Funding Opportunities & Awards
Many different types of funding are available, and some of them are described below.
Financial Aid/Student Loans
For general information about receiving financial aid and/or student loans, please visit the Financial Aid Office website.
Part-time Employment for Graduate Students
Job information, both on- and off-campus, is available at the USF Career Services.
Internal Awards
Teaching Assistantships
Each year the Department of Mathematics and Statistics awards, on a competitive basis, approximately 55 teaching assistantships (TAships) to selected current or newly-admitted graduate students. Students holding an assistantship perform instructional duties for an average of 20 hours per week. The assistantship provides the student with a competitive stipend, a tuition waiver, and the employer's health insurance contribution. Students holding TAships are required to be enrolled in 9 credit hours each semester (Fall/Spring) and to be in good academic standing. Summer funding may also be available. The application deadline for a teaching assistantship for the Fall semester is February 1; for the Spring semester it is August 1. General Information on Graduate Assistantships is available at the USF Graduate School website.
Presidential Doctoral Fellowships
USF provides $20,000 per year to the most outstanding applicants to USF doctoral programs. The fellowship also provides a full tuition waiver and coverage of health insurance and other fees. This fellowship is renewable for up to five (5) years.
University Graduate Fellowships
With the department's nomination, an outstanding applicant (to an M.A. or Ph.D. program) will receive an award of $10,000 in the first academic year. This is non-renewable. The recipient will also be eligible for a tuition waiver.
Dean's Excellence Awards
Outstanding applicants nominated by the department are offered a stipend of $15,000 in the combination of a Teaching Assistantship and this award for 4 years. The recipient will also be eligible for a tuition waiver.
Fred L. and Helen M. Tharp Scholarship
Each year, in addition to Teaching Assistantships and fellowships, outstanding graduate students selected by the department receive a Tharp Scholarship cash award. The amount ranges from $1,000 to $5,000.
Note: To be considered for the five awards mentioned above, a Teaching Assistantship application must be completed and submitted, along with an application for admission to graduate study in the department. The forms are available upon request. For further information, please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator, Jacqueline Lee.
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
USF's Chapter 126 of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi annually awards a $1,000 scholarship to a current USF graduate student. Candidates for this award must have been inducted into PKP and have demonstrated outstanding achievement in scholarly activity and in community involvement. For further details, please contact Scott Rimbey.
Research Assistantships
Research assistantships for summer research activities are available from professors who hold grants and have such funding available. Recipients of the funding will be determined by the grant-holding professor.
Travel Support
Financial support for travel to professional conferences is available from the following sources:
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics: Application deadlines are the first Friday of each semester (Fall/Spring). An application form is available from the Graduate Program Coordinator. A presentation at a conference is encouraged.
- College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Travel Awards: Consult with the Graduate Program Coordinator for details and an application. A presentation at a conference is required.
- Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC): Apply to the GPSC directly. A presentation at a conference is required.
External Awards
The Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships Program (GSFP)
The GSFP helps current or prospective graduate students locate and apply for external sources of graduate funding to be used at USF or other institutions, both in the U.S. and abroad. The GSFP maintains a library of references, and also information on and applications for a variety of award programs. It also offers a computer database search of over 20,000 potential aid sources. The GSFP can be contacted at the USF Graduate School.
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi provides several funding opportunities. Some of these, but not all, require membership in Phi Kappa Phi. For further details, please visit the Phi Kappa Phi website.
Professional Society Fellowships
Most professional societies offer various forms of funding. For further information, please check the following websites:
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
DHS awards scholarships and fellowships in areas of study deemed relevant to the DHS mission, including physical, biological, social, and behavioral sciences, engineering, mathematics, and computer science. The program supports up to 100 new students each year at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. For further information, visit the DHS website.
Ford Diversity Fellowships Program for Achieving Excellence in College and University Teaching
Full eligibility information and online applications are available on our website at: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/fordfellowships/.
Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowships
For information about these fellowships, please visit the Hertz Foundation website.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
All U.S. Citizens and permanent residents who are first- or second-year graduate students are eligible. Applications need to be sent in the Fall. Further information can be found at the NSF website.
American Association of University Women (AAUW) Educational Foundation
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) Educational Foundation provides funds to advance education, research, and self-development for women and to foster equity and positive society change. The foundation's American Fellowships are designed to support women doctoral candidates completing dissertations or scholars seeking funds for postdoctoral research leave from accredited institutions. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of scholarly excellence, teaching experience, and active commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions, or fields of research.
McKnight Doctoral Fellowships
The Florida Education Fund's McKnight Doctoral Fellowships seek to increase the numbers of African-American and Hispanics pursuing graduate education in the state of Florida.
Graduate and Professional Students
Information about various aspects of attending graduate school, including obtaining funding, can be found at the Federal Student Aid website.