Funding Your Education
Understanding the challenges that funding your education presents, we work with you to make your program as affordable as possible. Our students are typically supported by a combination of research assistantships (RAs), teaching assistantships (TAs), as well as fellowships, student loans, and outside employment. To identify the best sources of financial support, we encourage you to review each funding source below.
Research assistantships (RAs) provide funding for a significant number of both new and continuing students. As is the case with funding in general, a higher percentage of PhD students will be supported through RA positions than Master’s students. Most students who secure RA positions find them through faculty within the Department of Epidemiology. However, some of our students have had success securing RA positions in other departments at the School of Public Health. For instance, the START Center, housed in the Department of Global Health, hires 3-5 new Epi students as RA’s each year. Some students find positions across the University outside of the School of Public Health, and outside the UW at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Children’s Hospital. We encourage you to explore those possibilities and are happy to help you make those connections if possible.
Teaching Assistantships, particularly those associated with graduate level courses, are matched primarily to PhD students in their second year or beyond. The growing number of undergraduate courses being offered in the Department of Epidemiology have begun to expand TA opportunities for all our students. All open-hire opportunities for TA positions in the department are broadcast to students on a quarterly basis, and will also be posted at the “Find a TA Position” link below as they become available. Some students have had success finding TA positions in non-SPH departments such as Biology and Statistics. We encourage you to explore those possibilities and are happy to help you make those connections if possible.
Pay rates for RAs are determined by the Graduate School.
RA positions that total 20 hours a week for a quarter (or two 10 hour a week positions combined) cover tuition at the Washington state resident level (excluding fees). Out of state tuition can be waived if necessary.
Eligible RAs and TAs receive excellent health coverage – medical, dental, and vision care – through the Graduate Appointee Insurance Program (GAIP). Contact the program for questions about eligibility and enrollment.
If appointed, you are expected to abide by the Student Conduct Code and maintain good academic standing.
SPH pay rates for hourly Academic Student Employees are posted at https://sph.washington.edu/careers/hourly-pay-rates.
- Remain open-minded. All research is relevant, especially in your first year. You may change positions during your second year when you select a thesis or dissertation topic.
- Think of these contacts primarily as professional networking and developing working relationships rather than simply as a job search. Even if you don’t initially find an opportunity with a particular faculty member, creating and continuing a connection with that person can lead to future opportunities.
- Customize your emails for each individual faculty member rather than mass emailing faculty members. Personalized emails convey your reasons for pursuing an opportunity with that particular person and articulates how they might help you achieve your goals.
- Attach your resume or CV and include a description of your research interests, experience, and skills.
- If a faculty member that you contact has no available funding, ask him/her to recommend other investigators.