MFA Funding: Assistantships, Tuition Remission and Stipends

Funding words are used loosely in graduate art admissions. "Funded", "fully funded" and "scholarship" can describe quite different arrangements. This guide defines the terms we use on this site, shows how real programs word them and explains how to read an offer. It does not say that any school will fund you, and it does not recommend a funding route. For MFA entry itself, see MFA versus MA.

The terms we use

These are our working definitions, not legal ones. A school may use the same word differently, so we record its own wording.

Guaranteed. The school states that funding is assured to a defined group, with no competition. Check who is in the group and for how long. Kent State, for example, says all newly accepted MFA students receive a graduate assistantship with a full tuition waiver and a stipend. The page does not give the amount, the duration or the renewal terms, so those are things to ask.

Competitive. Awards go to a limited number of applicants. UCSB says its department aims to fully fund MFA students through fee remission, a stipend and TA employment, or a central fellowship. "Aims to" is not a guarantee, and the fellowships it describes are nominated by the department, not applied for. Do not count on a competitive award until it is offered.

Assistantship. Funding connected to work for the school, usually teaching or helping a faculty member. UW-Madison describes first-year teaching assistantships supporting faculty courses and leading discussion sections, then lecturing student assistantships in later years, and says assistantship holders are expected to provide 20 hours of service per week during the nine-month academic year. UCSB says TA appointments range from 25 percent time (about 10 hours a week) to 50 percent (about 20).

Tuition remission (or waiver). The school does not charge tuition, or credits it fully, to the student. UW-Madison names tuition remission as part of the package; Kent State says full tuition waiver. Ask whether it covers fees, and whether it covers out-of-state or international rates. UCSB's page says an appointment at 25 percent or more provides in-state tuition remission and most fees, including health insurance, and that out-of-state first-year students have their out-of-state tuition paid by the department.

Stipend. A regular payment to help cover living costs, usually for a defined period. UW-Madison lists monthly stipends. UCSB shows figures for TA salaries and fellowship stipends, with a caution to confirm current numbers. We do not repeat figures here because they date quickly; read the school's page.

Fellowship. Funding with little or no work obligation. UW-Madison says its fellowships go to rising third-year students through a departmental application and carry no weekly work requirement.

Restricted. Awards limited by nationality, residency, program or other criteria. Check whether you are eligible; our studying art abroad guide covers fee categories.

"Fully funded" needs its terms

On this site we do not call any program "fully funded" unless the school's own wording supplies terms: duration, what is covered, and conditions. When you see the phrase, ask:

• For how many terms or years?
• Does it cover tuition, fees, health insurance and a living stipend, or only some of these?
• Does it require teaching or other work, and how many hours?
• Is it guaranteed for all admitted students or only some?
• What conditions apply to renewal?
• What happens if the funding ends before the degree does?

Renewal conditions

Funding is often renewed year by year, not granted once for the whole program. UW-Madison says continued funding depends on performance as an assistant, academic performance and satisfactory progress toward the MFA. If you fall behind, funding may end. Ask for the renewal conditions in writing, and ask about the position if a summer or extra term is needed to finish.

What funding does not cover

Even a generous package may leave costs, such as materials, studio expenses, exhibition costs and travel. UW-Madison's page, for instance, gives no figures for fees or supply costs, and refers grants, loans and work-study to its financial aid office. Use costs beyond tuition alongside any offer. A program with funding is not necessarily cheaper than one without if living costs differ.

Some formats are not funded the same way. Texas State's low-residency MFA, for example, says scholarships and awards are available through the Graduate College and the College of Fine Arts, plus some research and travel support, without describing an assistantship package. Ask format by format.

Applying for funding

• Find the school's funding page, separate from its admissions page.
• Note who decides: the department, the graduate school or an outside sponsor.
• Check deadlines: funding forms may have different dates. UCSB, for example, gives March 2 as its FAFSA deadline, which is separate from its application deadline.
• Ask about fee waivers for the application; UCSB says they are limited and not available to international applicants.
• Keep a written copy of every offer and its conditions.

For doctoral study

PhD funding is discussed in applying for an art PhD. Do not assume the terms in this guide apply to doctoral programs.

What we do not do

We do not predict who will receive funding, calculate net costs, convert currencies or choose awards for you. Our records show the date we last read each page; confirm everything with the school. See also mfa-vs-ma and our MFA programs listings.