Funding potential for MA vs. Ph.D

[KFF216]

In reading the RESULTS page, and the forums, it seems like most of the generous funding packages are coming for the Ph.D students.

Are schools much more likely to fund their Doctorate students, than their Masters students?

What about a field where only an MA is offered?

Do they allocate their resources for Ph. D students first, and then give Masters students any leftovers? I am just trying to figure out if there is any possibility of expecting some funding for MA work.

Oh, I should add that my area of study is the humanities, and not sciences.

Please excuse my naivete on this issue. I have just recently begun to consider the possibility of receiving funding for my studies.

Thanks for any insight you can offer on this issue!

[rising_star]

Are schools much more likely to fund their Doctorate students, than their Masters students?

What about a field where only an MA is offered?

Do they allocate their resources for Ph. D students first, and then give Masters students any leftovers? I am just trying to figure out if there is any possibility of expecting some funding for MA work.

Oh, I should add that my area of study is the humanities, and not sciences.

This really varies by department so it's difficult to answer. My program offers funding to MA and PhD students but all at the same time, so it isn't like MA students get the leftovers or anything like that.

[Tinyboss]

It does vary by school and program, but in general, it is quite uncommon for a PhD student to be unfunded ("treat acceptance without funding as a rejection" is common advice), and quite common for MS students.

[rising_star]

It does vary by school and program, but in general, it is quite uncommon for a PhD student to be unfunded ("treat acceptance without funding as a rejection" is common advice), and quite common for MS students.

This too varies by field. In my discipline, it is VERY common for master's students to receive funding from the department.

[KFF216]

thank you for your replies!

Bottom line seems to be that it varies - depending on school and field of study.

I am not holding my breath waiting for MA funding from a small department at a private U. But I can dream in the meantime.

[virmundi]

Keep your dream alive! I have had the ultimately humbling experience of being funded for my MA with a fellowship from a humanities program that funds the majority of its PHD students with TA/RA positions, and rarely funds MA students in any fashion whatsoever! It can absolutely happen.

[lifeincartoonmotion]

Keep your dream alive!

Just wanted to second that! Everyone told me not to expect any money, especially in my area for a masters.

Thursday morning I got a call offering a tuition waiver and stipend as a GA. There is ALWAYS a chance

Good luck!

[Alacranita]

Yes, as an MA I was able to get tuition remission and healthcare as a benefit of working as a GA/TA. I was told that often PhDs are the priority, but in our department even though the PhDs got more funding (tuition remission w/o GAships) most of our MAs also got some sort of funding, if not full funding. Good luck, it's possible!