Finances

Low tuition and low cost of living have enabled the University of Idaho to repeatedly rank in the top 100 for best value among American universities.*

In addition to our excellent value, a variety of scholarships, assistantships and other forms of financial aid are available to help you.

Beyond providing some of the best financial aid resources anywhere, we also promise to make the process as clear and as easy as possible. At the College of Graduate Studies, you’ll receive useful guidance from knowledgeable people in a timely manner.

Below is a general description of the kinds of financial aid you might want to investigate. If you have specific questions or need help with funding, please contact Stephanie Thomas at (208) 885-4723 or stepht@uidaho.edu.

A Primer on Financial Aid for Graduate Students

Several different types of financial aid are generally available to graduate students. Assuming you’re eligible, you can receive more than one type at the same time. Most students try to obtain a combination of grants and loans and, if possible, scholarships, as well. In addition to grants and loans, graduate students can often help finance their education through fellowships and assistantships. To save money, consider all your options, including various agencies offering governmental and private aid.

Types of Financial Aid

Grants 

Grants are gifts that need not be repaid and may originate through the government or private sources. Government grants are usually given to students in need. They also typically require the maintenance of a specific grade point average (GPA) throughout your academic career. Private grants often take the form of scholarships and have their own guidelines. The amount offered may vary depending on the individual and other criteria. Grants awarded in graduate school can often be used to pay for travel to conferences, research, experiments or other projects.

Scholarships

Scholarships vary in amount and duration and are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, perceived talent or, in some cases, ethnic background, field of study, or financial need. They may be awarded as a one-time payment or as an annual stipend. As with grants, scholarships need not be paid back.

Scholarships are awarded by private sources as well as academic institutions. Private scholarships are often given by organizations or private companies. Some organizations ask that students compete for scholarships through performance or essay writing. Others award on the basis of specific requirements and standards. You can search for private scholarships on the Internet, through online scholarship search engines, or in books devoted to the subject.

Fellowships

Granted to grad and post-grad students, fellowships are similar to scholarships in that they do not require repayment. They are awarded by private organizations, institutions or government agencies. They vary in amount and are typically designed to offset research or education costs. It’s not uncommon for a fellowship to take the form of a multiyear stipend with or without a tuition waiver. Fellowships are typically awarded based on merit or need.

Assistantships

Assistantships usually require students to work as assistant teachers (TAs), research assistants (RAs) and assistants to professors within their department or field of study. The amount awarded will vary depending on the funds that support them. (Research positions are typically paid through grants while teaching positions are usually paid through state funds.) TAs are considered members of the faculty. Teaching positions often involve teaching first-year, 101-level courses. Students in research positions usually work as RAs assisting in laboratory work. Each school and department will have its own regulations and requirements. All non-Idaho University of Idaho assistants receive an out-of-state tuition waiver based on the percentage of their assistantship, which is up to a $10,080 yearly value.

Loans

Loans are typically awarded on the basis of need. Unlike a grant or scholarship, loans must be repaid to the lending institution which may be a government agency, school, bank or private organization. The U.S. government issues a variety of such loans varying in amount, interest rate and repayment plan. Individuals who cannot qualify for government loans may receive loans through private companies that will have their own qualifications, interest rates and repayment plans. Banks also offer loans specifically for college students. Private companies typically apply higher interest rates and stricter guidelines.

*The University of Idaho has been highlighted as an extraordinary value by U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, Washington Monthly and Barron’s Best Buys.