Financial Assistance

Possible Sources of Funding for Your Graduate Education

Listed below are several sources of funding for your graduate education. Most of our graduate students create a package consisting of several sources of support.

Departmental Awards: Some departments have additional sources of funds available in the form of scholarships and part-time employment for graduate students in their majors. Many faculty members have research grant funds available for hiring graduate research assistants. These often require that the assistant provide up to 20 hours/ week of service to the research project. Applicants should contact their major department to check for availability.

Financial Aid/Federal Loans: One of the most commonly used sources of support is the low-interest Federal Stafford Loan. To be eligible for federal funding, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, enrolled at least half time, and pursuing a degree or certificate program. Loan amounts depend upon several factors: enrollment status, need, and residency. Applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA). For more information contact the Financial Aid web site.

Graduate Assistantships: Graduate assistantships are awarded through most, but not all, of the graduate programs. The assistantships usually require that the student be enrolled full-time (i.e. at least 9 s.h.), and that the student provides up to 20 hours/ week of service to the program. However, the terms and requirements of the assistantships vary by the program and therefore the interested student should contact their respective graduate program director for more information. Both teaching and research assistantships may be available.
UNC Campus Scholarship:

Out-of-State Tuition Remissions: There are a limited number of out-of-state tuition remissions which cover the out-of-state portion of the student’s tuition. The remissions are highly competitive and each student is awarded the remission via by their respective graduate program. The minimum criteria for eligibility are a 3.0 overall GPA or a 3.0 senior year GPA, and an acceptable score on the standardized exam (ex. GRE (V,Q,A) 1000; MAT 50; or GMAT 500). The prospective student is strongly advised to apply to their graduate program as early as possible in order to be considered for these awards. Please contact the graduate program director for more information.

Reduced Tuition Opportunities for Military Personnel and Out- of- State Students:
          Out-of-State Tuition Waivers for Military Personnel Stationed in N.C. and Their Dependents: According to N.C. General Statute 116-143.3 certain members of the armed services and their dependent relatives may be eligible to be charged a tuition rate less than the out-of-state rate whether or not they qualify as residents for tuition purposes. It is required that the member of the armed services and any dependent relative claiming the tuition waiver be living together in North Carolina, and that the member of the armed services have an assigned duty station in North Carolina. See the link about “Residency for Tuition Purposes” for more information.

          Out–of-State Tuition Waivers for N.C. Public School Teachers: According to N.C. General Statute 116-143.5, public school teachers (or other personnel paid on the teacher salary schedule) who have maintained a domicile in North Carolina for less than one year but are employed full-time by a public school may receive the in-state tuition rate for courses relevant to teacher certification or professional development as a teacher. NOTE: Teachers physically residing out-of-state and some international teachers on certain visas are not eligible for the waiver since the statute requires that a teacher establishes a “domicile” in North Carolina. See the link about “Residency for Tuition Purposes” for more information

          Academic Common Market: The Graduate School at East Carolina University participates in the Academic Common Market (ACM), a program of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) that allows its 16 member states to share academic degree programs that are not commonly available. Member states of the SREB are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Through this program, North Carolina residents may pay in-state tuition rates at a participating university in another SREB state while pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree program not available at one of the 16 University of North Carolina campuses. Qualified students from other SREB states may apply through their own state’s ACM Coordinator to pursue North Carolina graduate degree programs not available in their home state’s university system at the in-state tuition rate.

Additional Sources of Financial Assistance: There are many other sources of support from federal grant programs, private foundations, professional associations, etc. One search engine that is often used to locate these sources is through the Community of Science (COS).   Below is a partial list of opportunities to consider.

American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellowships and Scholarships
American Association of University Women
American Psychological Association
Environmental Protection Agency
Hertz Foundation

National Academies Fellowship Office
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships

National Science Foundation  (choosing graduate students in the specialized information menu)

Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships
U.S. Department of State (including the Fulbright Student Program)