Overview of Graduate Funding for Current Students

The Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Administration is responsible for facilitating all Graduate School funding programs and awards. Funding programs are available for both incoming and current graduate students.

It is important to realize that the Graduate School funding process, like the admissions process, is decentralized. Therefore, applicants for Graduate School funding must be nominated and supported by the academic department and college.

Students should begin looking for funding approximately one year in advance of their need for funding and stay in close communication with their department or program head. Given that competitions for funding have particularly early deadlines, students should also investigate as many funding options as possible to avoid missing valuable opportunities.

At Penn State, sources of graduate student funding include:

Department/College Funding: Many programs and colleges offer assistantships [link to assistantship definition and guidelines], scholarships, and fellowships. For information on available departmental funding, contact the academic program directly.
Office of Student Aid: The Office of Student Aid administers the Stafford Loan program and the Federal Work-Study program. Penn State uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for determining Stafford Loan eligibility.
The Graduate School: The Graduate School offers several funding programs coordinated by the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Administration. Many funding programs require departmental nominations, thus it is highly encouraged that students maintain contact with their academic program and advisors.
University Service and Student Affairs Units: Various service and students affairs units on campus often hire graduate students to serve as counselors and coordinators. If you have expertise in a certain area (counseling, residential life, tutoring, etc.), you may be able to secure a funded position in those corresponding Penn State units.
External Organizations: Many organizations offer funding directly to graduate students. As these agencies tend to have early deadlines, it is highly recommended that you begin your funding search at least one year in advance of your anticipated need for funding.

For more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions about Funding and/or contact the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Administration, 313 Kern Graduate Building, University Park, PA 16802, (814) 865-2514, or e-mail grfellow@psu.edu.