Waivers, stipends, abatements? Deciphering Funding Offers for Dummies

[teamind]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand the basic differences between funding packages? It seems like most of the threads already on here are way over my head and I'm having trouble finding answers to some pretty simple and silly questions about what it all MEANS.

Is a tuition abatement the same as a tuition waiver? 

Is the stipend given to you on top of what is waived (or abated??) for tuition? Or is that just the amount reduced from tuition?

 

Is a Fellowship, say in the amount of 2K/year, just paid out to you every year? Or is that also just reduced from whatever tuition/costs remain?

 

Anyone else confused by wording, exact definitions, or basic meaning of their offers?


 

[teamind]

Glad to know I'm the only one that is this stupid. Yay 

[unfoldedroses]

You're not stupid. I'm looking for the same answers as well.

[selecttext]

The department has to find different ways to pay you. The most common is by TAship and RAship. Fellowships reduce the number of TA and RA hours you have to work - it's free money. It will likely come as part of your salary.

 

Tuition waiver and whatnot may or may not be separate from your stipend. My tuition waiver is paid by inflating my stipend. Different schools do this differently and you should contact the graduate secretary

[Emdave]

I would like to bump this up so that more people will respond. Like the OP, I am also super confused. HALP

[Trantorian]

It could be based on the bureaucratic crap from state/national laws.. I mean, our stipends seem to be limited to some set amount for UCs, but apparently, our actual income depends on additional fellowships that they add on to our stipends that makes it more attractive (but doesn't violate their salary ##'s?).