Curry School of Education | University of Virginia

(PhD & EdD, New and Continuing)

Need-based Support

New and continuing doctoral students at the University of Virginia may be eligible for federal loans, grants, scholarships, work study and other categories of need-based financial aid. The amount of federal aid is affected by a graduate student’s receipt of graduate assistantship pay, awards, or fellowships, as well as full-time or part-time status and stage of doctoral progress.

More information about these types of aid may be found at:

Office of Student Financial Services
http://www.virginia.edu/financialaid/

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 400204
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4204

Phone: (434) 982-6000
Fax: (434) 982-5222

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

To apply for need-based support, students MUST complete the following steps*:

1. Submit the University of Virginia Financial Aid Application (UFAA), which may be found at http://www.virginia.edu/financialaid/forms/ and mailed or hand-delivered to the University of Virginia Financial Aid Office (not to the Curry School of Education).
2. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which may be found at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ and emailed or mailed to the U.S. Department of Education (not to the Curry School of Education).

*Remember that it is very important to submit applications by the suggested dates and do so completely to ensure proper processing and disbursement if found eligible for need-based financial aid.

Continuing students must complete a U.S. Department of Education FAFSA renewal form every year (this may be done online), as well as provide the UVa Office of Student Financial Services with a new UFAA form every year (this must be mailed or hand-delivered). Students may contact the U.S. Department of Education and the UVa Office of Student Financial Services regarding requirements and suggested dates of submission for federal financial aid renewal forms. Failure to provide the U.S. Department of Education or the UVa Office of Student Financial Services with all the necessary paperwork may affect financial aid allotment and dates of disbursement.

Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships

Throughout the Curry School of Education, there are monies available each year to doctoral students on a competitive basis. At initial application, incoming doctoral students interested in being considered for assistantships and fellowships through the Curry School must complete the “ Curry School Application for Departmental Financial Aid 38.07 Kb,” found within the school’s application packet. To be eligible to receive support, doctoral students must be full-time and qualified to hold teaching, research, or administrative positions. Graduate assistants will be expected to work a maximum of 20 hours per week during the academic year.

Financial support packages, which may include a combination of fellowship funding, bi-weekly pay, tuition remission/adjustment, and health insurance, is decided at various administrative levels. Heads of these various administrative groups will notify all recipients following funding and placement decisions during the late spring of each academic year. If a doctoral student already holds a master’s degree, then funding is limited to three years. If a student does not hold a master’s degree, then funding is limited to four years. 

Continuing doctoral students who hold Curry graduate assistantships or fellowships should notify their assistantship supervisor, committee chair, and/or program area chair if they wish to be considered for the same or a different graduate assistantship or fellowship for the upcoming academic year. Continuing doctoral students who have not yet been awarded an assistantship or fellowship, but wish to be considered for the following academic year, should speak to their doctoral committee chair and members, department chairs, or program area heads regarding their department procedure for applying for the following year’s available assistantships and fellowship funding. Procedures among departments may vary, as will available positions and funding.

As stated previously, graduate assistantship and fellowship awards are competitive and determined annually at various administrative levels. Heads of these various administrative groups will notify all recipients following funding and placement decisions during the late spring of each academic year. Although continuing students are encouraged to talk to the heads of their program areas regarding consideration for graduate assistantships and fellowships, they are asked not to call their departments or the Curry Office of Admissions with inquiries about the outcome of these financial assistance decisions. Students are encouraged to direct inquiries to their advisors, committee chairs and members, or program area heads.

Doctoral students who do not receive financial aid packages in the form of graduate assistantships or fellowships are encouraged to speak to their program or committee chairs and members, class instructors, as well as the principal investigators (PIs), regarding potential paid positions on grant-funded projects ongoing at the Curry School and throughout the University..

Tuition Adjustment (out-of-state students)

Individual departments select a limited number of qualifying out-of-state doctoral students to receive tuition adjustments, which pay the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition. To be eligible for consideration, out-of-state doctoral students must be employed in a significant academic capacity at the University of Virginia and earn at least $5,000 during the academic year. Individual departments will determine students’ level of enrollment, verify that students meet the minimum required earnings, and award the tuition adjustments.

Tuition Remission (in-state students)

As part of teaching, research or administrative graduate assistantship award packages, qualifying in-state doctoral students may receive tuition remission. Tuition remission provides for full payment of in-state tuition and fees during the academic year. Only doctoral students holding qualifying assistantships and earning at least $5,000 during the academic term of their employment may be eligible for tuition remission.

Graduate Student Health Insurance Subsidy

The University of Virginia covers the full cost of single-coverage premium for qualifying doctoral students and this subsidy may be applied toward the purchase of a single-student, spousal, or family plan from the University’s graduate student health insurance provider. Qualifying students must earn at least $5,000 during the academic year as a teaching, research or administrative graduate assistant. A fellowship recipient who is awarded at least $5,000 over the course of the academic year is also eligible for the health insurance subsidy.

Questions regarding coverage specifics, to include plan enrollment requirements to be completed for every year of eligibility, should be directed to the UVa Department or Student Health, (434) 243-2702, www.virginia.edu/studenthealth.