Financial Support

Financial Support
Assistantships
Fellowships and Scholarships
Other Student Support Opportunities

Financial Support

Several forms of financial assistance are available to graduate students at Indiana University. These include teaching, research and graduate assistantships, fellowships, fee scholarships, hourly wages, and loans. Financial support is not guaranteed with admission to a graduate program, but the School of Education has an excellent record of supporting graduate students. Generally, preference is given to doctoral students over master’s students in the awarding of assistantships, fee scholarships, and fello wships. Nearly all domestic doctoral students who request it receive financial support in one or more of the categories listed above. Some international students receive financial support as well.

A student must be admitted to a graduate program in order to be eligible for fellowships or graduate assistantships. Students with fellowships and graduate appointments must make adequate progress toward their degree each semester, or financial support ma y be discontinued. Some fellowships, assistantship appointments, and loans require that students enroll in 8 or more credit hours per semester and receive no incomplete grades (except for an R grade in dissertation or internship courses).

Stipends earned by graduate assistants are taxable. Monies received in the form of fellowships and fee scholarships may be taxable. Students must check with the Internal Revenue Service.

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Assistantships

Graduate and Research Assistantships

A large majority of full-time doctoral students in the School of Education hold a graduate assistantship during some or all of their tenure in the graduate program. Most graduate assistants are appointed to work between 15 and 20 hours per week (.375 to . 50 of full time equivalent). Stipends typically range from $8,500 to $11,000 for two semesters, plus a full or partial fee scholarship.

Each of the departments in the School of Education at Bloomington receives a budget allocation for the appointment of graduate assistants to help faculty in research and teaching responsibilities, and to assist with student advising and program administra tion. In addition, administrative offices in the school and throughout the university typically hire one or more graduate assistants.

Graduate research assistants are hired to work on externally funded research, development, and training projects. Faculty members apply for grants or contracts to carry out these projects. Such grants and contracts range from hundreds to hundreds of thous ands of dollars each. They are supported primarily by the federal and state governments and by foundations. Some faculty members also have contracts with public school systems and with other public and private agencies, including business corporations.

Department chairs and program heads play a large role in appointing graduate assistants and in keeping abreast of assistantship opportunities in administrative offices and in externally funded grant and contract projects. New students are advised to make personal contact with their department chair or program head concerning financial support. (See the chapter entitled “School of Education” for a listing of department or area chairs and program advisors.)

Continuing students often remain in an assistantship position from the previous year. They are also able to make direct contact with the directors of externally funded projects. Continuing students who wish help in locating assistantship opportunities sho uld consult their department chair, program head, or advisor.

At IUPUI, graduate assistantships are available for teaching and to work with faculty on research, development, and service projects. For information about these positions, students should contact the chair of the area in which they will be studying. Thes e assistantships are assigned to faculty members who have submitted a proposal for specific assistance with a project. Individual faculty members typically select the students to fill these positions.

Another category of graduate assistantships is in the supervision of student teachers. Graduate students, usually with teaching experience, are appointed to observe and supervise undergraduate students who are student teaching in public schools throughout the state. Contact the Director of Student Teaching, Education 1000, Bloomington, IN 47405-1006 (812-856-8503).

All available assistantships must be advertised within the university. A clearinghouse for the listing of available assistantships in the School of Education has been established for this purpose in the Office of Human Resources, Education 4150, Bloomingt on, IN 47405-1006 (812-856-8055). Information is also available on the Web at education.indiana.edu/employ.html.

Teaching Assistantships
A large number of advanced graduate students are hired to teach undergraduate courses in the School of Education and throughout the university. At Indiana University teaching assistants are called Associate Instructors (AIs). AIs teach one or two courses per semester. A high level of academic performance and a personal interview typically are required. Teaching experience is required for some teaching assistantship positions. Teaching assistants receive training and are supervised by faculty members. They must collect student evaluations, which are then submitted to their department. Teaching assistants receive a stipend similar to that of graduate assistants and usually a full or partial fee scholarship.

The largest block of associate instructorships in the School of Education is administered by the Office of Teacher Education. Some undergraduate courses in elementary and secondary school teaching methods, reading teaching methods, philosophy of education , educational psychology, and other subjects are taught by doctoral students. AIs for these courses are selected by the department chair or program head in the department that offers each course.

Another large group of teaching assistants is hired by the Student Academic Center. Courses to improve proficiency in reading, writing, and study skills are offered for undergraduate students throughout the university. Contact the Director, Student Academ ic Center, 316 N. Jordan Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405-7705 (812-855-7313).

Residence Hall Assistantships
Graduate students hired as counselors in the university residence halls receive room, board, a stipend, and remission of certain fees. They must live in a university residence hall and are responsible for the counseling and supervision of approximately 50 undergraduate students living on a floor of a residence hall. Academic record, experience working with children or adolescents, and personal and social skills are prerequisites for these appointments. Contact the Director of Counseling and Activities, De partment of Residence Life, 801 N. Jordan Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405-2107 (812-855-1764).

