Financial Assistance

UNDERSTANDING YOUR FINANCES

For Graduate Assistants & Partial Tuition Waiver Recipients Only

The following information is intended to provide you with an estimate of approximately how much money to budget for. This information is based-upon the current academic year and is subject to change for the next academic year. We recommend that you budget for more money than is listed below to allow yourself a “cushion” in the event of added and/or unexpected expenses.

Please understand that the figures below do not include other expenses such-as late registration fees, late payment fees, books, course materials, housing, health insurance, other personal living expenses, etc.

The fees are all set by the University, and not the Graduate Music Office. Fees and tuition remain the same for one full academic year (Fall, Spring, Summer cycle) and are always subject to change the following academic year. Fees are typically due during the second week of classes – there is no “deposit” prior to the term.

Preview the Waiver and Fee Chart from The Graduate School when reading the information below: Graduate WAIVER & FEE CHART

If a student is coded as “out of state”, they are charged the out of state University fees. If a student is coded as “in state”, they are charged the in state University fees. Multiply your per-credit-hour fees ($105.87 per credit hour for OOS; $75.81 per credit hour for in state) by the number of credit hours you are taking.

Graduate Assistants

The required academic load for a graduate assistant is nine (9) graduate-level credit hours. Using the fees model above: for OOS, 105.87 x 9= $952.83, for in state 75.81 x 9= $682.29. Then, add the per semester $20 FSU Student Facilities Use Fee to that total, add the $5 FSU Card fee, then add the $350 Music Equipment fee to that total. So, if you were attending Florida State University as an out of state graduate assistant for the current academic year, and had enrolled for 9 grad-level credit hours, you would have paid $1,327.83 in the Fall, and $1,327.83 in the Spring. That $1,327.83 figure would have been your fee total that you would have been responsible for paying…either by-way of your own funding or via federal financial aid for those who qualify by completing the FAFSA. If you are an in-state graduate assistant, the total per semester would be $1,057.29. Just to re-confirm, these fee totals may change for the next academic year, but hopefully they will give you an estimation of what you would expect to pay in fees as a graduate assistant.

U.S. domestic students who are appointed as graduate assistants in the College of Music are eligible to apply-for the possibility of becoming Florida residents after twelve months, once certain criteria are met. Graduate Assistants who are residents of the United States should note that out-of-state tuition waivers are paid by the College ONLY during the first year of an assistantship; after that the College will provide only an in-state waiver. Thus, applying for Florida residency is financially advantageous. Please note that international students will receive the out-of-state waiver for the duration of the graduate assistantship. Residence in an on-campus dorm facility does not qualify students for Florida residency.  It is advised that GA’s who wish to apply for Florida residency reside in off-campus housing. For additional information on obtaining Florida residency please visit the FSU Admission’s Office website: http://admissions.fsu.edu/residency/.

Partial Tuition Waiver Recipients
If you are a partial tuition waiver recipient using the OOS model above, $105.87 x 8= $846.96. Then you add the per semester $20 FSU Student Facilities Use Fee to that total, add the $5 FSU Card fee, then add the $350 Music Equipment fee to that total. This would bring you to $1,221.96 for OOS. Remember, as a condition of accepting the partial tuition waiver, you must fund one full graduate-level credit hour yourself. The current out-of-state per credit hour rate for graduate students is $1,110.72 (refer to the Student Business Services web-site). When you add $1,221.96 to $1,110.72 you get: $2,332.68. So, if you were attending Florida State University as an out of state student for the current academic year, and had enrolled for the mandatory 9 grad-level credit hours as a partial tuition waiver recipient, you would have paid $2,332.68 in the Fall, and $2,332.68 in the Spring. That $2,332.68 figure would have been your fee total that you would have been responsible for paying each semester…either by-way of your own funding or via federal financial aid for those who qualify by completing the FAFSA. If you are an in-state student taking 9 grad-level credit hours, the total would be a bit cheaper overall. Just to re-confirm, this fee total may change for the next academic year, but this will give you an estimation of what you would expect to pay per semester as a partial tuition waiver recipient.

1) Master’s GA’s receive a tuition waiver for 9 credit hours, while doctoral GA’s receive a tuition waiver for anywhere between 9 and 12 credit hours (9, 10, 11, or 12). Tuition waivers cover only graduate-level credits (5000 or 6000-level). No undergraduate-level (4000-level and below) credits are covered by the tuition waiver. Please understand that the tuition waiver waives the cost of tuition, only (approximately 80% of your total bill). All students pay per-credit-hour and one-time fees that the tuition waiver does not waive. Information on the current semester’s tuition and fees may be found by visiting the following website: http://controller.vpfa.fsu.edu/Student-Financial-Services/SFS-For-Students/Tuition-Rates Please note that tuition and fees are subject to change for the following academic year.

