Funding at UMD-College Park

[nightfarmer]

For all of you accepted to UMD for next fall, you're probably wondering when you'll hear about funding like I am. I've heard that the funding situation at UMD is dire this year due to drastic state budget cuts. They're having to cut funding to some current students and offer it to far fewer new students, so the rumor goes. I want to believe, 3 weeks after getting an acceptance letter, that they are simply working out the size of the funding packages but have already made decisions on who they're funding.

 

My question is this: have the people accepted to UMD without funding already been told so explicitly? All they'll tell me is 'we'll get back to you.'

 

For history, on the results section of gradcafe, there was one a few weeks ago that had the note 'no funding.' If that person is reading this, did that mean that they said you will not have funding, or that there was simply no information on funding?

[minkwoski]

I heard many schools are considering cutting funding like you stated...I applied for Phd admission in the ECE dept. at UMD and I am yet to get any reply from them..I pray they consider me....considering admission without fundig it could imply various meanings....but the school is always clear on what they mean....you can ask such students to past the exact words/statements as used by the school...that will clear all ambiguity ...As for mine...I am wondering whats happening...I am yet to get any feedback from UMD and several good schools I applied to...maybe I will have to wait till end of the month or probably in April ....Already got two offers but need to see the results of my other applications before I can make a well informed decision.

[nightfarmer]

This is nerve-wracking - I feel like I have an offer in hand, but not entirely...

[serenade]

I'm that person!!! Sorry for late response - today is the first day I've done much checking on grad cafe forums. Anyway, I'll copy and paste the email they sent me about no funding on Feb 28: 

 

"We have extended an invitation to our Open House to everyone we have recommended for admission. You are correct: at this point we have not made you an offer of funding, and we cannot pay for you to attend the Open House.  As a public university, our funds are limited, unfortunately.   There is always a chance in the next few weeks that I can offer you a funding package.  I will write to you as soon as I know. If you are in the area, of course, please do come to our Open House.  And please ask me any questions that you may have." 

 

So basically I wasn't among the golden few who got chosen funding, though a chance still existed of getting some. I actually emailed her yesterday (April 1) to inquire if final funding decisions had been made yet, and I haven't heard back. UMD would be cool, and I really like my POI there, but I've heard College Park is kind of a dump, so idk. 

[Guest HEPhD13]

ECE admitted PhD and was lucky enough to get a fellowship with guaranteed funding but might end up somewhere else in CA that's a better fit. Good luck to all those still waiting... I had a friend accept without any funding and she's sitting on the edge of her seat waiting for something!