Financial Assistance for Graduate Students

Financial aid to support graduate study is available in the form of graduate research and teaching assistantships, fellowships, sponsorship for international students, and loans for domestic students.

AEAB Graduate Assistantships

A limited number of departmental graduate assistantships (GA) are available each year to domestic and international students alike on a competitive basis.

Half-Time Graduate Assistantship (GA)

Graduate Assistantships are appointed positions and are normally granted for up to two years (for thesis students). Graduate students who are awarded a half-time GA receive a monthly stipend for the duration of their appointment. Graduate assistants on half-time appointment are also granted waivers of in and out of-state tuition (if applicable) in addition to the stipend paid for the appointment. Thesis students may be awarded a tuition waiver of up to 37 credit hours. All other fees, (for example the health fee, activity fee and HPER recreational facility fee), must be paid by the student. Graduate assistants are also eligible for University sponsored health insurance (optional). Students that have a 50% assistantship (20 hours a week) are eligible to receive a 60% discount on the insurance premium. The application form is available at http://health.uark.edu/my-health/insurance.php.

GA students are expected to:

  • maintain a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average, and
  • work and conduct research or serve as a teaching assistant for the AEAB Department under the supervision of a faculty member for 20 hours per week throughout the year

Graduate Assistantship Requirements

Applicants for a GA must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School, be accepted into the AEAB departmental graduate program, and have a 3.00 minimum cumulative grade point average (4.00 system) on all previous course work. After reviewing the applicant’s submitted materials, the award of a departmental assistantship is based on the recommendation of the AEAB Graduate Programs Committee. Rather than being based on a single criterion (e.g., a specified minimum GRE score or cumulative GPA), the awarding of an assistantship is based on several factors including: (a) the research/teaching needs of the AEAB department, (b) the academic interest and scholarly potential of the applicant, and (c) a review of all materials submitted by the applicant.

Deadline for Application for Graduate Assistantship

Graduate Assistants may begin during any term depending on availability. For priority consideration, all application materials for admission should be at the Graduate School and materials for assistantship consideration should be at the AEAB Department by the following dates:
January 1st for Summer or Fall semester enrollment
September 1st for Spring semester enrollment

Please direct questions to Dr. L. Lanier Nalley, Graduate Program Coordinator at llnalley@uark.edu for domestic student applicants or Dr. Qiuqiong Huang, International Applicant Evaluator at qqhuang@uark.edu for international student applicants.

US Federal Loans

Students who are Permanent Residents or Citizens of the United States may qualify for loan assistance. More information is available at: http://finaid.uark.edu/. 

All questions should be directed to the:

Office of Financial Aid     
114 Silas Hunt Hall     
Fayetteville, AR 72701     
Phone: (479) 575-3806     
FAX: (479) 575-7790

University Employment Opportunities

Domestic and International students may also seek employment opportunities at University of Arkansas through the Employment Website. This website includes listings for non-academic graduate assistantships which are open to graduate students, and which pay tuition in addition to a stipend. These assistantships are posted throughout the year so applicants are encouraged to check the website regularly.

Other Financial Aid Opportunities

  • Benjamin Franklin Lever Fellowship
  • Waiver of Non-Resident Tuition for Native Americans - “Native American people in other states belonging to tribes which formerly lived in Arkansas before relocation, and whose names are on the rolls in tribal headquarters, shall be classified as in-state students of Arkansas for tuition and fee purposes on all campuses of the University of Arkansas. Tribes so identified include the Caddo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Delaware, Kickapoo, Osage, Quapaw, Shawnee, Tunica, and Peoria.”
  • Other Opportunities listed with the Graduate School