Financial aid is guaranteed to all admitted graduate students through assistantships and fellowships. Assistantships require students to work a certain number of hours per week while fellowships require research or teaching only in some years. Both are awarded competitively. The department controls a number of assistantships that require tasks related to the teaching program. Students apply through the Department Chair or Graduate Coordinator for teaching assistantships. Research assistantships are also available, funded by research grants. The grant’s principal investigator is responsible for awarding research assistantships. Sociology graduate students are also awarded research or teaching assistantships by other units within the university dependent on the needs of that unit. The Graduate Coordinator can provide information on likely sources of nondepartmental assistantship funding. The department does not control any fellowship funds, but the Graduate Coordinator can suggest possible college, university, and other sources of fellowship funds.
Graduate teaching and research assistants are evaluated each year; both initial appointment and renewal are competitive. For continuing students, one criterion for reappointment is the faculty evaluation of performance in previously held assistantships. Another criterion is the student’s satisfactory progress in the degree program. Decisions on award and renewal of research assistantships lie with the grant’s principal investigator, and for nondepartmental assistantships lie with the awarding unit.
The financial aid links below are to University of Florida sites outside Sociology.
Graduate Fellowships
The University and Graduate School sponsor a number of competitive fellowships for study. Departments nominate a limited number of qualified applicants each year for these awards.
Graduate Minority Fellowships
Please see “Is there financial aid available for minority students? here
Teaching Assistantships
The Department awards graduate teaching assistantships. They are awarded competitively. Assistantships generally include waivers of in-state and out-of-state tuition plus a stipend.
Research Assistantships
Research assistantships are funded by research grants received by members of the Department and by needs in programs elsewhere in the University. These assistantships are normally awarded only to students already enrolled at the University of Florida; current students should apply to the research project or individual faculty member holding the research grant.
Other Resources
The Graduate School maintains a useful page of links to other financial aid sources.
Student Loans
Student loans are administered by the Office of Student Financial Affairs. All information requests and applications for loans should be sent to them at the following address:
Office of Student Financial Affairs
P.O. Box 114025
S-107 Criser Hall
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida 32611-4025
phone (352) 392-1275