Financial Aid

Graduate Associateships

Each year, Ohio State employs several thousand graduate associates including graduate teaching associates (GTAs), graduate research associates (GRAs), and graduate administrative associates (GAAs). GTAs, GRAs and GAAs are the primary source of financial assistance provided to graduate students. GTAs may be asked to teach, assist with laboratory work, and/or perform other related activities. GRAs are assigned to research projects supervised by graduate professors. It is usually possible to carry out thesis and dissertation research on such projects. GAAs perform a variety of administrative and management duties.

Most graduate associates work 20 hours per week for 9 months, and receive a monthly stipend and a fee authorization for tuition. Ohio State offers stipends that are competitive with other universities of similar size and scope.

Associateship positions generally begin in the Autumn Quarter and are renewable, depending upon the student's job performance, grades, and availability of funds. The availability of graduate associateships varies from program to program. To be eligible for consideration, you must meet all of the admission requirements of the graduate program and apply by the appropriate program application deadline.

If you wish to be considered for a GTA and your native language is not English, you are required to take the Test of Spoken English (TSE).

Graduate Fellowships

Most graduate fellowship awards provide a monthly stipend and payment of resident and non-resident fees. Terms and renewability vary, however, with the type of fellowship awarded. Graduate fellowships are limited in number and are awarded on a competitive basis each year to applicants who show outstanding scholarly accomplishment and exceptional potential for graduate study. Fellowship appointments generally begin autumn quarter.

To be eligible for fellowship consideration, you must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.10 out of a possible 4.00 in both undergraduate and graduate work. Most of the fellowship programs require a higher GPA. The GRE General Test or the GMAT is required if you are applying for either the Ph.D., M.A., M.S., or D.M.A. degree programs. For more information about eligibility for Ohio State Graduate School Fellowships, go to the index of our website under "Financial Aid."

Each graduate program selects the most highly qualified applicants and places their names in nomination to the Graduate School in mid February. Fellowship awards are announced March 15. Recipients' acceptances of the awards are due April 15.

Financial Aid for Domestic Graduate Students
Federal Loans and Federal Work Study Program

US citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for government-sponsored loans (which must be repaid). The maximum combination of subsidized Stafford Loans available for graduate or professional study is $8,500 for a 12 month academic year. An additional $10,000 in unsubsidized loans may be borrowed by graduate students who qualify. In addition, $4,000 per year may be earned through the government sponsored Federal Work Study Program, also limited to US citizens and permanent residents who qualify. Applicants should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To obtain the FAFSA and to learn more about the above programs as well as other opportunities for loans, please contact:

Office of Student Financial Aid
517 Lincoln Tower
1800 Cannon Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43210-1230 USA
Tel: 614-292-0300 (outside 614 code area: 800-678-6440)
E-mail: finaid@fa.adm.ohio-state.edu
Web site: http://sfa.osu.edu/