The Illinois State University Financial Aid Office will forward a Financial Aid Brochure upon request. The types of financial aid available include grants, scholarships, loans, and employment. For further information, visit the Financial Aid Web site or contact the Financial Aid Office at:

Illinois State University
Financial Aid Office
Campus Box 2320
Normal, IL 61790-2320

E-mail at askfao@ilstu.edu
Telephone (309) 438-2231
Facsimile (309) 438-3755

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships are provided as financial support for selected graduate students. They are intended to facilitate progress toward a graduate degree. To be considered for an assistantship, a graduate student must have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work or a Graduate Record Examination score of 1000 of the combined verbal and quantitative sections of the examination. A graduate assistant must achieve a 3.0 GPA each semester and maintain a 3.0 cumulative average to continue in the assistantship. Graduate students apply online for a Ph.D. Assistantship or Master's Assistantship in the English Department.

Assistantships in other University Departments are also available online.

All graduate assistantships carry a stipend and a full tuition waiver for the semester in which the assistantship is held and for the following summer semester. Each graduate assistant is assigned a work responsibility. The ideal academic semester load for a graduate student is nine hours. A graduate assistant enrolled in less than nine hours will need an approved course load waiver on file in the Graduate School.

Tuition Waivers

Graduate tuition waivers are awarded on a competitive basis by the Department of English to students who show promise for success and who have not received a fellowship or other award funding tuition costs. To apply, complete the Graduate Trustees' Tuition Waiver application and the Selective Service Statement and returning the application to the appropriate office. Tuition waivers may be applied to the cost of tuition only; the graduate student must make arrangements to pay student fees, insurance, or other educational expenses.

Federal Work Study Awards

The Federal Work-Study Program (FWS) is a federally-sponsored program enabling students with demonstrated financial need to earn a portion of educational expenses while enrolled at Illinois State University. The federal government pays 70‰ of the FWS student's earnings. These awards are made through the Financial Aid Office and can be applied to graduate assistantships and student worker positions. To apply, complete and return the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form (preferably by March 1 of each year). This form is available on the Financial Aid Web site and at financial aid offices at most universities.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available on a competitive basis. Various scholarships are identified on the Department of English's Graduate Fellowships and Awards page. Also, visit the Financial Aid Web site for additional information about scholarships and awards for graduate students.

Minority Graduate Students

Applicants must be United States citizens of African-American , Asian-Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or Native American descent. Financial support for a minority graduate student is available in the form of graduate assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and tuition waivers. Complete the application for the Minority Tuition Waiver Fellowship and return the form to the appropriate office. Funding may also be provided through Diversifying Faculty in Illinois (DFI) [successor to Illinois Consortium for Educational Opportunity Program (ICEOP) and the Illinois Minority Graduate Incentive Program (IMGIP)] and the McNair Program.

Student Employment

Graduate students are eligible for regular part-time student worker positions. The Illinois State University Career Center Web site provides information about employment opportunities.