What is the difference between RAs/TAs and fellowships?

[AthenaQ]

Hello all. I must admit that I am confused when it comes to the differences between sources of funding for PhD study. Please help?

I am a psychology student, and will be starting study in the fall of 2009. I am currently torn between two schools, one of which has already accepted me and the other has invited me up for an interview in February. Both of my potential advisors have gathered information from me about aspects of my academic career, the purpose of which I was told was that they intend to submit me for a fellowship. They also stated that these fellowships are granted on a competitive basis. Here's where I get confused. I know that financial aid award comes with a stipend for a TA or RA, but is the fellowship money awarded on top of the TA/RA stipend? Or is this fellowship they speak of the money that I will be given for work as a TA/RA, but maybe at a higher rate than other TA/RA stipends?

Thank you very much. I would ask this question of my potential advisors, but I don't want to seem too money grubbing this early in the process.

[t_ruth]

I'm in a similar situation and would like some insight. I've seen some descriptions of named fellowships, which look good, have great money and certain other benefits (professional development), but what if we also want to TA/RA...can we? Do we get paid more for doing that?

[plisar]

Fellowships are almost always in lieu of a TA. They can be for first year only, first and fifth year, or any combination there of including all four or five years of your program.

They are a great deal because you have no teaching obligations -- at all, for the length of your fellowship.

[t_ruth]

but what if we want to TA too? can we get extra $ for that?

[IvyHope]

but what if we want to TA too? can we get extra $ for that?

No. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If you are nominated for a fellowship, then you should take it. If you turn it down, it's likely that you won't get funding at all because they will have given the TAs to other students.

If you get a fellowship for a year then you can consider the possibility of being selected for a TA in a subsequent year.

I don't think they are always a deal, because for some of us heading into academia, the teaching/research experience can be quite valuable on our vitas.

If you are nominated for a fellowship for all of your years as a graduate student (quite rare in our field, at least imo) then you can probably work something out with a faculty for teaching experience, ie doing some practicum or independent study hours for credit for helping them teach a course, etc. But you won't be paid for that.

[AthenaQ]

I second the question posed above. Although I would love the option of not having to TA, might that option be available to me if I wanted to explore what teaching was all about?

[IvyHope]

I second the question posed above. Although I would love the option of not having to TA, might that option be available to me if I wanted to explore what teaching was all about?

Yes, I'm sure it is. All you have to do is not check the box when you are asked if you want to be considered for fellowship. Then they will put you in the pool of other assistantship-seekers. You are probably going to have this opportunity year to year (although many schools only offer first year fellowships).

[plisar]

Almost no fellowship lasts all four years, and exceptons typically can be made to get you some teaching or research experience.

Most times, in the humanities and social sciences, conducting research with an advisor is unpaid anyway. Trust me, fellowship is a god sent.

[AthenaQ]

Most times, in the humanities and social sciences, conducting research with an advisor is unpaid anyway. Trust me, fellowship is a god sent.

Ah ha! So, a fellowship allows a student to both assist with their advisor's research as well as conduct their own? As opposed to an RA, which requires that you assist whoever with whatever project they may be working on?

[rising_star]

Just want to chime in and say that sometimes you can have a fellowship and a TAship at the same time but it's only when the fellowship doesn't pay much.

t_ruth, at UGA, if they offer you a fellowship, you can't also have a TA/RA position. Why? Because with a fellowship you already make $200-500 more than the other students in your department (depending on the department) so it really wouldn't be fair to TA/RA on top of that. Not to mention that the point of having a fellowship is so you have additional time to work on your research, coursework, publications, etc.