Paying for Graduate School

Finding the funds to pay tuition and fees can be the biggest challenge of graduate study. Some of the most popular methods for covering these costs include assistantships, fellowships, loans, and/or out-of-state tuition waivers. For more detailed information about each of these options, see the Graduate Student Handbook, or visit the section of the Registrar’s Catalog that provides financial information. For a list that includes a number of financial contacts within individual degree programs, click here

For detailed information about current tuition costs, fees, and deadlines to submit payments, visit the Bursar's website. International students should refer to the Office of International Education website for the estimated cost of attendance that must be demonstrated to be eligible for an immigration form I-20 or DS-2019 to be issued. 

 

Assistantships

About half of Georgia Tech’s graduate students are employed as graduate research or teaching assistants (GRAs and GTAs), including four out of five doctoral students. These assistantships provide a modest stipend and lower tuition, and are usually awarded through students' major departments. The minimum stipend level applies whether the student works one-third or one-half time. For the most up to date information on minimum stipends, visit: Policylibrary.gatech.edu/academic-affairs/stipends-graduate-assistantships (Exceptions may be approved by the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development.)

The vast majority of GRA jobs are funded by grants or contracts that come from outside Tech. They provide hands-on research experience and usually an opportunity to learn teamwork. Most GTA jobs are paid from Georgia Tech operating funds (state funds). They provide an opportunity for students to develop teaching skills in apprenticeship with a member of the faculty. To be hired as a GRA or GTA, you must be a full-time student. Most assistantships require 13-20 hours per week of work.

Fellowships

Georgia Tech awards a large number of individual fellowships. They vary in value from a few hundred dollars to $30,000 per year or more. Most of them are awarded by schools, not by the Office of Graduate Studies or the Office of Financial Aid. Even for programs where several schools are eligible, nominations come from within the programs, not directly from individual students.

The only Institute-level fellowship programs are President’s Fellowships and Institute Fellowships. These supplement assistantships or other fellowships. Programs nominate incoming students for these programs, and the Office of Graduate Studies administers the programs. Visit: Fellowships for additional fellowship opportunities.

President's Fellowship (PF)

Georgia Tech Institute Fellowship (GTIF)

Loans

U.S. citizens and permanent residents are often eligible for special student loans. There are two federal direct loan programs for graduate students: the unsubsidized Direct Student Loan and the Graduate Plus Loan. (The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid can assist international students with finding private loans.) To apply for a loan, students need to submit the Georgia Tech Application for Scholarships and Financial Aid and the FAFSA. Visit: Fnaid.gatech.edu to learn more.

Graduate Conference Fund  

This fund is sponsored by the Graduate Student Government Association and is meant to provide financial assistance to graduate students who are traveling to a conference to present a paper or poster for research performed at Georgia Tech. For more information, visit  SGA.gatech.edu/g/conference-fund.