Affording Graduate School

We all know about student loans, but through fellowships, grants, and employment through your graduate program, you can greatly reduce the amount you will have to pay back when you graduate. In fact, many graduate students end up not having to take out any loans.

Research and Teaching Assistantships

These types of positions usually cover most (or all) of your graduate fees. If you are a graduate reasearch or teaching assistant working at least ten hours a week, you most likely will receive a stipend, health insurance, and most importantly, a fee remission. In other words, your tuition will be reduced, and if you're lucky, reduced to almost zero.

What is a research assistant?

Research assistants are hired by professors to work on existing projects, and you are usually paid through the professor's research grant. If you want to be a research assistant, you should first find professors that are doing work in something you are interested in or that you can lend a helping hand to. Oftentimes, you'll have to wait until your second year as a graduate student to get a research assistantship, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Professors like students interested in their work anyways.

What is a teaching assistant?

If you went to undergrdaute at a large university, then you probably already know what a teaching assistant is. Teaching assistants help professors teach. Usually teaching assistant will head a discussion group that serves as a supplement to the actual lecture. If you want to be a teaching assistant, you should probably contact the graduate department's office or graduate advisor. It's not rare for a first-year grad student to get a teaching assistantship.

Fellowships and Grants

These are a bit harder to get, and you'll need a research plan drawn up, but if you already have some projects planned, go for it.

Bottom Line

You can definitely afford graduate school if you look in the right places. If you play your cards right, it'll almost be like getting paid to learn, so keep your eyes open.