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Fellowships and Scholarships

Fellowships and scholarships are granted to graduate students with superior academic records. Students granted fellowships and scholarships generally are required to be registered for a minimum of 8 credit hours per semester.

Fee Scholarships
Full or partial fee scholarships are generally awarded together with graduate research and teaching assistantships. Fee scholarships may pay both in- and out-of-state tuition. (A small portion of fees is not remittable, even with a “full” fee scholarship. ) These scholarships are administered by department chairs, directors of external grants, and heads of administrative offices who hire graduate, research, and teaching assistants.

Chancellor’s Fellowships
The Chancellor’s Fellowship Program is a campus-wide effort to attract excellent students to the Bloomington campus. It is financed by the University Graduate School. Chancellor’s Fellowships are for entering graduate students with an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale intending to pursue a doctoral degree. The award consists of a four-year financial aid package with an annual stipend of currently $15,000, a tuition scholarship of 20 credit hours or more for each scholarship year, and health insuranc e. The first year involves a fellowship, while subsequent years consist of a graduate, research, or teaching assistantship. Each year, the School of Education has a specified number of Chancellor’s Fellowships it may award. No special application is requi red. Departments nominate applicants and a School of Education committee selects awards.

Chancellor’s Minority Fellowships
A Chancellor’s Minority Fellowship is a four- to five-year package that includes a first year of fellowship support from the University Graduate School and two to five years of a departmental graduate assistantship. For students in the School of Education , the award is for $15,000 and a tuition scholarship for 24 credit hours for each of the three years. There is no special application for this award. Nominations for these awards are submitted by departments to the Office of Graduate Studies on approximat ely February 1 of each year.

University Graduate Fellowships
The most common fellowship awarded to graduate students at Indiana University is the University Graduate Fellowship. In the School of Education these are typically awarded to full-time doctoral students in the first year of graduate work. These awards typ ically range from $3,500 to $4,500 per year and are awarded by departments to incoming doctoral students with especially high GRE scores and a high level of undergraduate and graduate scholarship. Typically, fellowship students are also appointed as gradu ate assistants and receive a fee scholarship. Departments nominate applicants.

Privately Funded Scholarships
Gifts from alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the School of Education have provided financial assistance for students throughout the history of the school. For information on fellowships currently available, contact the School of Education, Office of Graduate Studies, or check our Web site.

Fellowships for Underrepresented Groups
In addition to the Chancellor’s Minority Fellowship noted earlier, Indiana University offers several fellowships and support programs for students from under-represented groups. These include the Dean’s Minority Fellowship, Women in Science Fellowship, Ro nald E. McNair Graduate Fellowship, Graduate Minority Fellowship, and the Educational Opportunity Fellowship for first generation college students. For information, interested students should contact the School of Education, Office of Graduate Studies, or check our Web site.

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Other Student Support Opportunities

International Student Awards
Information about international student awards may be obtained from the Office of International Services, Franklin Hall 306, Bloomington, IN 47405-2801 (812-855-9086), or the Office of International Affairs, 620 Union Drive, Union Building 207, Indianapol is, IN 46202-5167 (317-274-7294).

Student Loans
Long-term loans are available under the Perkins National Direct Student Loan and the Stafford Guaranteed Student Loan programs. For information about these and other loan programs, contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance, Franklin Hall 208, Blo omington, IN 47405-2801 (812-855-0321; automated service 812-855-RSVP), or the Office of Student Financial Aid, Cavanaugh Hall 103, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5145 (317-274-4162).

Doctoral Student Grant-In-Aid of Dissertation Research
A program of doctoral student grant-in-aid of research is designed to assist doctoral students in funding unusual expenses arising from the research required for the dissertation. Examples of such expenses include travel to specialized libraries or resear ch sites, payment of subjects or computer programmers, and the purchase of specialized materials or equipment that cannot be provided by the major department. The maximum amount of aid is $1,000. Awards are made two times per year; the deadlines for the r eceipt of applications are March 1 and October 1. Application forms are available from the University Graduate School, Kirkwood 111, Bloomington, IN 47405-3901, and from the Office of Graduate Studies, Education 4070, Bloomington, IN 47405-1006.

Research Incentive Dissertation Year Fellowship
The University Graduate School offers a fellowship for up to $10,000 for support of doctoral dissertation research. To be eligible for this award, students must demonstrate that they have applied for funding from at least two external sources. The goal of this program is to encourage students to write grant proposals for external funding. The fellowship is for students whose quest for such funding has been unsuccessful. Partial fellowship support may be granted if partial external funding is gained. Appli cation forms are available from the University Graduate School.

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