Financial Assistance and Funding

Awardees are chosen from among applicants for admission and no additional application material is required. Admission does not guarantee funding.

The deadline for consideration for merit awards is based on the relevant admissions deadline for each graduate program. The application for admission as well as all supporting documents (e.g., transcripts and letters of recommendation) must be on file by the award deadline.

For more information, please contact your program's Graduate Program Director. 

The period/s of appointment for graduate assistants over the course of the academic year are as follows: 

Fall and Spring Semesters

During the Fall and/or Spring semester, the University classifies graduate assistants as full-time students. Graduate assistants are expected to serve as a research or teaching assistant for 19.5 hours per week for each of the sixteen weeks of the academic semester. The University does not permit graduate assistants to hold an additional hourly position on campus during the same academic semester.

Summer Sessions

Students may serve as graduate assistants over the period composed of the University’s two summer sessions. Graduate assistants are expected to serve in that role for 19.5 hours per week for up to twelve weeks during that time. 

If graduate assistants are not enrolled in coursework over the summer, the University does not classify them as full-time students, and they also can hold an hourly work position on campus for up to an additional twenty hours per week. 

NOTE: Students cannot be asked to work on University holidays. There may be exceptional circumstances (such as with specialized maintenance, data collection from research animals, or when an experimental protocol runs over months and cannot be interrupted or suspended to allow time away) when graduate assistantship activities must be conducted during University holidays/closures and/or immediately prior to or after the end of a semester/session and those tasks cannot be delegated to other individuals. In such circumstances, the equivalent amount of compensatory time away from the assistantship position on a non-holiday weekday during the semester/session must be arranged in exchange. In addition, graduate assistants should be made aware prior to the start of the assistantship appointment of the schedule for the assistantship position, be informed of the amount of compensatory time away, and be able to participate in the determination of the schedule for that compensatory time away.

For any semester in which a student serves as a research or teaching assistant, a student cannot be asked to make up missed hours in the following semester or summer session. Students with concerns about the terms of their appointment as a research or teaching assistant should reach out to their Graduate Program Director.

• Teaching Assistantship Requirements & Policies
• Research Assistantship Requirements & Policies

Teaching is a critical component of graduate education and training. Training future
teachers is one of the central components of a graduate education and graduate students
who pursue faculty positions are likely to spend a substantial portion of their
professional life teaching and mentoring.

This policy outlines the conditions under which a graduate student, in receipt of a
graduate assistantship (“merit award”) from the Graduate School, may qualify to serve
as a Primary Instructor.

In cases where the graduate student does not fulfill all of the following requirements, a
graduate program may request an exemption from the Graduate School when the
graduate student has the appropriate qualifications from a prior degree in a closely
related field and/or equivalent experience as outlined by the academic unit and as
specified in Loyola University Chicago’s Faculty Credentialing and Course Assignment
policy.

Graduate students without an assistantship are subject to the terms outlined in the
university’s Faculty Credentialing and Course Assignment Policy in regard to serving as
a Primary Instructor.

To serve as a Primary Instructor when holding an assistantship, a student must meet all
of the following four requirements.

1. Satisfactory Progress Towards or Completion of Degree Credentials

A student may qualify to teach at a particular level of coursework if they have made
sufficient progress towards or completed a degree credential.

a. A Student in a Master’s Program
A student in a master’s program will qualify to serve as a Primary Instructor (100 course
level only) if they have completed at least fifty percent of the credits required for degree
completion.

b. A Student in a PhD Program
A student in a PhD program without a master’s degree will qualify to serve as a Primary
Instructor (100 course level only) if they have completed at least fifty percent of the
credits required for the master’s degree completion.

A student in a PhD student will qualify to serve as a Primary Instructor (100-300 course
levels only) if they either have completed their master’s degree in the field or have
completed an equivalent level of coursework and/or degree requirements during their
graduate degree as specified in the department’s Graduate Handbook.

2. Pedagogical Training

• In their role as Primary Instructor, the graduate student must receive the required
  pedagogical training.
• The graduate student must have availed themself of the pedagogical training
  offered by their department, the Graduate School, and the Faculty Center for
  Ignatian Pedagogy before being a Primary Instructor in the classroom.
• During their first time serving as Primary Instructor, the graduate student must
  be concurrently enrolled in the Graduate School’s Teaching Effectiveness
  Seminar unless this requirement is waived by their Graduate Program Director
  with approval of the Graduate School.

