Graduate Resources
Financial Aid
Financial assistance is available through the Office of Financial Aid. Services available include scholarships, loans, grants, tuition waivers, fellowships, and more. Students can apply for financial aid if they are a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and are admitted to the university. Students holding a F-1 or J-1 visa are not eligible to apply for federal or state financial assistance, but may apply for UAA scholarships, fellowships, assistantships and some work programs.
The Financial Aid Offices can provide information and application forms for various grants, loan programs, scholarships, and employment opportunities. Students need to be prepared to show their letter of admission to the Ph.D. Program, to complete a financial aid form (Anchorage code is 011462), and to satisfy other paperwork specific to the type of funding for which a student is applying. Students may need to bring or document income tax returns, family size, and dependent status, as well as satisfactory academic progress. Students in the Ph.D. Program who do not receive sufficient loan funds through the federal programs are encouraged to apply to the Alaska Student Loan Program, which has excellent terms and allows graduate students to borrow up to $9,500 per year.
Assistantships
The Ph.D. program endeavors to provide support for graduate students through assistantships. The availability of such support is subject to several factors, including the budget received by the Ph.D. Program through UAA and procurement by faculty of research and training grants from external agencies.
Assistantships carry with them an hourly stipend, tuition waiver eligibility and health insurance. Tuition waiver policies are rigorous and only courses directly related to the Ph.D. Program will be covered by a tuition award (that is, recreation classes or similar courses are not covered).
The following tuition waiver rules apply:
- Teaching assistantships includes a payment of tuition made by the University:
- If the workload is 15-20 hours a week, tuition will cover up to 9 graduate credits.
- If the workload is 10-14 hours a week, tuition will cover up to 5 graduate credits.
- If the assistantship is for less than 10 hours a week, it does not include a tuition waiver.
- The assistantship appointment begins on or before the first day of instruction and ends on or after the last day of final exams for the semester.
- Research assistantships include a payment of tuition by specific grants/contracts:
- If the workload is 15-20 hours a week, tuition will cover up to 9 graduate credits.
- If the workload is 10-14 hours a week, tuition will cover up to minimum of 5 graduate credits.
- If the assistantship is for less than 10 hours a week, it does not have to include a tuition waiver, although it can if the grant/contract has tuition money available.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available from several different sources at UAA. Early applications are strongly encouraged. Privately funded scholarship applications are due February 15. The Financial Aid Office coordinates scholarship applications. Applications are available online.
University of Alaska Foundation Scholarships are available for students attending any campus in the UA system. Applications are available UA Foundation online.
Psychology Fellowships & Programs
American Psychological Association: Psychology Fellowships & Programs
Student Health Insurance
The Graduate Student Health Insurance Policy is a benefit for graduate students who are on a research (RA) or teaching (TA) assistantship or a University Fellowship (e.g. Graduate Fellowship, NSF Fellowship, etc.). The University pays the policy on behalf of the student. Graduate students who do not have a university-aid research or teaching assistantship or fellowship are not eligible for this policy at this time.
Eligible graduate students are enrolled for the insurance program by the Graduate School once the Graduate School receives a copy of the student’s assistantship or fellowship letter. Note that it is the student’s responsibility to provide a copy of this letter to the Graduate School each semester.