2) Each graduate assistantship recipient is required to sign a Tuition Waiver Receipt Form at the beginning of both the Fall & Spring terms. Students are responsible for reviewing, printing, and signing the Tuition Waiver Receipt Form and submitting the completed form to the Graduate Music Office.  Students are able to access Tuition Waiver Receipt Forms for each semester through their Student Central account within “My Bill”.

3) The student’s class schedule will be verified for at least 9 hours of graduate-level courses (5000 level or above). Schedules that do not meet this requirement will be rejected and the student will need to register for 9 graduate credits online immediately. Tuition waivers cannot be used to pay for courses numbered below 5000 (i.e. undergraduate level).

4) Once the student has finished enrolling,  no changes may be made to that schedule. If changes are made or necessary corrections left undone, tuition may not be waived.

5) The tuition waiver entry window closes on the last day of drop/add so all schedules must be finalized by that time. The tuition waiver forms must be turned in to the Graduate Office no later than by the end of the first week of classes.

6) U.S. domestic students who are appointed as graduate assistants in the College of Music are eligible to apply-for the possibility of becoming Florida residents after twelve months, once certain criteria are met. Graduate Assistants who are residents of the United States should note that out-of-state tuition waivers are paid by the College ONLY during the first year of an assistantship; after that the College will provide only an in-state waiver. Thus, applying for Florida residency is financially advantageous. Please note that international students will receive the out-of-state waiver for the duration of the graduate assistantship.  Residence in an on-campus dorm facility does not qualify students for Florida residency.  It is advised that GA’s who wish to apply for Florida residency reside in off-campus housing.

Approximately 225 teaching, research, accompanying, and administrative assistantships are awarded by the College of Music typically in March and April to highly qualified Master’s and Doctoral students. Teaching assistants are selected and assigned to particular courses on the basis of experience, professional qualifications, and musical expertise. There is no separate assistantship application process; rather, candidates are assessed during the formal admission/audition process. Academic year 2023-2024 assistantship stipends will be $7,790.42 (0.25 time), $9,348.50 (0.30 time), or $15,580.84 (0.50 time) for two academic semesters: Fall and Spring. (Assistantships in music education, musicology and music theory are occasionally available for the Summer semester.)

The College of Music allows for maximum assistantship funding as follows: up to four (4) semesters for Master’s students and up to six (6) semesters for Doctoral students. Students who complete a (funded) graduate degree in the College of Music, and elect to earn a second graduate degree here, may receive funding up to four (4) semesters for a second Master’s degree and up to six (6) semesters for a Doctoral degree. (**Please note: PhD Theory GA’s are eligible for a maximum of 8 semesters of funding.) Individuals pursuing exceptions to this policy must submit the “Petition for Waiver of Assistantship Policy on Maximum Term of Appointment,” available in the Graduate Music Office. Assistantship renewals are contingent upon satisfactory degree progress, satisfactory work in the duties assigned, continued recommendation by relevant faculty and/or Area Coordinators, and availability of funding. Students who receive an assistantship after initial matriculation into the degree program may receive term-only assistantships; they may or may not be renewed.

Please note that all graduate assistantships come with a tuition waiver. Master’s GA’s receive a tuition waiver for 9 credit hours, while doctoral GA’s receive a tuition waiver for anywhere between 9 and 12 credit hours (9, 10, 11, or 12). Tuition waivers cover only graduate-level credits (5000 or 6000-level). No undergraduate-level (4000-level and below) credits are covered by the tuition waiver. Please understand that the tuition waiver waives the cost of tuition, only (approximately 80% of the total bill). All students pay per-credit-hour and one-time fees that the tuition waiver does not waive. Information on the current semester’s tuition and fees may be found by visiting the following website: http://controller.vpfa.fsu.edu/Student-Financial-Services/SFS-For-Students/Tuition-Rates Please note that tuition and fees are subject to change for the following academic year.

All graduate assistants at FSU work under a contract negotiated by United Faculty of Florida-Florida State University-Graduate Assistants United (UFF-FSU-GAU) and Florida State University. UFF-FSU-GAU is the labor union certified as the executive bargaining agent for graduate assistants at FSU. For more information please visit the UFF-FSU-GAU website: http://www.uff-fsu-gau.org/ . No department or University representative may make a binding agreement to reappoint the graduate assistant for longer than the term of the contract. Research grants, advisor’s promises, and departmental agreements are not binding.

SPEAK Test: International students, whose native language is not English, are required to take the SPEAK Test in order to be considered for a graduate assistantship from the College of Music. SPEAK (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) is a test for evaluating the English speaking ability of non-native speakers of English. At FSU, the SPEAK test is administered by the Center for Intensive English Studies to international students who have been appointed or will be appointed as teaching assistants in an academic department at Florida State University. If the SPEAK test is not completed, then a score of 26 on the speaking portion of the Internet-Based TOEFL must be obtained, (and verified by FSU Admissions). There are no exceptions to this policy. Please refer questions to our Music Admissions Office: 850/644-6102.

