Loyola’s graduate assistants have significant bearing on the University’s strong academic reputation by helping foster a campus culture rich in scholarship, research, teaching, and mentorship. Accordingly, the University goes to great lengths to offer graduate assistants services and financial aid and development resources that are competitive with offerings at comparable institutions and that are in keeping with Loyola’s Jesuit, Catholic mission, social justice values, and focus on student experience and satisfaction in all that we do.
Living Up to Our Commitment
Living up to our commitment to graduate assistants
The University offers graduate assistants a competitive package of services, including:
- Competitive stipends that are benchmarked against other area universities
- Tuition reimbursement
- Travel awards
- Professional development opportunities
The financial aid package for a full graduate assistantship in the Graduate School is valued at around $50,000 per year. By the time a successful doctoral student graduates, Loyola has invested as much as a quarter million dollars in their career.
RECENT ENHANCEMENTS
• Stipend increases; standardized stipends • Enhanced awards for approved conference travel • Eliminated the restriction on off-campus employment* • Updated job descriptions for all graduate assistants, including common expectations for graduate assistants in teaching or research roles • Added a dental coverage to the student health plan
FINANCIAL AWARDS
- Support for an average of 288 students a year for their graduate education (assistantship, fellowships, tuition, insurance, or combination)
- In 2021–22, $5.26 million is allocated for stipends ($1.72 million increase from prior years) and $3.15 million for scholarships/tuition grants
- 278 students awarded student health and dental insurance as part of their award in 2021–22, an investment of $3.36 million
- 122 research assistants, 88 teaching assistants, and 29 dedicated fellowships offered in 2021–22: 8 Schmitt Fellows, 6 Pre-Doctoral Teaching Fellows, 5 Crown Fellows, 7 Attoh Diversity Fellows (4 PhD and 2 master's), and 3 Child & Family Awards
2021-2022 STIPEND INCREASES
The stipend for PhD students in full assistantship has increased to $28,000. The base stipend for master’s students remains at $18,000 (with a prorated adjustment for those in less than full assistantships) with an additional stipend increase of $500 for each year of service.
OTHER SUPPORT AWARDS
- While the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the ability of graduate students to present at conferences, 73 travel awards given to graduate students to present at conferences in 2021-2022 total to $42,890
- 12 research awards (awarded on a rolling application basis) given to graduate students in 2021-2022 total $20,300
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AS TEACHERS AND RESEARCHERS
- New graduate student and international student orientation programs
- Dissertation Boot Camp—a program designed to help doctoral students make progress on the dissertation
- Professional Development Workshops—thesis/dissertation work, external funding and fellowship opportunities, Introduction to IRB, Graduate Student Writing seminar, Career Pathways, graduation information sessions
- Teaching and pedagogy programs, including a training course for new Teaching Assistants and the Online Teaching Certificate Course, offered by the Center for Ignatian Pedagogy
- Fellowship opportunities to develop as researchers, mentors, leaders, and teachers that expand on professional development training received as a Graduate Assistant
- Assignment to a faculty mentor for teaching and research
SERVICES
- Graduate Student Life office and programs offered at the Lake Shore Campus and the Water Tower Campus
- Wellness Center services offered free of charge at the Lake Shore Campus and the Water Tower Campus
- Career Development Center services offered to graduate students in person, via telephone, or via Skype at no fee and assignment to a Career Advisor who specializes in the student’s academic program
ENGAGEMENT
- Graduate assistant participation in shared governance through the University Senate, Graduate Student Advisory Council and Graduate, Professional and Adult Council, as well as through advisory groups within graduate programs