Graduate Funding Opportunities

Assistantships

There are two main types of graduate assistantships at Penn State: Teaching Assistantships (TA) and Research Assistantships (RA). Teaching and research assistantships include a stipend, tuition remission, and a subsidy for medical insurance. Assistantship responsibilities, on average, occupy approximately twenty hours per week.

Fellowships

Fellowships are highly prestigious financial support packages that typically include a stipend, tuition remission, and a subsidy for medical insurance. They derive from University or outside funds. Unlike assistantships, they do not have a required work commitment; they are duty-free.

The University Fellowships Office maintains a list of some of the more prominent graduate fellowships.

Scholarships

Scholarships are financial awards that support graduate study. Most are awarded by colleges, graduate programs, or outside funding agencies and are based on academic merit. Some awards factor in financial need or other grantee-specified criteria.

The University Fellowships Office maintains a list of some of the more prominent general scholarships.