Nov 01, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships


 Graduate Students working in a lab


Of full-time graduate students, nearly 80% receive merit-based financial awards. Fellowships, tuition scholarships, assistantships, and traineeships are awarded on the basis of merit from nominations by the department. Awards are granted to full-time students in good academic standing with regular status. Students are expected to give their full-time attention to graduate study.

For incoming new students, application for fellowship, tuition scholarship, or assistantship financial aid is a part of the admission application form and is made at the time of application. Electronic application is required using the web address: http://www.udel.edu/gradoffice/apply/ U.S. applicants are strongly encouraged to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.  More detailed information about each opportunity can be found on the Graduate College website.

 Graduate University Fellowships

Graduate University Fellowships are awarded on the basis of nominations by the graduate departments and programs to students with regular, full-time status and high academic standing. Fellowships for doctoral students usually provide full tuition and a stipend. In addition, students on fellowship are eligible for coverage by the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan at a reduced cost. Master’s students who receive fellowships and those doctoral students who have not been admitted to candidacy and who receive fellowships must be enrolled for a minimum of nine credit hours of graduate level courses per semester. Occasionally a fellowship holder may need fewer than nine credits to complete their program. In such cases, the department must petition the Graduate College for permission to assign a fellowship to that student.

Fellows are expected to give their full-time attention to graduate study.

Fellowships are awarded for up to one year at a time and fellows must be in good standing which means maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 (B average) each semester to continue to be eligible to hold the fellowship award and must be achieving appropriate progress toward the degree.  There are two categories of University fellowships: departmental fellowships and competitive fellowships and scholars awards.

University Tuition Scholarships

Tuition scholarships provide tuition but do not pay a stipend. Tuition scholarships are awarded on the basis of nominations to students with regular, full-time status and high academic standing. Tuition scholars are required to register in a minimum of six graduate credit hours each semester. Tuition scholars may accept remuneration for employment inside or outside of the University. Tuition scholars are eligible for coverage by the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan at a reduced cost.

Graduate Student Assistantships

The University of Delaware offers assistantships to students with regular, full-time status and high academic standing. Assistantships usually provide a stipend and may or may not include tuition. Assistants are eligible for coverage by the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan at a reduced cost.

Assistants must be in good standing (maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 each semester) to retain the assistantship. To qualify for full-time status, assistants must enroll for at least six graduate credit hours each semester or as specified on the Contractual Agreement form. Occasionally a graduate student assistant may have fewer than six credits outstanding to complete their program. In such a case, the department must petition the Associate Dean of the Graduate College for permission to maintain the student on an assistantship. A full-time assistant is normally appointed for twenty hours a week. Assistantships may be offered by departments for 10 hours a week with the appropriate prorated compensation (stipend and tuition). Students holding assistantships are expected to give their full-time attention to graduate study and their assigned assistantship. Any request for an exception to this policy must be sent in writing to the Associate Dean of the Graduate College. There are three categories of assistantships: teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and graduate assistantships. The definition of these categories is provided below. In cases where a student’s time and funding are divided between or among these categories, the student’s classification will be determined on the basis of how the student is spending the preponderance of their time.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching assistantships are awarded through the individual departments. Teaching assistants are required to perform teaching and other instructional activities for twenty hours each week during the academic year.

Research Assistantships

Research assistantships are generally funded by research grants and contracts provided by external funding agencies. Research assistantships require twenty hours of service or research a week. Research assistants are expected to work on their assigned research projects during winter session. The amount of each student’s stipend will be calculated in accordance with the number of months that the student is appointed as a research assistant.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are awarded by academic departments and other University offices to students in exchange for specialized tasks. Graduate assistants may be appointed for twenty hours each week during the academic year including winter session in a variety of capacities as administrative assistants to University faculty and administrators.

Campus and Other Employment

Information on summer and part-time jobs both on campus and in the surrounding community is available in the Career Services Center through the Student Employment Service or on-line (http://www.udel.edu/CSC). Jobs that are federally funded through the Federal Work-Study Program are through the Student Financial Services office and additional information can be found at www.udel.edu/finaid/workstudy.