Funding Fundamentals

Expenses

Most students find it helpful to plan their budgets for the year so that they are not unduly surprised.

• What does it cost to be a graduate student at Stanford?
• Tuition and fees [see Finances section]

Sources of Funding

Graduate students generally finance their graduate studies and living expenses from a combination of sources. Students are expected to actively seek out and apply for funding.

• Funding sources
• Financial aid offices and school-based resources

What Does Stanford Provide?

Financial support varies considerably among departments, schools, and programs. Academic merit and availability of funds are the primary considerations in the awarding of graduate financial support. The funding sources page explains the various forms of this support at Stanford, and there are definitions and guidelines in the Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures Handbook. Ask in your department about how similarly situated students fund their graduate studies.

Generally:

• Master’s students usually do not receive funding. Most fund tuition and expenses through savings or loans.
• Professional students’ (J.D, M.B.A., M.D.) financial aid is managed through the financial aid offices of the law, business, and medical schools.
• Doctoral students are usually offered a funding package that includes tuition and a stipend for living expenses for four to five years.

Research and Teaching Assistantship Support

Many graduate students are supported by teaching or research assistantships. These provide salary for the teaching or research work performed and a tuition allowance, along with a Cardinal Care insurance subsidy. Policies related to research and teaching assistantships, and minimum compensation levels for those positions are set by Stanford University. For clarification and interpretation contact your school dean's office or Ann George at VPGE.

• Assistantship policies in Administrative Guide Memo 24.2 (pdf)
• Minimum Salary Rates: Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantships

Graduate Financial Support (GFS)

Staff members use the GFS system to administer their graduate students’ funding. Along with Stanford’s Financial Aid and Student Financial Services offices, VPGE oversees the operation of this PeopleSoft application. Policies and procedures are detailed in the GFS Policy manual. For support and interpretation contact Ann George at VPGE.