II. Financial Services

Financial Aid and Employment

There are many opportunities to help offset the expense of your graduate education at RIT. All necessary information on Financial Aid and Scholarships is available through the Financial Aid Office http://www.rit.edu/emcs/financialaid/graduate.html. Additional information will be available from the office of the program to which you have been accepted. Be sure you explore those options as well as the university offerings. In addition, funding may be available though external sources. Because there are so many options and conditions that may depend on your financial circumstances and/or your citizenship status, as well as your matriculation status, you should, first thing, identify your Financial Aid Counselor and remain in contact throughout your matriculation at RIT.

Graduate Assistantships

A Graduate Assistantship (GA) is an employment opportunity offered by many departments. Responsibilities vary, but GAs provide in-class course or lab support and tutor students outside of class. GAs may also work with a department’s professional staff and faculty to support the department’s administrative or technical services.

Merit Scholarships

If you are enrolled in a graduate program without any corporate financial support, you may be eligible for a merit scholarship. These scholarships may be automatically renewed for four quarters as long as you maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0.

On-Campus Student Employment

Full-time students are eligible for on-campus jobs offered through the Student Employment Office. Hours are limited to 20 hours per week during the school year. The hourly pay rate varies by position. For more information on eligibility requirements, or to browse job offerings, visit the Student Employment website, or stop by the office: 4-A350 (basement of the Student Alumni Union) | Phone: (585) 475-2631 | Website: www.rit.edu/seojobs

Cooperative Education

Some programs require co-ops as part of graduation requirements. A co-op is a quarter of full-time paid employment. The cooperative education program is, historically, one of the unique features of an RIT education. Some programs require internships rather than co-ops; these are work experiences for which tuition may be paid and which may earn course credit toward the degree.

It is strongly recommended that you identify your Financial Aid Counselor, if you haven’t already, and remain in touch at all times.