Tuition waivers must be obtained from the Graduate Music Office at the beginning of each semester.

U.S. domestic students who are appointed as graduate assistants in the College of Music are eligible to apply-for the possibility of becoming Florida residents after twelve months, once certain criteria are met. Graduate Assistants who are residents of the United States should note that out-of-state tuition waivers are paid by the College ONLY during the first year of an assistantship; after that the College will provide only an in-state waiver. Thus, applying for Florida residency is financially advantageous. Please note that international students will receive the out-of-state waiver for the duration of the graduate assistantship. For additional information on obtaining Florida residency please visit the FSU Registrar’s Office website.

NOTE: THE ALLOCATION OF WAIVERS DEPENDS UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS.

It is the policy of the College of Music that all financial assistance awarded to graduate students has one major purpose: to provide academically deserving students with financial assistance so they may pursue their professional studies at Florida State University. Consequently, the College of Music and its faculty members strive to ensure that the graduate assistantship assignments are:

1. academically and professionally rewarding to the student
2. well within the capabilities of the student
3. directly related to the College of Music’s teaching, research, and administrative operations.

University and College of Music guidelines for the hours of weekly service required for various graduate assistantship assignments are as follows. Assistantships may entail the equivalent of approximately 10, 12, 13 1/3, and 20 hours of work for 0.25, 0.30, 0.33, and 0.50 assistantships, respectively. Actual contact hours vary among the types of assistantships. For more information on the number of hours specific to your graduate assistantship duties please contact your Graduate Assistantship Supervisor.

Graduate assistants are expected to observe the same duty days as faculty members. Exceptions to this schedule require prior approval from the Associate Dean (Director of Graduate Studies in Music).

Graduate assistants must enroll for a minimum of 9 hours of course work each semester. Other requirements for graduate assistants include:

1. Regular graduate status
2. Maintain a 3.0 (B) grade point average
3. Perform duties to the satisfaction of the supervising professor and the Associate Dean/Director of Graduate Studies in Music.
4. Uphold the expectations of the FSU Student Code of Conduct and the FSU Academic Honor Policy.

Each graduate assistant is assigned a supervising professor by the area coordinator or Associate Dean. For purposes of consultation and evaluation, the professor will observe the assistant periodically in the performance of assigned duties. During Spring Semester each year, the supervising professor will formally evaluate the graduate assistant’s work. The supervising professor and the graduate assistant will confer, and both the student and professor will sign a graduate assistantship evaluation form. This form is ultimately placed in the student’s file in the Graduate Music Office. Evaluations must be completed by the deadline designated by the Graduate Music Office before the student can be considered for assistantship renewal; late evaluations may result in non-renewal of current assistantship holders.

Graduate assistants who have problems or grievances related to their assistantship duties should first discuss complaints with their immediate faculty supervisor, then the coordinator of the appropriate academic department, and finally the Associate Dean /Director of Graduate Studies in Music. In cases where this does not resolve the problem, the assistant may file a formal complaint with the Office of Graduate Studies, 314 Westcott.

THE OFFICE OF GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS (OGFA)

The Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards (OGFA) offers a variety of services to assist graduate students in obtaining external fellowships, grants, scholarships, and awards. Services include assistance with proposal revisions and the application process, workshops, and round table discussions about specific opportunities. The OGFA’s Blackboard organization site provides an inventory of external fellowships and awards as well as information on searching for additional resources. The OGFA’s newsletter, which contains information about upcoming events and deadlines, is available online through Blackboard and the website. For more information, visit: http://ogfa.fsu.edu.

LEGACY / UNIVERSITY / PRESIDENTIAL FELLOWSHIPS

The Legacy Fellowship Program is a University-wide competition, open to new doctoral students who have been fully admitted to the College of Music.

The Graduate School is not accepting applications for the Presidential and University Fellowships at this time. Interested applicants should refer to the Graduate School Legacy Fellowship. The University Fellowship Program is administered by the Graduate School. It is a University-wide competition, open to new and continuing doctoral students. The University Fellowship is a one year award, and provides a stipend of $19,000 to each student. Some fellows are selected as Presidential University Fellows. These fellowships are awarded for a four-year term, and come with an increased annual stipend of $24,000 for the first and fourth years. The second and third years are funded at a level determined by the department. Additional benefits to both fellowships include a tuition waiver of up to twelve hours for the Fall and Spring terms, and full single coverage in the University sponsored health insurance plan.For more information, please contact Brian Barton at 644-3501 or bbarton@fsu.edu, with any questions.