3. Faculty Supervision and Support

In their role as Primary Instructor, the graduate student must receive appropriate
faculty supervision and support.

• The faculty supervisor must orient the graduate student to their unique roles and
  responsibilities and relevant university policies and procedures (e.g., grade
  submission, reporting academic misconduct, Title IX reporting) before the start
  of the course and be available for ad hoc consulting and guidance during the
  semester of teaching.
• The supervisor should observe and provide feedback for at least one of the
  student’s classes if the student is in their first semester of teaching.
• The graduate student serving as a Primary Instructor must be evaluated for the
  semester by their faculty supervisor. Each department must possess a procedure
  for evaluating the performance of the graduate student serving as a Primary
  Instructor.
• There must be a clear understanding among all concerned about what constitutes
  unacceptable performance. Each semester, the Graduate Program Director (or a
  person assigned to this task) should read the official course evaluations for each
  graduate student serving as a Primary Instructor and address quickly and directly
  any deficiencies or problems that they may reveal. A graduate student serving as
  a Primary Instructor is subject to the Graduate School’s policy regarding
  Teaching Assistantships, including non-renewal.
• The department is charged with collecting faculty evaluations, including feedback
  on class observation, of students as well as documenting GPD review of students’
  performance on a semester by semester basis.

4. Good Academic Standing

The graduate student must be in good academic standing to serve as a Primary
Instructor.

The Policy recognizes that Graduate Assistants are able to continue their enrollment and associated financial support while absent for limited periods of time from their graduate assistantship role due to personal illness. With the exception of Graduate Assistants who are supported by extramural funding from the National Institutes of Health (and so subject to NIH policy), the University permits Graduate Assistants to be absent due to personal illness from their graduate assistantship role for up to (but no more than) fifteen calendar days (consecutive or non-consecutive) per academic year. Graduate Assistants are expected to inform their faculty mentor as soon as possible about their need for an absence from their graduate assistantship role due to illness, but in any event no later than the beginning of the period of the absence. Graduate Assistants who miss coursework due to illness are still held to normal course and grading policies for the relevant department(s) or course instructor(s). Graduate Assistants who must be absent from their graduate assistantship role due to illness for more than fifteen consecutive days should ordinarily request a medical leave of absence from the University.

Each fellowship has unique application requirements, so it is important to carefully read the guidelines and deadlines for each award.

Each year the Graduate School awards a limited number of Arthur J. Schmitt Leadership Scholars Fellowships. The fellowships provide support to PhD students who have demonstrated excellence in all aspects of graduate study and are in the final stage of doctoral work, i.e. completing the dissertation. The fellowships include a stipend, a tuition scholarship, and health insurance.

• Arthur J. Schmitt Leadership Scholars Fellowship 2025 Announcement
• Arthur J. Schmitt Leadership Scholars Fellowship 2025 Application

The Child and Family Research Fellowships are for Ph.D. students whose academic work focuses on child/family issues and enhances the development of research excellence in this area. There will be three awards per year. Each award will carry a stipend, a tuition award, and insurance (health and dental).

Contact your Graduate Program Director for more information on nominations for this award.

Each year The Graduate School awards four one-year Crown Fellowships to a graduate student in the departments of English, History, Philosophy, or Theology. The fellowship provides support to advanced Ph.D. students whose research shows how the humanities contribute to our knowledge of the world. The fellowship includes a stipend, a tuition scholarship, and health insurance.

• Crown Fellowship 2025-2026 Announcement
• Crown Fellowship 2025-2026 Application

The Teaching Scholars program is designed to encourage advanced graduate students in their preparation as scholar-teachers by providing a series of experiences, activities, and responsibilities appropriate to the scholar-teacher. These include mentoring new graduate student teachers as a part of the Graduate School’s Teaching Effectiveness Seminar.

