Financial Aid for PA Graduate Students
There are two broad categories of financial assistance available to all graduate students in either the MPA or PhD programs:
- financial assistance administered by the PA Program; and
- financial assistance administered by the UIC Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA).
PA Program-administered financial aid is available only to qualified full-time, domestic students who will not be employed when they begin their graduate study. International students must be financially self-sufficient in the first year of study, and may be considered for a graduate assistantship in their second year. Students with exceptional credentials can be exempted from this policy at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies.
Financial assistance administered by OSFA include the Illinois Veterans Scholarship and the Stafford Loan Program. Information on these and other financial assistance (student loans and grants) can be obtained from:
UIC Office of Student Financial Aid
1200 W. Harrison, 1800 SSB (M/C 334)
Chicago, IL 60607
312-996-3126
PA Program-Administered Financial Aid
There is limited funding for qualified applicants. Program funding sources include the University Fellowships, Research Assistantships in Public Administration and the Tuition and Service Fee Waivers.
The research centers within the college frequently offer funding for qualified applicants. Please review the center's websites and indicate in your application whether you are interested in working in one of the research centers. Note that each center chooses its research assistants. Indicating you are interested in an RA position only insures that the centers will have an opportunity to review your application.
University Fellowships are awarded through competitions conducted by the UIC Graduate College. Each graduate program submits the names and credentials of applicants it feels deserves consideration in the campus-wide competitions. Included in this category is the Abraham Lincoln Graduate Fellowship Program -- a program intended to increase the number of students from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in graduate and professional programs of study. Fellowships include tuition and service fee waivers and provide annual stipends.
Graduate Assistantships are awarded at the program level and at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies. They are normally awarded on an academic year basis beginning in August. MPA students may be hired as research assistants to PA Program faculty or to other CUPPA research and academic units. MPA students are also occasionally hired as research assistants on projects funded by various governmental and nongovernmental agencies. Assistantships include a stipend based on the number of hours worked and a tuition and service fee waiver.
Tuition and Service Fee Waivers are awarded by the PA Program through Graduate College funding on a semester basis. Eligible degree-seeking students must be in good academic standing and registered for 12 credit hours for that semester (8 credit hours in the summer). The availability of waivers is announced in the PA student listserve at the beginning of each semester.
How to Apply for Program-Administered Financial Aid
To apply for program-administered financial aid, applicants must submit an Application for Graduate Appointment form to the Public Administration Program in addition to all of the materials required for admission to the degree program.
For fullest consideration for program-administered financial aid, fall applicants should submit their application by the following deadlines for applications:
PhD Applications - January 1st
MPA Applications - February 1st
Please contact Sean Kennelly, Assistant Director, at sean@uic.edu or 312-996-2160 with any questions on program-administered aid.
More Financial Aid Opportunities
College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs Distinguished Graduate Scholar Award
The CUPPA Distinguished Graduate Scholar Award Program offers highly qualified doctoral students a guarantee of up to four years of tuition-free education and salaries of up to $15,000 per academic year for work as research assistants in one of the college's seven research centers and institutes.
Selected students prepare for research careers in Public Administration by studying with faculty in the academic department and one of the nationally recognized research centers within the UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs.
Scholars are expected to complete all required course work and pass their preliminary examinations during their first two years of study. Scholars spend the next two years pursuing advanced research and dissertation study at their affiliate centers.
To apply for the Award, applicants should submit the following items to the PA Program Office:
- A letter of application stating your full name, address, email address, and work and home telephone numbers.
- A brief statement of your proposed program of study and research.
- A brief statement identifying the CUPPA research center you think would best meet your educational and research objectives. (It is best to select one. If interested in more than one, rank by order of preference as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)
For fullest consideration, applicants should submit these materials no later than January 1. Award recipients will be selected by March 1. (Award is available for fall semester only.) Those selected must notify the PA Director whether or not they accept the award within three weeks of receiving notice.
External Funding
There are thousands of funding opportunities from non-UIC sources out there, including fellowships, scholarships, internships and research funding. Funding amounts range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. Searching for these opportunities takes time, but can be very rewarding. Your first step should be to meet with the Fellowship and Financial Aid Coordinator to discuss funding opportunities. Following is a list of several websites that are databases of funding opportunities for graduate students:
Federal Financial Aid
If you intend to study on a full-time basis and are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, please consider completing the Free Application for Student Federal Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the all-purpose application for subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans. Graduate students can also apply for the Federal Work Study (FWS) Program, which may help subsidize a Graduate Assistantship. UIC's FWS budget is limited, so it's best to apply as early as possible.
Complete information on the FWS Program and how it relates to other forms of federal financial aid can be found at:
studentaid.ed.gov/students/attachments/siteresources/Stud_guide.pdf .
Should you decide to apply for any federal aid, please visit the UIC Office of Financial Aid's website for step-by-step instructions.
If you are found to be eligible for Federal Work Study funds, please notify the PA Program Office immediately.
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