GO-MAP Financial Support Page

Financial aid may be a critical factor determining how you will finance your education. There are many forms of financial support you may be eligible for as a graduate student. GO-MAP encourages you to begin your search early, and to seek all possible funding options.

Do not wait until you receive an admission decision to apply for financial aid. There are several funding options: government loans, independent scholarships/fellowships, and campus/departmental merit and need-based awards. The University of Washington's Office of Student Financial Aid is a good place to start researching your options.

To be considered for need-based awards at the UW, you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You may apply on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA should be filed no later than the established deadline of the UW, which is usually the end of February. Apply as soon as possible to maximize your chances of receiving funding.

GO-MAP administers programs providing funding for students whose individual experiences and/or academic interests will bring diversity to scholarly perspectives and endeavors, and to the academic community.

The following awards are based on merit, financial need, and diversity and require a departmental nomination of the student's Graduate Program Coordinator or departmental chair. No individual student applications are accepted.

All awards are contingent upon the student's admission to the UW Graduate School. PLEASE NOTE: Students in the following categories are not eligible for GO-MAP support:

Deadlines vary from year to year, and GO-MAP diversity fellowships have varying deadlines; however, call for nominations for GO-MAP diversity fellowships usually go out mid-January to early-February, with a submission deadline of late-February to mid-March. For more information about the application and nomination process, current year's deadline, etc., contact GO-MAP by email (gomap@u.washington.edu) or telephone (206-543-9016, or toll free at 800-524-9122).

The following awards are based on merit, financial need, and diversity and require a departmental nomination by the student's Graduate Program Coordinator. No individual student applications are accepted.

GO-MAP encourages the nomination of students who have achieved academic merit despite significant social, economic, or educational challenges, such as students who are the first generation to attend college or graduate school, or students whose educational training has not exposed them to a wide array of resources.

For more information about the application and nomination process, current year's deadline, etc., contact GO-MAP by email (gomap@u.washington.edu) or telephone (206-543-9016; toll free 800-524-9122).

The Graduate School welcomes McNair Scholars, and encourages their application to the UW! Students who have successfully completed a Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Program at their undergraduate institutions may request application fee waivers, and may be considered for The Graduate School's Ronald E. McNair Fellowship.

The fee waiver application is part of the online application: https://www.grad.washington.edu/application/ While in the process of applying online, McNair Scholars can request a McNair application fee waiver when they reach step #11, "Pay fee and submit application". In addition, have the McNair Program coordinator at your institution submit a letter indicating that you are a McNair Scholar in good standing in their program.

Letters should be sent directly from the McNair program coordinator to:

Joan Abe

Director, UW Office of Graduate Admissions

Box 352191

Seattle, WA 98195

Ronald E. McNair Fellowship

The Graduate School's newly-established Ronald E. McNair Fellowship is a two-year, merit-based fellowship carrying an annual stipend of $16,000 plus tuition and fees for students pursuing doctoral degrees. The McNair Fellowships, made possible by distributions from the Edwin B. and Lenora Fussell and Thomas Balmer Endowments, cover the first and last (dissertation) year, to be matched with three years of support at the same or a higher level by the student's department. Students enrolled in terminal master's programs are ineligible for this fellowship.

To be considered for the McNair Fellowship, students must be nominated by their prospective department's chair or graduate admissions committee chair. No individual student applications are accepted. When nominating a McNair Program alumnus for this or any other GO-MAP graduate diversity fellowship, the prospective department should clearly indicate in their nomination cover letter that the nominated student has successfully competed the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Program at their undergraduate institution. Additionally, The Graduate School requires that the McNair Program coordinator at the nominated student's undergraduate institution submit a letter indicating that s/he is a McNair Scholar in good standing in their program.

For more information about the McNair Graduate Fellowship application and nomination process, current year's deadline, etc., please contact GO-MAP (gomap@u.washington.edu or 206-543-9016 [toll free 800-524-9122]).

CAMPUS FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES
Note: For more information about the following financial aid resources, please contact the responsible office or administrative unit.

The Blinks Fellowship Program brings together enthusiastic fellows with the remarkable biological resources and scientific minds at a marine science research facility. Friday Harbor Laboratories offers a full immersion research experience for motivated seniors, post-baccalaureates and graduate students. In keeping with the UW's policy of encouraging cultural diversity in its student body, the program seeks 3-5 students of diverse backgrounds and interests to participate in a six to eight week summer research project in the marine sciences.

MA and PhD students, who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and will be studying modern foreign language, in combination with area studies, international studies or international aspects of professional fields, are eligible for Academic Year awards. Summer fellowships are granted to those engaged in intensive foreign language study in the U.S. or abroad.

FLAS fellowships are funded by the U.S. Department of Education through eight National Resource Centers located in the Jackson School of International Studies: Canada, East Asia, International Studies, Middle East Studies, Russian/East European/Central Asia, South Asian, Southeast Asia and West Europe.

Academic year fellowships provide tuition, plus a stipend of $14,000 and health insurance. Summer awards provide tuition, plus a living allowance of $2,400.

Students can also assemble the information needed to apply by downloading materials from the World Wide Web. The Jackson School home page is at sis.artsci.washington.edu. Application instructions are provided at http://jsis.washington.edu/advise/catalog/guide.pdf. If you have any questions about fellowship requirements or the application process and current year's deadlines, contact Mary Ann Curtis, Coordinator of the FLAS Fellowship Program, at 616-8679, M-F, 1-5pm.

Located in Suzzallo Library. GFIS offers quarterly seminars on how to search for outside funding.

Teaching, Research, and Graduate Staff Assistantships
A limited number of TA, RA, and GSA positions are available within some departments. To be considered, contact the Graduate Program Assistant of your program of interest, or visit UW Human Resources' "Academic Student Employment Listings" page. If you have expertise in areas outside of your department, you may also contact the appropriate department to inquire about available TA/RAships.

The Office of Student Financial Aid has funds available for short-term loans to assist students with temporary cash flow problems. Funds are generally available within one to four working days, only to students who are currently attending the University (loans cannot be processed between quarters). Repayment is due by the next quarter, or whenever additional funds such as financial aid arrive on account, whichever comes first. There is no interest on the short-term loans, but there is a service charge added to the repayment amount. Students may apply on-line through MyUW's Personal Services. Click here for more information.