Investing in graduate education is a major financial decision. Many students need to look beyond their own resources for assistance to help fund their studies.
Where to Seek Funding
The primary sources of funding for doctoral students are assistantships and fellowships. Some master’s and specialist students are also eligible for assistantships and fellowships. Assistantships offer professional experience, academic training, and financial support for students pursuing advanced degrees. Fellowships may provide payment to the University in lieu of tuition and/or small stipends to cover living expenses. Fellowships allow students time to focus on their academic programs, creative works, and scholarly pursuits, separate from any responsibilities required for an assistantship. The University has some single and multi-year competitive fellowships, primarily for newly admitted students and doctoral candidates. In addition, there are numerous highly competitive external fellowships for which students can apply to fund a significant portion of their graduate program. We encourage all students who are eligible to apply for an external fellowship prior to or during their graduate studies.
Other potential sources of funding for graduate school include scholarships, federal student aid, and grants. Below are links to internal and external funding resources and information.
Planning for Financial Success
Various offices at the University of Missouri help students secure the resources necessary to fund graduate education. For example, we can help you calculate the cost of your education and point you to resources to help you plan for higher-education costs.
Learn more about funding graduate education from the MU Career Center.