This fellowship provides support for up to 5 continuous years for newly-admitted doctoral students, and support for up to 3 continuous years for newly-admitted qualifying MFA students (see list of qualifying major codes in the application). The Fellowship is a $10,000 supplement to 0.5 FTE assistantship (required) per academic year, and provides the health insurance subsidy in accordance with the Graduate Assistants United Collective Bargaining Agreement. For more information, please contact Brian Barton at 644-3501 or bbarton@fsu.edu.

Deadline for submission of these materials to the Graduate Music Office is typically in January of each year; awards are announced mid-March, to early-April.

You may also visit: http://gradschool.fsu.edu/

Additional information on graduate Fellowships and Awards can be obtained by contacting their office, directly.

NOTE: Applications are available only to students who are nominated by their department.

INTERNATIONAL DISSERTATION SEMESTER RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

This fellowship carries a $7,000 stipend per semester (up to two semesters), plus tuition waivers, for advanced doctoral students. These prestigious fellowships for advanced doctoral students are offered by the Graduate School to facilitate research and timely completion of the doctoral degree that requires extended research-time abroad. Recipients must enroll for a minimum number of dissertation hours during the research semester. Recipients must conduct research abroad for the duration of the fellowship. Applications are through the academic department Chair or College Dean as appropriate.

HENDERSON FAMILY FELLOWSHIP

This fellowship was created to support Florida public school teachers who are pursuing a Master’s or Specialist degree. This fellowship will defray the costs of tuition and fees for up to two semesters in an academic year (summer, fall, spring).

All applications for this fellowship should be submitted to The Graduate School by mid-February for the following academic year. If the deadline falls on a weekend, the materials will be due by the end of the next business day. Please address your applications to Becky Culp, 314 Westcott, Campus Mail Code 1410.

This fellowship is contingent upon available funding. For more information or questions related to this fellowship, please contact the Graduate School at (850) 644-5848.

LESLIE N. WILSON-DELORES AUZENNE ASSISTANTSHIP FOR MINORITIES

This award is available for all new or currently enrolled minority graduate students. NOTE: Applications are available only to students who are nominated by their department. Nomination is through the department or college, but competition for these awards is on a University-wide basis. The stipend is a minimum of $5,000 per academic year plus tuition waivers. Application deadline usually in February. For more information please visit:

http://gradstudies.fsu.edu/funding-awards/graduate-school-fellowships-and-grants

MCKNIGHT DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

These fellowships provide up to five years of support, with a stipend of $12,000 plus tuition waivers and other support for four years and with the fifth year support at a rate that is typical in the student’s academic program. Fellows also receive a $400 subsidy towards the purchase of the University sponsored health insurance plan. This is a state-wide program administered through the Florida Education Fund (FEF). Applications are available on the FEF website. For more information regarding FSU application procedures, contact the Graduate School, 314 Westcott, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410, (850) 644-3501.

The university’s Office of Financial Aid provides an estimated yearly cost of attendance. This includes fixed amounts, such as tuition and fees, as well as amounts that must be estimated, such as room, board, books, transportation, and personal expenses. These budgets are for the purpose of awarding financial aid, and may not represent the actual cost for each individual student, as enrollment and lifestyle choices vary: http://financialaid.fsu.edu/Cost

A very limited number of government and private foundation grants also provide a possible source of financial assistance for graduate students. Information about the availability, deadlines, and application procedures for various grants can be obtained at the University’s Graduate School office (314 Westcott).

PRESSER FOUNDATION GRANT:

$10,000 awarded to one graduate music student for an outside project advancing their professional careers. Proposals must be submitted to area coordinators, who then each submit one proposal to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in Music. (Details about content of the proposals is distributed late in the fall semester.) From these seven, one is chosen to receive the award. Submission deadline usually end of January or first week of February.

Florida State offers a variety of different funding opportunities for graduate students outside of the departmental assistantship. Listed below are some of the awards frequently received by graduate music students. Detailed information about application for each one can be found at the listed websites.

Dissertation Research Grants: $750 awards to doctoral students actively working on their dissertation; new awards given each semester. Application deadline usually end of second week of classes each fall and spring semester.
http://gradschool.fsu.edu/

For information on other financial opportunities through The Graduate School, please visit their website, and click on Funding and Awards: http://gradschool.fsu.edu/

Whether or not a student has been awarded Financial Aid, or Work Study through the Office of Financial Aid, part-time employment through the College of Music might be possible. The following offices in the College of Music often hire students. If interested, please contact their office(s) directly:

The Office of Financial Aid on campus (University Center) can provide information regarding long- and short-term (government insured) loans and Graduate Work-Study programs. Please visit their website here: http://financialaid.fsu.edu/