• Teaching Scholars Fellowship Announcement 2025
• Teaching Scholars Fellowship Application 2025

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Created in honor of Samuel A. Attoh, former Dean of The Graduate School, these fellowships are awarded to incoming graduate students nominated by their department. The fellowship provides stipend and scholarship support over nine months and an annual professional development stipend. Awardees are expected to engage in the graduate community.

Contact your Graduate Program Director for more information on nominations for this award.

The Graduate School seeks advanced PhD candidate applicants for competitive summer fellowships. Funding of $6,000 stipend is available in recognition of research that supports or aligns with Loyola’s mission and enduring values.

In order to apply, students have completed all coursework, comprehensive examinations and research tool requirements, and be currently in the process of conducting dissertation research. Applicants should provide a completed application form (see below), an abstract of their dissertation research project, a summer research plan if awarded funds, and a short essay highlighting how this research aligns with Loyola’s mission and enduring values.

Students must be in good standing per Graduate School Academic Policy and not receiving funding from another institutional source during the summer to be eligible. Research must be in compliance with all Office of Research Services policy, including approval from the Institutional Review Board if applicable.

• Summer Mission Fellowship 2025 Application

Admitted PhD students have until April 15th to formally notify the Graduate School of their decision regarding acceptance of the award. For master’s students and for PhD students who receive an offer of admission after April 15th, admitted students have until 30 days after the date of the letter to formally notify the Graduate School of her/his decision regarding acceptance of the award. In order to notify the Graduate School formally regarding acceptance of the award, the student must accept his or her award on  GSPS by the applicable deadline.

To be eligible to receive and continue to hold an award, the student must: [a] be in good academic standing and maintain a GPA of 3.0 (which includes having no more than 1 outstanding incomplete by July 15) [b] comply with the Graduate School’s standards of academic honesty and the university code of conduct, and [c] satisfactorily perform assigned assistantship duties. Failure to fulfill these requirements may result in the immediate termination of the award.

The duties of a Research or Teaching Assistantship are assigned by departmental, college, or school administrators. Graduate students may not be assigned both research and teaching responsibilities in the same semester. These assistantships are to provide students with educational and professional benefits, enhancing their pedagogical or research skills. All research and teaching assistantship activities must be supervised by appropriate faculty or staff. Assistantship duties cannot exceed 19.5 hours per week.

Full assistantships should involve teaching or research activities which average between 16 and 19.5 hours per week.

The Graduate School does not permit students to hold simultaneously more than one full assistantship or fellowship. The Crown Fellowship, the Teaching Scholars Award, Child and Family Research Fellowship, Attoh Diversity Award, and the Schmitt Fellowship are all considered full awards. In addition, the Graduate School does not permit students to hold a full assistantship or fellowship and hold a hourly paid position at Loyola during the academic year.

All students receiving any type of award (assistantship, fellowship, or tuition) are encouraged to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Loyola’s federal school code is 001710. Students anticipating the need for student loans must file a FAFSA. For further information see the Financial Aid Office website. While there are no priority filing deadlines for graduate students, students should submit the FAFSA as early as possible.

Only those courses that will count toward the fulfillment of graduate degree requirements are eligible for coverage by a Loyola tuition award. In addition, the number of credit hours of tuition eligible for a tuition award are limited by the number of credit hours required of the student by the program. It is the student’s responsibility to register for and satisfactorily complete appropriate courses while receiving a tuition award; the student is responsible for paying tuition for any courses not eligible for payment by the tuition award. Additionally, tuition support will not be provided for course taken for audit. Recipients of tuition awards must register for classes no later than July 1. The student should consult the Graduate School website, the program’s student handbook, and his/her academic advisor for detailed information on degree requirements.

Tuition awards are disbursed to fall semester charges in August and to spring semester charges in January. Please note that tuition awards do not cover University student fees (e.g., the University Services and Programs, CTA U-Pass, Late Registration, and Late Payment fees). It is the student’s responsibility to check their LOCUS account summary on a regular basis and to notify the Awards Coordinator if there are questions.

Please contact the Graduate School’s Award Coordinator at 773-508-7479 if you need these forms. Before the beginning of the term of one’s initial Graduate School award, the student is to bring a completed New Award Packet and the necessary documentation in person to the Graduate School (this requirement applies only to first-time assistantship stipend or fellowship recipients). Failure to do so may result in a delay of the student’s stipend payment.

