ºÚÁϳԹÏ

External funding opportunities for graduate students

Financial aid is available to PhD students in the form of teaching and research assistantships. These allow students to provide support for faculty either in teaching a class or in conducting research, while receiving a stipend and tuition waiver in return. Aid is only rarely available for master’s students. When available, these opportunities go to research based Master's students. Professional MS students are not hired at TAs/RAs. HourlyÌýgraduate student staffÌýpositions are available to master’s students (both research and professional) on a semester-by-semester basis.

Stipend and Funding

All admitted PhD students receive a TA or an RA offer, which covers tuition, fees, 91% of health insurance premium, which includes dental insurance, and a monthly stipend during academic semesters (summer is not included in the offer).Ìý

For AY 2025-2026 the stipend amount is $16,222.92 per semester in Fall and Spring semesters.Ìý

Tuition Waivers

Both teaching assistants and research assistants will receive resident tuition waivers up to 15 credit hours. However, the total number of credit hours depends upon the percent of time they are appointed.

Students offered assistantships who are U.S. citizens but not residents of Colorado are urged to apply for resident status as soon as possible. Non-resident tuition waivers are not normally available to such students after their first year.

Conditions

The department follows the Grad School Graduate Student Appointment Rules, in summary:

• Holders of assistantships must be full-time students as defined by the Graduate School in terms of degree status and good standing.
• They are expected to be making adequate progress in research and academics.
• Graduate School appointment rules stateÌýthat students admitted as a provisional degree student areÌýnot eligible to hold an appointment.
• The Department does not hire students admitted as a provisional degree students and/or students under academic probation,Ìýas Teaching Assistants.
• The Department does not hire students with "Incomplete" grades, as Teaching Assistants.
• It is at the discretion of their faculty advisorÌýto petition, if they want to hire their students who are admitted provisionally, their students under academic probation and students with Incomplete grades,Ìýas RAs.Ìý

Such support is contingent upon satisfactory performance and the availability of funds.

Payroll, Tuition Coverage and Insurance Premium Coverage

For questions related to payroll, tuition coverage and insurance premium coverage for those on a qualifying Research and Teaching Assistantship appointments see the Q&A.