Funding Packages: Care to Share what you have been offered?

[grotesqueidols]

Perhaps y'all are too shy to share but if anyone is willing to brag (or complain) about the specifics of the various funding schemes they have been offered (stipend amount, for how long, insurance, teaching requirements, etc) I'd sure like to hear it. I think people considering their options might like to compare as well. We in foreign lands have no idea what is "good"

That said I've got nothing to offer up yet: details in the post

[zonko]

I think most schools offer the same amount of money to everyone at the school, but the terms (whether you need to TA/RA) may be different. One of the major drivers of difference in stipend is the cost of living in a location, which you can compare here: http://www.bankrate....calculator.aspx .

[eucalyptus]

I'm not sure whether you meant to post this question to the compsci board or not but if you're looking for a wider array of answers you might want to repost to a more general subforum

[grotesqueidols]

No...I meant to post it at the Computer Science Board eucalyptus.

Zonko: Thanks for the calculator but I am actually American, I just done all my graduate degrees in the UK and cannot advise my non American boyfriend what is snappy deal with regards to American Computer Science. I would honestly be surprised if every package was the same...they aren't as far as I can tell.

Anyone?

[BKMD]

Sure, I'll go. I'm very happy with my offer from CMU (Language Technologies Institute).

We are also pleased to offer you financial support by granting you a Research Fellowship. The fellowship is initially awarded for a 12-month period beginning September 2010. It is our intent to continue this support for up to 5 years (with possibility of subsequent continuance), subject to continued excellence in your academic progress. The fellowship includes full tuition ($35,000 for the coming academic year) and a monthly stipend of $2,310. In addition, the LTI pays a dependency allowance of 10% of the student’s monthly stipend to any student with a child, unless they have a spouse who earns more than $200 per month. LTI Research Fellowships are awarded on a 12-month basis, and Ph.D. students are expected to continue conducting research and working on projects during the summer.

If you have already received an external graduate fellowship (e.g., NSF, Fulbright or other), we expect you to accept it in place of our graduate fellowship. As extra incentive to do so, we will supplement your award so that you will receive full tuition and a combined stipend 10% higher than that of the standard LTI graduate fellowship. (If your stipend is already at least 10% higher than the LTI stipend, no extra supplement applies.)

I think there are substantial differences between programs. Public schools generally cannot offer as much as private schools, unfortunately. Another important factor that can vary is whether they fund you through the summer or not. Even among CMU CS programs, I think this varies by department. There also seems to be a lot of variance in how long your funding is granted - mine is only guaranteed for a year, with a yearly renewal subject to my progress.

[DJLamar]

Well, I still haven't gotten the official paper letter from the program I was accepted to (at Cornell; I know already that I'm funded, I just don't know how much yet), but the website seems to suggest that the minimum monthly stipend for a funded graduate student is a little over $2400.

[DJLamar]

Oh by the way, BKMD, will you be at the open house next week?

[grotesqueidols]

BKMD and DJLamar: wow and congrats. Very helpful indeed! I am starting to see how this works.

This is very different to my funding in the UK...which is not from the department at all, rather a combo of money from my College (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleges_within_UK_Universities, a college isn't the University, it is a weird semi-separate thing. Think of the Houses in Harry Potter) and a magical pot of money for foreigners that is "trusteed" (ack did I just type that?!?!) by Prince Charles who hosts a nice luncheon every year for us. That money covers tuition. When and if teach I am paid by the hour depending on what I do (small group teaching, tuition, or lacturing)...same with research assistantships: that is how one is meant to put bread on the table and they are not guaranteed upon admission. I have to secure my own funding from various other money stashes for fieldwork and things like that (I got 2000 pounds once from one that can only be used for "historical research in a Spanish speaking South American country.")

Long story short, I think you guys have it pretty sweet! You won't be attending evening lectures and receptions just for the cheese and crackers after

[BKMD]

Oh by the way, BKMD, will you be at the open house next week?

Yep I'll be there, you?

Long story short, I think you guys have it pretty sweet! You won't be attending evening lectures and receptions just for the cheese and crackers after

Sure we will, that's part of the charm of being a grad student But yeah, that sounds rough... school is stressful as it is, I wouldn't want to have to worry about financial support as well. It depends on the field though - I'm lucky that there's a lot of money in CS. It's less common to get guaranteed full funding for humanities students, though it does happen.

[grotesqueidols]

Sure we will, that's part of the charm of being a grad student

*outside* your subject area though?

Your talking to a seasoned veteran of Pure Maths Social Hour (insert oxymoron jokes here), and I study modern Bolivian identity politics. They have the nice beer.

[DJLamar]

Yep I'll be there, you?

Yup... I'm also going to stick around in Pittsburgh Saturday and part of Sunday to check out some museums and more of the city.

*outside* your subject area though?

Your talking to a seasoned veteran of Pure Maths Social Hour (insert oxymoron jokes here), and I study modern Bolivian identity politics. They have the nice beer.

Hmm, I do recall the couple of times that I've been to the CS theory group's lunches and presentations here. I wasn't going for the food though -- I actually was interested in the presentations, even though I still understood very little, haha. They had awesome food though... pizza from the good non-chain place, in lots of different varieties. Was kind of awkward though because it really was a fairly intimate gathering of just grad students and profs from that department >_>

[liszt85]

Wow, you guys are rich compared to me! I am here with my spouse (who cannot work due to visa restrictions) and I get paid 1500 (after taxes) per month. What I would give to get that extra money to help support a child (which we intend to have in about 3 yrs from now).. excellent offer that is from CMU!

[grotesqueidols]

Was kind of awkward though because it really was a fairly intimate gathering of just grad students and profs from that department >_>

Understood...guess who the only female at Pure Maths Social Hour was?

I'll remember to try CS Theory lunches though...quality pizza is worth it.

[BKMD]

Yup... I'm also going to stick around in Pittsburgh Saturday and part of Sunday to check out some museums and more of the city.

Ah cool, that's a good idea... I wish I had done that. I'm heading back Saturday afternoon. Well, I'll keep my eyes open for someone from Atlanta.