First-time stipend recipients must return to the Graduate School federal and state income-tax-withholding (W-4) forms. W-4 forms are required only for first-time stipend recipients; however, other students may file a new W-4 to effect a change in withholding.

An assistantship or fellowship award offer is subject to the recipient providing proof of employment eligibility as required by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Verification of employment eligibility is a federal legal requirement, and failure to comply in a timely manner will result in a delay of the student’s eligibility to perform assistantship duties and receive a stipend and tuition award.

A valid Social Security number is required for payment of stipends and fellowships. If you are an international student in F-1 or J-1 status and do not yet have a Social Security Number, we recommend you visit the Office for International Programs at Loyola at least a week before classes begin. You will be registered in SEVIS and obtain the documents you need in order to apply for your Social Security Number.

The university’s Office of Human Resources requires stipend recipients to participate in the direct-deposit payroll system. Please see the enclosed form for detailed information.

Students are to notify the Graduate School, as well as the university, of a change of address. To ensure timely receipt of important mailings, the Graduate School recommends informing the Awards Coordinator of a change of address in addition to updating your address on LOCUS.

As a reminder, stipends, tuition awards, and other awards, such as health insurance, are taxable unless exempt under the Internal Revenue Code. The Graduate School advises students to review IRS publications and forms (www.irs.gov) and to consult the IRS or a tax advisor if one has questions regarding one’s potential tax liability. For additional information see IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education.

Non-service fellowships, such as the Crown, Child and Family, Schmitt, and Attoh fellowships are considered by the IRS as “non-qualified” fellowships. Non-service fellowships are taxable and reportable to the IRS as income on the recipient’s personal tax return. Loyola is not required under Section 6041 to file a return of information (W-2 or 1099) to report the fellowship. However, the student may have an obligation to include the fellowship in their gross income. Please review IRS Topic Number 421.

Taxable scholarships, fellowships, and grants to nonresident aliens are generally reportable to the IRS and are generally subject to withholding of U.S. federal and state income tax.

Awards are for one academic year only. Contact your Graduate Program Director for detailed information regarding renewal of awards.

Please note that the Graduate School website contains important information regarding merit awards and academic policies. The Graduate School encourages students with questions regarding merit awards to contact their graduate program director. In addition, students with questions should feel free to contact the Graduate School’s Awards Coordinator.

To be considered for funding, you must apply online BEFORE the conference takes place. To apply, log into GSPS, navigate to Award Forms > Internal Awards section, and click the "Add" button to begin.

You will be required to upload proof of acceptance to a conference (i.e. an email or letter of acceptance from the conference sponsor) and a preliminary budget in one single PDF. The Graduate School will reimburse transportation and lodging costs, conference registration fees, poster printing costs, and food (adhering to the university's current per diem rates for food, and excluding alcohol). Please refer to the Accounts Payable full Travel and Business Expense Policy for more details.  

Only $750 in travel funding per student can be granted per academic year. The academic year is considered to begin on the first day of fall term and end on the final day of summer term. If you are awarded a partial award, you may apply for a second award for a different conference during a later time in the academic year. 

You will receive confirmation to your LUC.edu email account to let you know if your application has been approved or rejected.

In order to receive your reimbursement you must submit the following to The Graduate School at gradschool@luc.edu within three weeks of completing travel. Incomplete or incorrect claims will cause a delay in reimbursement, so please make sure that you have filled out the forms completely, and that all necessary materials are included.

Please compile a single PDF file which includes:

• A completed and signed Expense Reimbursement Form (instructions can be found here. Please refer to the Accounts Payable full Travel and Business Expense Policy for full details on allowable expenses). 
• All receipts (in the order they appear on your reimbursement form)
• Conference program catalog or presentation confirmation
• If applicable, missing receipt forms for any item over $25
• If applicable, currency conversions for any items listed in non-US dollar amounts (each foreign transaction receipt should be followed by a separate page showing the conversion)
• Please note that you may be required to fill out an Electronic W9/W8 Form if you haven’t filled one out in the past academic year.

According to Accounts Payable policy, expense reimbursements submitted more than 90 days following the date of the expense or the last date of travel will be considered taxable income.