Funding Graduate School

Fellowships

Most of our students are supported by research assistantships provided by the faculty. There are no separate applications for financial assistance. All applicants accepted into the graduate program before January 10 are considered for College and University fellowships for the following year. Fellowships are competitive and usually awarded to PhD students. Award recipients will be notified by April 30 that they will receive a fellowship for the following school year. 

Financial Aid

Approximately 75% of graduate students at USU receive some sort of financial assistance in supporting their graduate education. This assistance comes from a variety of sources:

• fellowships and scholarships (through the School of Graduate Studies, the student's college, or the student's department)
• paid work in the form of assistantships
• tuition awards are determined by colleges and departments, please contact your department for more information

Although graduate students are not eligible for federal tuition grants (such as the Pell Grant), they are eligible for federal loans to cover graduate school expenses. Small grants through the Graduate Student Senate are available on a competitive basis to cover graduate student travel and research expenses, and to enhance graduate students' assistantship pay.

Additionally, USU offers health insurance to graduate students who are employed 20 hours per week through an assistantship or have received a qualifying fellowship. Students who do not have either of these can still receive this insurance by paying the full premium.

Scholarships

The School of Graduate Studies offers 3 types of scholarships: 2 are awarded to students who have been nominated by someone from the college, and 1 is available to qualifying students whose parent(s) graduated from USU.

Although graduate students are not eligible for federal tuition grants (such as the Pell Grant), they are eligible for federal loans to cover graduate school expenses. Small grants through the Graduate Student Senate are available on a competitive basis to cover graduate student travel and research expenses, and to enhance graduate students' assistantship pay.

For more information on the scholarships offered by the School of Graduate Studies, please visit their scholarship page.

The Quinney College of Natural Resources also offers additional scholarships, please check with the appropriate department to see what is available and if you qualify.