Most IH students are supported during the academic year by either a Teaching Assistantship (TA) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) appointment. Both of these are unionized positions, and the conditions of work are governed by the union contract. With both, your tuition and fees are covered, and you receive a monthly salary.
- Teaching Assistantship, where you work with a faculty instructor of record in a class they have designed. It is a useful opportunity to observe different teaching styles, and also to develop your own skills as a leader of discussion sections. You will also do grading and various other tasks that are necessary for a class. Your employment is for 20 hours a week: this may vary from week to week, but you are expected to average this over the semester. A Faculty-TA Agreement initiated by the faculty instructor of record in advance of the class is helpful for being clear about the expectations for your role as TA for that class.
- Graduate Student Researcher: These are more focused appointments, which involve research projects, usually with IH faculty. While the research may be related to your academic interests, this is employment, and like a TA, you are generally expected to work 20 hours a week.
Fellowships:
The campus has a number of fellowships that are awarded at different times, some at admission and some later in your program. Those you are eligible to apply for after you have been admitted can be found here. There are also various fellowships offered by outside organizations that you should apply for if you qualify. Keep your eye out for notices of such external fellowships!
Block Grant:
IH receives a Block Grant from the Graduate Division to support the professional development of our students. In general, there is an opportunity to apply for professional development funds of $500 in the fall (for travel to a conference, purchase of books or equipment, etc.). Most of the rest of the Block Grant is used to help support students in the summer, especially students who do not have other sources of funding. In alignment with Graduate Division policy, when you receive Block Grant funding, you will be asked to provide a brief report of how the funds supported your academic work.
Summer Funding:
We do not have full funding for students over the summer. The opportunities available for summer funding vary each year, but students should keep an eye out for fellowships and GSR opportunities from the Graduate Division, the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts (SSHA), IH, or the Center for the Humanities. Be sure to pay attention to any rules around funding opportunities. Advanced graduate students are sometimes able to work as Teaching Fellows/Instructors of Record in the summer, teaching courses in their field. Students who are not otherwise funded will receive Block Grant funding for the summer; students who are working as Teaching Fellows and GSRs may receive a small supplement to help them focus on their own research and writing.
