Work-Study and Loan Programs
The deadline for applying for federally subsidized Work-Study is March 31. The deadline for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is also March 31; therefore, students should not wait to hear from the English Department about fellowship offers before investigating work-study and loan programs and contacting the University's Financial Aid Office.
Financial Support for PhD Candidates
PhD students entering the program will receive a six year financial package consisting of tuition, fees, one-person health insurance coverage, and $30,600 for the first five years of study (changing to $24,480 in the sixth year). This award, made up of fellowships and teaching-assistantships, will be maintained up to a total of six years contingent on satisfactory academic performance. Standard teaching responsibilities for a doctoral student in English involve teaching two courses per year across years 2-4 of the program (with no teaching in years 1 and 5); fellowship funds beyond teaching wages complete the support we are presently offering for years 1-6, with some annual funding for conference travel and additional dissertation research funding awarded if and as our resources permit. (A few enhanced fellowships are available on a competitive basis: all applicants to the PhD program are automatically considered for these.) Students in their seventh year and beyond, who continue to make good progress toward the degree, are eligible for teaching when such assignments are available.
PhD students may apply for up to $500 per year to attend conferences where they are giving papers or chairing panels. They may also apply for any available positions as graders or research assistants, potentially enabling them to earn up to $3,000 per academic year.
To qualify for the department’s program of support, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress. In cases of serious academic deficiency (e.g., a pattern of poor grades in courses or repeated failure to complete work on time), a student may be asked to leave the program.
Financial Support for MA Candidates
Students admitted to the MA Concentration in Teaching Literature and Writing receive in their second year a tuition waiver, coverage of all associated fees, one-person health insurance, and a stipend of $12,240 in exchange for teaching one course per semester. Like PhDs, MAs may apply for up to $500 per year to attend conferences where they are giving papers or chairing panels. MA students may also apply for summer research funds. In addition, they may apply for any available positions as research assistants or graders, potentially enabling them to earn up to $3,000 per academic year. Students enrolling in the unfunded or "Standard" MA program should plan to defray their own expenses. A schedule of tuition and fees can be found here.