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School Psychology Program
Provided below is information for financing your education and training as a graduate student in our School Psychology Program here at USF.
Financial Aid Information
Assistantships, Associateships, Fellowships, Scholarships and Tuition Waivers
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Financial Aid Information
Students often receive funding through graduate assistantships that are made available through the program. These assistantships are offered regardless of financial need and typically involve 16 hours per week of psychologically or educationally-related work for the Fall and Spring semesters. Students who are accepted by the Program receive a graduate assistantship application with their Program letter of acceptance. Continuing students in the Program must make their interest in an assistantship known to the Project Director for the next year by April of the preceding semester. Currently, there are two monetary levels of graduate assistantships each paying a different stipend as set by the State's union for graduate students and the SUS Board of Regents. One level is at the post-B.A. degree level, while the other is at the post-M.A. level. Both levels of assistantship provide partial tuition waivers of both in-state and out-of-state fees. Typically, an average of nine partial credit hours per Fall and Spring semesters are waived; the Program cannot guarantee either assistantship support or tuition waivers for summer sessions. If a student withdraws from the University during a semester in which s/he holds an assistantship with stipend and/or tuition waiver, s/he must contact the Graduate School to make arrangements to repay that semester's support.
There are a number of other financial aid programs for graduate students. Although scholarships, grants, waivers, and fellowships are administered through the Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships Program Office, the Office of Financial Aid administers several loan programs for undergraduates as well as for graduate students. This office also coordinates the disbursement of employment papers for students on fellowships or assistantships. In addition, temporary deferments for registration fees, and short-term, interest-free loans are available to students whose aid is delayed.
Students apply for loans by submitting a USF financial aid application and a Family Financial Statement (FFS). Since funds are limited for some programs, it is important to apply early. Application packets are available in early December each year for the following academic year. More comprehensive information is provided in the Financial Aid Bulletin available from the Office of Financial Aid.
Students who qualify for temporary deferments of their registration fees, due to delayed financial aid, are mailed a deferment card prior to the start of a semester. The card must be signed and returned to the Office of Financial Aid by the fifth day of classes in order to activate the deferment.
Financial Aid Short Term (FAST) loans are available to students who have completed the application process, but whose aid is delayed or not processed. These loans are for registration fees and books only.
Other short term loans are available through Student Disbursements and Collections, and are not contingent upon financial aid. These loans are for registration fees, or for emergency purposes once fees are paid.
Financial aid counselors are available to answer questions, provide information and assist students in the application process.
Information regarding scholarships, fellowships and external financial support is available from the Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships Program Office. Individual colleges have information particular to assistance in individual fields of study.
Below is a broader description of the assistantship program as well as some other options for financial support.
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Assistantships, Associateships, Fellowships, Scholarships and Tuition Waivers
To be eligible to obtain a graduate assistantship, a student must be degree-seeking and be enrolled each semester for a minimum of 9 credit hours toward degree requirements.
Although only degree-seeking students registered for a minimum of 9 hours normally are eligible for appointment as graduate research assistants or associates, in special cases a research assistant or associate may be non-degree seeking for one semester only.
Graduate Assistantships and Associateships are awarded by the individual programs or departments. To be eligible, all beginning graduate assistants or associates must have a GRE score of 1000 or better and a GPA of 3.0 or better, unless granted special approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. All continuing graduate assistants and associates must maintain a graduate GPA of 3.0 or better.
The College of Education awards University Graduate Fellowships to outstanding beginning and advanced graduate students. A limited number are awarded each year on a competitive basis. The School Psychology Program Director will contact those students who may qualify for this fellowship.
The Florida Legislature provides funds for graduate tuition waiver scholarships to attract outstanding students. The details concerning these scholarships are available through the student's academic department. The Federal Tax Reform Act of 1986 has substantially limited the extent to which scholarships, grants, fellowships and tuition waiver scholarships may be excluded from the recipients' income. Only those amounts received by degree-seeking students, which are actually used in accordance with the conditions of the grant for course-related expenses, may be excluded from gross income, unless such amounts (including tuition reductions) represent payment for services rendered. Students who receive scholarships are responsible for record keeping, filing, and for the payment of any income tax that may be due.
University Graduate Fellowship
Recipients are awarded $7,000 for two semesters, plus tuition waivers. Awards are based on academic record, GRE score, and letters of recommendation. In order to compete, applicants must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or better, graduate GPA of 3.5 for any graduate work, and 1200 or better on the combined verbal-quantitative portions of the GRE.
Additional Fellowships Available Through the Graduate School
The Graduate School at USF offers a number of other graduate fellowships that are available on a competitive basis. For more information about these fellowships, please click on this link: http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/fellowships.asp
Minority Graduate Summer Program
This program is intended to provide qualified African American applicants an opportunity to acquaint themselves with graduate study. A stipend of $1,300 is provided and students may carry a minimum of 6 credit hours during the Summer semester. For additional information and applications, contact the Graduate School.
External Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships Program
The Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships Program assists current and prospective graduate students in identifying scholarship and fellowship opportunities not generated within USF. It assists students in applying for external awards to support graduate study at USF or at other universities in the United States and abroad. Some of the awards administered by this program include the Fulbright, Rhodes, the American Scandinavian Society, the German Academic Exchange Service, the Committee on Scholarly Communication with the People's Republic of China, Woodrow Wilson, American Association of University Women, Robert Bosch Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation.
Once an appropriate source of external funding is matched to a student's needs, qualifications, and background, the Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships Program will assist at every stage of the application procedure. Many graduate external awards include full tuition, a living stipend, travel, and book expenses for a full year of study or research.
Normally, campus deadlines for submission of application for foreign study fellowships occur around the end of September, while deadlines for domestic awards vary but usually occur from October to December.
The Program maintains a current library of all announcements and applications for external domestic and foreign awards, as well as a computer search for helping students find awards. Students interested in external graduate study awards should contact the Graduate School.
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