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Funding for Students

Many students receive funding for graduate studies in the form of teaching or research assistantships, scholarships, external fellowships, fellowships tied to a specific institution, or loans. We encourage you to explore different options to cover the cost of your graduate education.

Administrative, research, or teaching assistantships may be available in your department. Contact your department to inquire, and follow the GLC Weekly postings for assistantship and graduate student wage opportunities across campus. 

The Dean of Students office provides emergency assistance to students in cases of financial need due to sudden, unforeseen circumstances that may develop in students' lives. If you are in need of immediate support and have no other remedy, please consider applying for a grant through the Dean of Students Office.

Sponsored by departments, other institutions, federal agencies, and private business. Graduate students are encouraged to pursue external fellowship and scholarship opportunities provided by federal agencies and a variety of non-profit organizations.

A variety of assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships sponsored by the Graduate School. Eligibility requirements, funding amounts and nomination process vary for each opportunity.

OSFA can assist you with calculating cost of education expenses and completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Graduate students are encouraged to complete the federal application for financial aid, even if they may not take advantage of the full loan package they may be awarded.  

Human Resources posts available student wage positions as they become available in different areas of the university. Dining Services, Student Engagement and Campus Life and other departments often have several student wage positions available. 

The Graduate Student Assembly manages travel and research funds to help offset some of the cost of graduate student conference travel and research projects. 

University procedure 20330 provides a mechanism to make travel advances (loans) available under special circumstances to employees, including graduate assistants, traveling on University business. The procedure outlines qualifying circumstances, and the requirements for obtaining and repaying such advances.

The work-life grant program provides temporary financial assistance to departments to enable them to continue support for graduate students during pregnancy and childbirth.

Contact us at gradfinance@vt.edu if you have questions or need assistance.