The Rackham Fellowships Office administers a range of grants and fellowships. Whether you are a prospective student, a current student, a Master’s or Ph.D. student, we want to make sure you know about the funding available for your graduate education.
1. Federal Aid
Your first step should be to apply for federal financial aid. If you haven’t already done so, apply for Federal Financial Aid online by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Graduate students who apply will be considered for Federal Loan and Work-Study programs.
2. Funding Package from Your Department
Second, when you are admitted to the University of Michigan, your program may offer you a funding package. This is more common for Ph.D. students than Master’s students. If your department or school has not communicated with you about funding, we encourage you to contact the graduate coordinator or financial aid officer in your graduate program. Funding packages may include fellowships, teaching (GSI) appointments, or other department-level funding (e.g., your department may grant all students funding to cover one trip to an important conference in your field). Department-level funding varies widely across campus. Graduate programs may have their own pool of funds from U-M, federal research, and private sources, alumni, grants, etc., to be used specifically for their students. Rackham also provides funding to many programs to support their graduate students.
3. What’s Next?
After you’ve filled out the FAFSA and worked with your department or school, consider following one of the links below to learn about other funding opportunities.
Graduate Student Staff Assistant (GSSA) and Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Positions
There are a limited number of GSSA (assistantships) and GSI (teaching) positions available to graduate students. If you are in a Ph.D. program, your department or school may contact you about applying for GSI position. Alternatively, you may contact a specific department if you have experience and/or interest in teaching in the field. Otherwise, interested graduate students seeking possible GSI/GSSA appointments should visit http://umjobs.org/graduate_student/ to view current openings.
Rackham List
Rackham Graduate School maintains a helpful list of funding sources (both U-M and external) on the Rackham website. These range from large competitive grants from the Center for the Education of Women, to targeted grants that assist with foreign language study, to much smaller, emergency grants and awards designed to help students pay down their outstanding student loan interest. Visit http://www.rackham.umich.edu/funding/ to review Rackham’s list of funding sources.
U-M Office of Financial Aid
The U-M Office of Financial Aid is an excellent resource for students. Visit their web page to learn about convenient drop-in hours on central campus and contact information. Financial Aid staff can answer many of your financial aid questions and point you in the direction of more useful resources.
Other U-M Campus Units
The following U-M campus units either have their own funding available or can connect you to funding opportunities:
- Student Employment Office: part-time jobs that pay an hourly wage
- Honors Office: this site is geared toward undergraduates but may be useful for some
- Alumni Center: some local chapters may offer scholarships
- International Institute: list of fellowships and grants for international students
- Services for Students with Disabilities
- U-M Student Veteran’s Assistance Program: provides help accessing veteran benefits
- Division of Research Development and Administration: lists of fellowships and deadlines
We’re Here to Help You!
If you have questions about funding, please contact the Rackham Graduate School Fellowships Office at 734-764-8119 or flwships@umich.edu.
Published in: Resources and Events