Graduate School admission does not automatically assure the availability of financial support, although the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Studies Committee try to ensure that students admitted will receive financial support for a majority of their standard-length graduate program.
Financial assistance is most frequently in the form of research or teaching assistantships that are awarded to the best qualified applicants. Because research assistantships are generally funded through external research grants, their availability is difficult to predict and will vary with time. Duration of assistantships should be established at the time of the appointment.
Graduate students not on a regular assistantship may be supported by fellowships administered by the Graduate School or by non-University agencies, and some may be self-supporting. The same standards of performance and the same obligations to assist in teaching activities pertain to all Animal Science graduate students irrespective of status of financial support.
Assistantships
- An assistantship provides financial assistance through part-time academic employment. Assistants are paid a stipend and/or receive tuition remission (free tuition) in exchange for tasks they perform for a faculty member, the department or the college. Teaching assistantships provide financial aid in exchange for teaching activities, such as helping a professor by conducting lab or study groups, preparing lectures and grading. Research assistantships pay you to assist a professor with his or her research.
- Most assistantships are driven by faculty research or teaching needs, so it is best to contact your advisor to find out what opportunities are available in your department. You can find out about assistantships in other University colleges and departments by visiting the Graduate Assistant Employment Office.
- The 2024-2025 Research Assistantship pay rate in Animal Science is $27.63/hour for MS and PhD students.
Fellowships
- Unlike assistantships, fellowships generally do not require you to work in exchange for aid. Fellowships are based on academic merit and usually cover educational and living expenses. Currently enrolled graduate students may apply for University-wide fellowships and/or external funding opportunities.