Awards and Assistantships

The Department of Political Science understands that cost can be a barrier to graduate education. Therefore, it supports a number of options for students to gain financial assistance to pursue their graduate studies.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistants are an integral part of the classroom teaching and research program of the Department of Political Science. They are often involved with the instructional process in large classes, meeting with and counseling students, and assisting with grading and keeping records. Others may conduct research in support of faculty projects. Graduate Assistants (GAs) are paid a monthly stipend plus a full waiver of tuition. Full-time GAs are expected to work 20 hours per week; half-time GAs work no more than 10 hours weekly.

The Department seeks to provide worthy students with the maximum support available. Normally, the Department can provide a full year's assistantship support and can often provide extensions for an additional semester. However, none of this can be guaranteed. Reappointment as a graduate assistant is contingent on state funding, on student performance as an assistant, and in one's coursework (a 3.0 minimum grade average must be maintained). Assistantship appointments are for one semester at a time. To be eligible for an assistantship, a new graduate student must have at least a 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work or a score of 500 on the verbal and 500 on the quantitative portions of the GRE, or equivalent.

Applicants who have already completed graduate coursework at ISU must have a 3.0 average. Students interested in applying for a fall semester assistantship should submit an application online by March 15.

Tuition Waivers

The Department receives some funding to provide tuition waivers. Those interested in waiver-only awards should submit a competed application to the Graduate Advisor by the same deadline dates that govern assistantship applications. No work responsibility is attached to the receipt of these waivers. Additional tuition waivers are available for minority students; application for these waivers is done through the Graduate School.

Other Opportunities

There are other opportunities for graduate assistantships elsewhere in the University, particularly as Resident Assistants. Students should apply for those through the Office of Residential Life, Campus Box 2600 (phone: (309) 438-8611). Students who qualify for Work Study programs (most graduate students do) can receive Graduate Assistantships through that program, a process which will increase the probability of receiving an assistantship. Other assistantships are also available at various University programs and offices.
You can also review specific information about different departmental scholarships and awards.
Get more information at Illinois State's Financial Aid Office.