Financial Support :

Current stipend levels for teaching assistants are $20,000/year (Ph.D.) and $18,000/year (M.S.). Four merit fellowship increments at $2,500/year (total of $22,500) are available for exceptional applicants to the doctoral program. These increments continue for students maintaining a GPA of 3.7 and better and in good standing until completion of all degree requirements but not for more than 4.5 years. Applicants with excellent credentials will be selected for merit fellowship consideration and asked to visit the department for interviews. First-year-only bonus fellowships ($1000 to $2000 extra) are also available for qualified doctoral students. Students admitted to candidacy within 2.5 years receive a bonus of $1000. Students supported as Teaching Assistants are required to work 20 hours per week teaching, grading, holding office hours and preparing reagents for undergraduate laboratory courses during the Fall and Spring semesters. Departmental support during the summer is for full-time research and usually does not involve teaching.

All tuition costs are paid for, and $600 is offered as a partial payment (about 2/3 of the total) for individual student medical insurance. $250/year is also available for students to fund travel and attendance at scientific conferences.