Financial Support

All incoming QB Ph.D. students are provided with financial support in their first year, including a competitive stipend and tuition remission. This support may come in the form of a teaching assistantship (TA), a graduate (research) assistantship (GA), or a graduate fellowship (GF). Students who progress productively toward their degree can anticipate full funding until the Ph.D. is awarded.

Teaching Assistantships: All QB students are required to be a Teaching assistant (TA: typically 6 credits/semester) for at least one semester as a graduate student. A possible alternative to doing a traditional TA could be assisting with several aspects of teaching for a course (by arrangement with the professor). This might consist of such activities as preparing and performing demonstrations, preparing and grading quizzes, and/or preparing and providing a lecture. This kind of alternative teaching can be arranged upon agreement with the graduate program director and the professor teaching the course (and can be indicated on the student transcript as 'Teaching Apprenticeship').

Graduate Assistantships: Graduate assistantships (GAs: 6 credits/semester) are not formally required, but serve as a common form of support after the student's first year. GAs are funded by grants, typically earned by the student's research advisor.

Graduate Fellowships: Graduate fellowships (GFs: 6 credits/semester) are not formally required, but generally consist of a prestigious, merit-based form of support. GFs can be provided by the graduate program (e.g., from training grants) or by outside sources (e.g., from student-written proposals).