Graduate Student Funding
Support for graduate students is generally provided through teaching or research assistantships, with the majority of these awards being of the research variety, supported by grants received by individual faculty. In these situations, it is generally the faculty member who determines the recipient of the award. The number of awards available to new students each year is generally from 1-3 per option area, so competition for these awards is extremely high.
Additional funding opportunities are also available in the form of full fellowships, which are typically for a single year, or as a supplement to a departmental appointment. The department will generally pursue a University Graduate Fellowship for the most outstanding applicants, as competition for these awards generally involves the best students from across the university. Students who receive department assistantships may also be granted single or multi-year College of Engineering Fellowships to supplement their stipend. The AE Department generally submits its top applicants for these awards.
New students should be aware that Penn State does not provide tuition grants in aid to new students. Students who are near the end of their program and encounter financial difficulty may apply for a tuition grant, but the overall number of these awards is relatively small.
Questions should be directed to the Graduate Program Officer.