it does, it is generally available to the public.