Cost and Aid
The UVA School of Engineering and Applied Science offers financial support to graduate students through assistantships and fellowships ordinarily consisting of a stipend and payment of all tuition and fees including health insurance.
Tuition & Fees
Information regarding approved tuition and fees and a description of the estimated cost of attendance can help you plan your studies. Contact UVA Student Financial Services for the most accurate information and with questions about tuition and fees.
Health Insurance
All students, domestic and international, are also required to have health insurance. For more information, click here.
Graduate Financial Aid
Most outstanding students in research degree programs (Master of Science and Ph.D.) can expect to receive aid of some kind, though support will vary by department and funding source. Students must be nominated by their department to be considered for a fellowship or assistantship. Students receiving financial aid from UVA Engineering must be registered as full-time graduate students during the period of the award, defined as at least 12 credits of lecture-laboratory courses and/or research during the academic year, must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and must also maintain satisfactory progress toward a degree. Graduate research assistants must register for a minimum of 6 credits of research during the summer term. Students receiving financial aid are not permitted to have other employment without the approval of the Office of Graduate Programs. Students are awarded financial assistance to enable them to devote maximum effort to graduate studies.
Financial aid for graduate students is available in several forms:
Graduate Research Assistantships
Graduate Research Assistants are assigned to work with a faculty member on a specific research project which should culminate in a project report, thesis or dissertation. Full-time graduate research assistants may not carry a load of more than 9 credits of lecture-laboratory courses but must register each semester for enough additional credits of teaching/research to maintain full-time student status (12 total credits).
Graduate Teaching Assistantships
Graduate Teaching Assistants are assigned to assist a faculty member teaching a specific lecture/laboratory course. The assigned duties will depend on the course and instructor. Graduate teaching assistants may not carry a load of more than 9 credits of lecture-laboratory courses but must register each semester for enough teaching/research credit to maintain full-time student status (12 total credits).
School or Program Fellowships
School or Program Fellowships are made possible through generous donations to UVA Engineering and it's graduate programs. They are intended to allow graduate students to devote full time to learning opportunities in the classroom and laboratory. No work duties, in a pay for service sense, are required, but good academic progress, including research for the thesis or dissertation, is essential. Some programs, during fellowship support, will include research and teaching duties as part of the usual academic requirements for the degree. Stipends are competitive with those offered by other universities.
External Fellowships
Students are also encouraged to seek funding from national, international, industrial or foundation sources for which they may be eligible. Outside sponsors have included organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and numerous corporations. Information may be obtained from university financial aid, from United States Information Agency or Fulbright offices abroad. Notification of external awards should be included with your application or sent when the award is announced. The University of Virginia reserves the right to adjust its awards to students who receive external grants.
Application for Financial Aid
Each department determines the distribution of assistance for graduate study. To be considered for financial aid beginning in a fall term, applicants should have all materials on file by the due date listed in the Graduate Application Deadlines section of our Graduate admission page. Later applications will be considered subject to availability of funds. Indication of request for financial aid is contained in the application form. International students are considered at the same time as U.S. applicants for assistantships and fellowships.
Get In Touch
The Office of Graduate Programs facilitates all aspects of graduate education at UVA Engineering, including recruitment, admissions and programming for graduate students.