Funding is an important factor in your decision to accept an offer from a graduate program and it is important for you to understand how funding works at each program you apply to.
Students who are funded typically receive a monthly stipend, academic tuition and fees, and a subsidy of 85% of the student health insurance premiums during periods of appointment. The majority of our students are funded through a variety of appointments. Typical appointments in geography are:
- University Fellowship: The University Fellowship provides funding for an incoming graduate student's study for a specified number of years. In years where the student is not on fellowship, the student is appointed as either a graduate teaching associate (GTA) or graduate research associate (GRA), at the department's discretion. Application Process: Applicants who apply before the November 30 (international) or December 13 (domestic) deadlines are automatically considered for a University Fellowship. For details about the University Fellowship program, including eligibility requirements and criteria for selection, visit Graduate Fellows.
- Graduate Teaching Associate (GTA): GTA assignments are assigned through the Geography department and are first allocated to students previously appointed as University Fellows who have demonstrated satisfactory academic progress. If resources and instructional demands allow, the department will offer a GTA appointment to those top-ranked applicant(s) not already receiving a Fellowship.
- Graduate Research Associate (GRA): Occasionally, Geography faculty members have funds from research projects with which they can appoint a graduate research associate. Given the relative scarcity of such positions, it is important for applicants to communicate early with potential mentors about such research opportunities. Individual faculty members ultimately select GRA's for their specific funded projects.
- Other funding options exist: There are also multiple funding sources from outside the University see here: External Funding Sources. For more general information on funding options, please visit the Graduate Admissions website.
Information about estimated costs of a Graduate degree from OSU is provided by the Graduate School. Financial Aid provides a breakdown of the actual costs of attendance.