BMCS Funding
Frequently Asked Questions
Financial Support for BMCS Students
The Division of Biomedical Computer Science and its faculty are proud of DSE's excellent track record in funding Ph.D. students with BMCS research assistantships. A limited number of partial-tuition merit scholarships are available for full-time M.S. students who show outstanding potential in computer science.
- How are master's students funded?
- How are Ph.D. students funded?
- How are Ph.D. research assistantships awarded and renewed?
- What does a Ph.D. research assistantship include?
- Why should I apply for other grants or fellowships?
- How are teaching assistantships awarded?
- Are there other opportunities for on-campus employment?
How are master's students funded?
Some master's students work full-time and complete their course work as part-time students.
Full-time students typically finance their education with a combination of personal finances and loans. The DSE Financial Aid web page provides more information, including various student loan programs, scholarships, fellowships, and other funding sources.
Other funding sources include:
How are Ph.D. students funded?
Most full-time Ph.D. students at BMCS are funded through research assistantships.
Other sources of funding include:
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How are Ph.D. research assistantships awarded and renewed?
When admitting Ph.D. students, the department considers the availability of advisors and funding for the student after the first year. We do not admit more students than we expect we will be able to support.
Full-time Ph.D. students normally receive departmental support including tuition and stipend during their first three quarters. Ph.D. students may need to provide service to the department, usually for two quarters, as a way of acknowledging the support they receive. Examples of departmental service include serving as a teaching assistant or doing a special project for the department using your programming or computer skills.
After the first three quarters, research assistantships are funded by research grants awarded to individual faculty members. It is the student's responsibility to establish and maintain a strong student-advisor relationship, which is essential to continuing financial support. Students need to become familiar with faculty research projects, determine where opportunities may exist, and acquire the skills and knowledge needed to be a productive member of a research team.
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What does a research assistantship include?
A typical assistantship includes a stipend and full-time tuition. Textbooks are not covered. The basic stipend amount is enough to support a person living in this area.
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Why should I apply for other grants or fellowships?
It is important to pursue all avenues of support. Students who are awarded a grant or fellowship may enjoy several benefits not available with the department research assistantship.
- It may offer a higher stipend than the basic research assistant stipend.
- It may be independent of any specific research project and allow you to devote all of your time to your thesis research and course requirements.
- It may include funds for attending conferences
- It may be awarded or renewable for two or three years.
- It may be prestigious and enhance your resume.
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How are teaching assistantships awarded?
Each quarter the department determined the need to hire students as teaching assistants (T.A.s) for classes with large enrollments. These are one-quarter appointments for 10 hours/week offered to individuals who have taken the class and performed exceptionally well in it.
A T.A.s duties may include grading homework assignments, answering student questions, installing and maintaining course-specific software, and otherwise assisting the instructor. Typically a T.A. receives a stipend per course.
To apply for a T.A. position for an upcoming class, send e-mail to the academic coordinator. Include your name, the course title, the quarter you took the class, the name of the instructor from whom you took the class, and the grade you received.
