Financial Support

The Department is dedicated to ensuring that students in its graduate programs have adequate financial support. All students admitted to the PhD program are guaranteed funding for the five years that it takes to complete the program.

First-year support comes primarily in the form of fellowships, sometimes augmented by a Research Assistantship or Teaching Assistantship. In subsequent years, financial support comes mainly from Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships (see their salary scales), though some students may receive fellowships from campus or University sources.

This mix of funding sources is designed to get students acclimated quickly to the balance of research, teaching, and other work responsibilities that form the core of an academic career. All students will TA during their time in the PhD program, most for a substantial number of classes, coordinated across the curriculum’s breadth and depth. This is a design feature of our program, which increases the job market competitiveness of our graduates. 

Students are not ranked for purposes of determining financial support, a policy designed to minimize divisions among students and to emphasize and strengthen a sense of community and solidarity. We attempt to fund all PhD students at approximately the same level, although there can be slight variation across individuals depending on the specific combination of resources that are used to create their funding package.

Students are strongly encouraged throughout their graduate career to apply for fellowships and grants from extramural sources (e.g., from the National Science Foundation or Fulbright Program). Keep in mind that some external funding opportunities are only available to undergraduates (and may require GRE scores). During their time in the PhD program, students receive active mentoring in applying for external funding.

Unfortunately, the Department cannot provide routine financial support to students in the MA program. However, MA students occasionally hold Teaching or Research Assistantships in Linguistics or in other departments. The Department is committed maximizing these opportunities.