Recruiting Awards
Entering students are competed automatically for all of the awards for which they are eligible; there are no additional procedures or forms to complete. Educational Policy students are eligible for a variety of university and college multi-year financial aid packages. The College of Education graduate financial support website outlines these awards, which are typically made in February and March.
Many international students pay for their doctoral study in other ways. The most common situation is that they receive financial support from their home government or home educational institution. The Fulbright program supports some international students. A number of them also draw on their own savings or receive support from their families. Some find other sources of income through assistantships elsewhere on campus, or through non-professional student work on campus.
Almost all Educational Policy students receive guaranteed, multi-year awards (four or five year commitments) that provide at least $21,000 per year in stipend, plus full tuition, waivers, and health insurance benefits.
Continuing Awards
The MSU Graduate School, the College of Education, and external agencies provide various forms of support for graduate students. The College supports a number of programs to support continuing students: regular fellowships [contact the program coordinator], endowed scholarships [see the College of Education graduate financial support website], and CED Summer Research Fellowships. The Graduate School supports Incentive Fellowships, Graduate School Research and Travel Grants, and Graduate School Dissertation Completion Fellowships. These programs are described on the Graduate School website link to Current Students.
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Graduate Assistantships
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General Information
For most students in the doctoral program, international and domestic, the primary source of on-campus support is graduate assistantships. These pay educational policy students for working on research projects and for teaching relevant courses. Included in an assistantship is a salary and tuition credit (covering a maximum of 9 credits of coursework per semester that the student is employed and medical benefits). There are no guarantees about receiving this kind of support as a by-product of admission.
Graduate assistantships vary from one-quarter time to one-half time. Stipends depend on percentage of time and level of assistantship, which is based on prior academic background and semesters of experience in a related assistantship. For each quarter-time, the assistantship holder is required to provide an average of 10 hours per week over the course of the 18-week pay period.
In addition to the stipend, all graduate assistants receive a waiver of nine credits of tuition per semester, a waiver of the out-of-state portion of tuition for any additional credits taken during the year (plus five credits in the summer), and enrollment in the university’s graduate student medical plan.
International teaching assistants must satisfy a specific English proficiency requirement, the details of which can be reviewed online at the Graduate School website link to Current Students: Graduate Education at MSU: Graduate Assistantships.
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How to Apply
After being admitted to the program, a student needs to examine the assistantship opportunities that exist at a College of Education graduate assistantship website. Apply directly to the specified employer stating your qualifications and your desire to fill the particular opening. Hiring decisions are worked out between each employer and the students who apply.
Tuition and Fees
The MSU Controller’s Office maintains an up-to-date website that outlines all tuition and fee schedules for the university.
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