Does a graduate Research Assistantship usually give you enough money to pay for school and get by?

Question

Can you think of any exceptions? Do Universities expect you to have aditional funding? What can be done about it?

Answer 1

A research assistantship (or a teaching assistantship, or a fellowship) usually comes with full tuition remission, but you will want to CHECK ON THIS in each case. A call or email to the director of graduate studies of each department that offers you an assistantship will provide you with precise information on each school's policy.

Stipends (the money you actually get in order to support yourself) can vary in amount. Urban schools often provide higher stipends than rural ones. Private schools sometimes provide higher stipends than state ones. The sciences often provide higher stipends than the arts and humanities. A stipend is always barely enough to get by. Many grad students with assistantships also take out federal loans to cover additional expenses.

Here's an example. Years ago, when I was a grad student, my fellowship was considered a great one, because it had a relatively high stipend for the humanities, but I still took out student loans (about $2500 a year) in order to meet my expenses.

I am currently the director of a graduate program, and the grad students in my department get about $10,000 a year as their stipend, with an additional $1000 available to them if they take classes over the summer. This is rather low, but about normal for a rural state university.) Many of them also take student loans (still about $2500 a year!) to cover additional expenses.

Answer 2

I just received a research grant assistantship and my school was paid for and I had a living allowance of 550.00 a month to live on. I have bills and needed more a month to live on, so I was planning on find various jobs to supplement my income. If you choose to accept this assistant ship, then I would defiantly look into other sources of income, because things may come up unexpectedly and you may need extra cash.
Good luck

Answer 3

Graduate assistanceships are in keeping with various factors. desire, the style of available positions that are open, your study hobbies, your earlier journey (artwork and academic), and so on. A intense GPA would not harm you, yet on the tip of the day it is not going to make you or break you. If there is something that would assist you---the two get an internship on your proposed field of graduate study, or carry out a little volunteer artwork.

Answer 4

hhmm.. it depends on the funding i guess..

i was once a research assistant and the money i got depended on the funding that the research was granted..