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How do I pursue graduate school without funds? #Spring25

How do I pursue graduate school without funds? It's been hard to find scholarships and I've already taken a plethora of loans. Who do i reach out to for help funding my education? #Spring25

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Sunita’s Answer

Graduate assistantships (GA, TA, RA)

Fellowships (internal or external)

Research grants tied to faculty projects


2. Reach Out to Faculty

Email professors whose work aligns with your interests. Ask if they’re taking students and if funding is available. A faculty advocate can make or break your admission and funding situation.

3. University Financial Aid Office

Every school has a financial aid office. Contact them to ask about:

Scholarships for graduate students

Department-specific awards

Emergency grants or hardship funds


4. External Scholarships and Fellowships

While competitive, there are external options:

Ford Foundation Fellowship

NSF GRFP (STEM only)

Soros Fellowship for New Americans

ProFellow is a great database


5. Consider Work-Study or On-Campus Jobs

Some grad students work part-time at their universities. Even library, admin, or residence life jobs can offer tuition waivers or stipends.

6. AmeriCorps or Teach for America

Service programs like these offer education awards (up to ~$7,000/year) that you can use toward tuition.

7. Negotiate Your Offer

If a school accepts you but doesn’t offer funding, ask if they can match or increase support based on other offers (if you have them). It works more often than you'd think.


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Action Plan for Spring 2025:

April–May: Shortlist 5–10 programs with potential funding.

May–June: Email faculty, request info on assistantships, and apply to scholarships.

July–Aug: Prepare and submit applications.

Sept–Nov: Interview, follow up, and negotiate offers
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Mark’s Answer

Hi Emily, When I completed my technical undergrad I absolutely had no interest or intention to continue my education, so I began working. It didn't take too long before I saw the value in having additional education. On a whim, I decided to pursue my MBA. It is one of the best decisions I made in my life! To address your question, my employer, at the time, covered tuition expenses and all I had to do was invest the time and cover book and other incidental expenses. How could anyone turn that down? If your situation allows, consider starting your career with an employer that is willing to invest in it's employees and cover tuition for grad school. Hopefully that is an option for you. Best of luck! Mark
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Adrian’s Answer

I'm not sure where you are located but community College can pay for school for you. You can apply for Pell grants scholarships. It would be best to pick a school that isn't too expensive but you can still get a good education. Research research research
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