Graduate Fees and Financial Aid

The primary source of financial aid within the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife is in the form of Research Assistantships to work on sponsored research projects. General information on financial aid for graduate students is available online from the Graduate School.

Typical assistantship appointments are for either 1/4 or 1/2 time and can be for either an academic year or calendar year. Specific duties are required, which often overlap with the student's educational goals. The Assistantship includes a stipend, which varies depending upon background, experience and duties. Typically assistantship stipends start at the bottom of the allowable range of Assistant level I for beginning MS students and at the bottom of the allowable range of Assistant level II for beginning Ph.D. students.

Graduate student stipend ranges can be found on the MSU Human Resources web site.

Assistantships include the following benefits:

• Health Insurance
• Waiver of fees for up to six credit hours each academic semester and four credit hours during the summer.
  Typically students enroll in 6-9 credits each semester when on a half-time assistantship.
• Waiver of the fee required to enroll each semester (matriculation fee).
• Additional credits charged at in-state rates for out-of-state students.

Tuition rates and other fees are available from the MSU Controller's Office.