Going for a campus visit or preparing for an admissions interview with a graduate program? Bookmark this page (ordownload it as aPDF) to make sure you ask the right questions that will help you decide if the program is right for you.
Graduate Student Support
- Is there a diverse group of students, faculty, and administrators?
- Is there support for the needs of students from all backgrounds?
- Are there regular followup meetings with graduate students?
- Are there symposia on issues pertaining to graduate students?
- Are there graduate education workshops for undergraduates?
- What kind of social events does the graduate school or university sponsor each year?
- How is the access to faculty and graduate school administrative staff?
- Are there comprehensive wellbeing services with a professional staff equipped to serve a diverse student population?
- How robust is the communication between the graduate school and students (e.g., newsletters, social media)?
- Do the program, the graduate school, and the university focus on mentoring for student success?
- How much professional development programming is there for graduate students?
- Are there active student groups that appeal to me?
- What kind of resources and support are there for students with children?
Financial Support for Graduate Students
- Is the award merit-based or need-based?
- What are the standard eligibility requirements (e.g., citizenship, residency, field of study, career goals)?
- What types of awards are available? (e.g., teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships)
- What is the stipend amount? Does the award cover tuition and fees?
- What is the duration of the award? Is the stipend guaranteed over the life of the award?
- Can the award be held concurrently with another award? Can it be used as a supplemental award?
- What are the academic requirements? (e.g., student must maintain good academic standing, must make satisfactory progress toward the degree, etc.)
- What are the teaching and research requirements? How many hours per week are expected?
- What are the penalties (if any) if you fail to complete the degree?
- What are the payback provisions? Does the award require anything of you upon completion of the degree?
- How do you apply for the award and how are the recipients chosen? Competition (nationwide, statewide, university-wide, or departmental) or nomination by the department at the time of admission?
- Is the award available to both master’s and Ph.D. students?
- What kind of dissertation support funding does the university provide?
- What kinds of travel grants does the university provide for conference participation and research?
- Does the university provide funding support for emergencies (e.g., short-term loans, hardship assistance grants)?
For External Awards from Outside the University
- Is the award portable (may be used at any institution to which you are admitted) or institutional (may only be used at the awarding institution)?
- Do you have to be admitted to a school to be eligible for award consideration, or can you apply for the award before seeking admission to graduate school?
Academic Support for Graduate Students
- What kind of formal and informal support networks exist in the department, the graduate school, and the university?
- Does the campus and departmental culture encourage mentoring?
- What research opportunities are there for graduate students?
- What opportunities exist for scholarly discussions among students and faculty in a multidisciplinary setting?
- Do curricula address ethnic, racial, gender, and cultural issues?
- Are there robust English language resources for international students?
