Graduate Funding Policies

The University of Delaware may provide tuition scholarships to full-time graduate students who are awarded stipends for an entire semester/academic year as a research, teaching, or graduate assistant or fellow. These scholarships are generally available in graduate programs that admit students with funding, regardless of funding source; details of commitment and duration are provided in offer letters.  Graduate departments and programs select the recipients of these awards, where available, based on the students' qualifications. The stipulations of the tuition scholarship policy are:

• The stipend must be at least equivalent to the university minimum graduate stipend: $21,000 for Doctoral students and $20,000 for Master's students during the 2021-22 academic year. Stipends are paid over a nine month period (September 1st - May 31st) each year.
  
• Should a student leave the University after the free drop/add period of the semester of an appointment, the stipend will be immediately terminated. The tuition scholarship originally accompanying the stipend will become the responsibility of the student unless an appeal is presented in writing and approved by the Office of Graduate and Professional Education. If the appeal is approved, the tuition scholarship will continue to be applied to the student's account and will not be available to be awarded to another student in that semester.
  
• Students who receive 100% of the minimum stipend and a 100% tuition scholarship are limited to an average of no more than 20 working hours per week within the University and may not hold additional employment on or off campus. ​The Dean's permission is required for any exception to this policy.
  
• Students who receive a departmental tuition scholarship only (no stipend) may accept additional work on or off campus.
  
• Students on sustaining status can qualify for a scholarship in the amount of the sustaining fee. Sustaining fees for the 2020-2021 academic year are $1,096 for Doctoral students and $726 for Master's students.
  
• Students who receive a tuition scholarship are still responsible for all mandatory graduate fees.