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Department of Economics

Funding

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships (GAs) support the teaching and research activities of the Department. Many of the Department's GAs are involved in instructional activities, including tutoring students and assisting faculty with grading and record keeping. Others assist faculty with their research projects or perform other services for the Department.

The Department typically awards several new graduate assistantships for full-time students each year. Part-time GAs are expected to work 10 hours per week and are paid a monthly stipend plus tuition during the regular academic year. Subject to funding availability, good academic standing, and student performance in their GA assignment, assistantships are renewable for a second year. Financial support during the summer months is generally not available.

To be eligible for an assistantship, an applicant must have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and a combined GRE score of at least 300. Interested students should complete a Graduate Assistantship application (note: this is a separate application). The student should also arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent to the Department. Students interested in applying for a Fall semester assistantship should arrange to have these documents at the University by March 1, and for the Spring semester, by October 15. Other program admission documents should also be sent to the University by these dates. Newly admitted international and domestic students are eligible for these assistantships.

Other University Support

Graduate assistantships and other types of support are also available from other offices in the University, including the Office of Residential Life and the Graduate School. See the Financial Aid Office for more information on these opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions - Funding

  • How much does it cost to attend graduate school at Illinois State University?
Please see the Cost of Attendance Tables provided by the Financial Aid Office. We also encourage you to apply for a graduate assistantship, which includes a monthly stipend plus tuition during the regular academic year.
  • Does admission to program automatically come with a graduate assistant position?
No, admission to the program and a GA position are two separate processes. Even though we do our best to offer our graduate students as many GA positions as possible, a student can be admitted to the program without receiving a GA position. Apply for a GA position.
  • What are the qualifications of students who received a GA position?
Graduate assistantships are competitive, and offers are based on the qualifications of the applicant pool. For reference, incoming students offered assistantships for the Fall 2024 class had an average GPA of 3.74 and average GRE scores of 163 and 155, respectively, for the quantitative and verbal portions. Applicants not offered a GA position in their first semester can still apply for GA positions in subsequent semesters. Please note that individuals admitted with deficiencies are ineligible for GA positions until the deficiencies are rectified (i.e., they take and pass the pre-requisite courses for the program).
  • When will decisions regarding GA positions be determined?
We wait until the deadline (October 15 for Spring and March 1 for the fall) before evaluating applicants to allow all individuals who applied on time a chance to receive a graduate assistantship. Initial offeres for the positions are generally made within one month of the deadline. 
  • Do I need an ISU faculty member's approval before applying? 
No, you do not need to identify or get approval from a ISU facutly member before applying (either for admission or a graduate assistantship). If you are awarded a graduate assistantship, you may then share your preference for who you would like to work with.