Funding

The department offers financial support to its graduate students either in the form of a Graduate Associateship (GA), or Graduate School Fellowship. Most fellowships and GAs provide full tuition and fee authorization covering all instructional and general fees, including non-resident fees, a stipend and subsidized health insurance. Complete information on costs and financial support can be found on the university’s Graduate and Professional Admissions page. Applicants to the graduate program who wish to be considered for an Associateship or Fellowship should indicate this in the appropriate section of the application form.

Due to limited availability, we consider applicants for associateships only if they are interested in pursuing a Ph.D., which they should communicate by marking 'Ph.D. only' track on the application. Similarly, the department recommends applicants to the graduate school for fellowships only if they mark 'Ph.D. only' track on their application. Once fellowship or associateship offers are made and availed, this track option cannot be changed.

Graduate Associateships

Graduate associateships (GA) are the primary source of financial assistance provided to graduate students at Ohio State. Each year, a limited number of department-funded GA positions are available. Both domestic and international applicants are eligible for GA consideration.

The majority of GAs are appointed at 50 percent time with an average of 20 hours of work per week throughout the appointment period. These responsibilities are performed in service to the department and are not directly related to the student’s graduate degree.

For the upcoming academic year, the minimum stipend is $24,138 (or $2,682 per month) for a nine-month 50 percent GA appointment. This level of appointment is designed to allow students to maintain approximately two-thirds of a full-time academic course load while fulfilling their GA responsibilities.

In addition, graduate students holding a 50 percent or greater GA appointment for autumn and spring semesters are entitled to a full fee authorization during the immediately following summer term without being on appointment.  

International students may not be appointed for more than 50 percent time, either as a single or a combined appointment, during the autumn and spring semesters. 

Students must certify proficiency in spoken English before assuming GTA duties involving direct student contact (applies only to international and permanent resident non-English speaking graduate students).

Numerous Graduate Teaching Associateships (GTA), and Graduate Research Associateships (GRA) are provided each year by the department. Typically, TA appointments are made only for the autumn semester.

Fellowships

Fellowships are regarded as the most prestigious form of support awarded to graduate students. The Graduate School Fellowship Program is designed to help recruit highly qualified new students to advance the excellence of graduate education at Ohio State. Fellows are selected on the basis of academic merit through university-wide competitions without respect to financial need.

Graduate fellows cannot be required to perform a service in return for receiving a stipend. Fellowships allow a student to pursue a full-time academic schedule, and include summer support. 

Graduate fellowships are limited in number. Students do not directly apply for these fellowships, but are nominated through various mechanisms specific to each fellowship. The department will notify individuals directly if they have been nominated for consideration and/or awarded a fellowship.