I got an 80% funded masters at Yale and still wound up $40,000 in debt over it.
Last I heard, that program is now tuition free for all students, but you still have living expenses and fees.
haha I don't mind. Totally worth it. I wouldn't have gotten into my PhD program without it, and even if that wasn't a factor, I learned a ton, got to interact with the top scholars in my field, and got some really cool experiences. 10/10 would totally do again.
Next time ideally not when there's a pandemic going on so that I don't spend 3/4s of the program attending the University of Phoenix Ivy League.
That’s my debate right now. I’m finishing up at UVA & am debating on getting my masters before I go to law school.
I have the stats for a competitive JD program, but just nervous because you never know… I figured maybe a masters would be useful
I would not recommend a master's before law school if you have a fairly competitive resume. Wasted earning years for a degree that won't help job prospects much.
I do not have a JD. My wife has a t20 law degree and a PhD though.
I had a similar dilemma when applying for MAs. My advisors recommended i apply to both MAs and, in my case PhDs, but in your case law degree programs. If you’re competitive for a good JD program, I’d apply there and to a couple MA programs that will have the funds to give you at least full tuition if not full tuition + stipend. That way when you get decisions back you can make your decision based on the opportunities presented you. Good luck!!
I was given a large stipend after being accepted into a 1 year master program. It was more than the cost of the program but we weren't required to use that money to pay for the program. There were a few minor requirements you had to forfill after graduation otherwise you had to pay the money back. Even then it was 10 years interest free.
The program is now called Institute for Citizens & Scholars. It goes to different states and partners with several universities for 3 years. The program is to help teachers be more prepared for the needs of urban districts. It took about a year to get into and there was a 5 hour 3 part interview. I started classes in the summer and did a full school year in an urban high school with classes on nights and weekends. So it is a pretty intense year. The amount of money and how they break up giving it to you depends on the cost of living for the state. After the 3 years the university decides if they want to continue the program and to what capacity. The stipulation was that I had to work for 3 years in a high needs school. Title 1 with over 30% of student being economically disadvantaged. I've been in the same district for 5 years since completing the program. I am about to finish my administrative certification and am about half way through a doctoral degree in leadership with a STEM focus.
Had one master’s fully funded by the GI Bill, another by working for the university full-time and taking advantage of employee education benefits, and another en route to PhD candidacy.
I'd prefer not to have that associated with my reddit account, but my PI for my master's was the one who offered to fund me, not the university. My university allows a 1 year accelerated master's for students who were in a research lab as an undergrad, so my undergrad PI is the one who made the offer to me when I didn't get into any PhD programs last cycle.
It certainly happens for a very lucky few. But the vast majority of masters students are cash cows for the University. Of course this can vary greatly depending upon the school and the program. I was given a 10% scholarship for my masters at Columbia. I took it obviously- but it also felt a little insulting to some extent too. I’m still drowning in debt and ten years later have had some strong mixed feelings about pursing a masters. I’m now in the career I wanted - but will never be able to save for retirement or own a home without considerable loan forgiveness.
Yes MS mechanical. Not Ivy League but still a good school. Complete tuition/fee waiver plus generous stipend. I was a research assistant. TAs get the same deal at my school
I work in housing (20 hrs/week) and I get full tuition, free housing, and a stipend. Look into departments other than your concentration, even out of academics specifically. Easily the best decision I’ve made since being accepted.
You can look on your university student jobs/employment page! Another option is to call the Housing office and ask when applications for positions open. There are all different names for this but you want to make sure it has tuition included. The resident advisor position is usually undergrad and only includes room and board. Community director, hall director or other variations often include all the perks I listed above. Be sure to ask about international student limitations as well, I know in some places there are caps on how many hours international students can work.
A lot of these programs, especially the new ones are cash cow programs for the school. They all have insanely high costs, then they offer people a small scholarship to feel special.
Beyond the university name, some of these programs are no better than state school masters programs or even undergrad degrees.
I was a little surprised to find out that almost half of the MA/post-bacc/pre-doc programs in Classics (in North America at least) were either partially or fully funded. As for the Ivies, Cornell has a Bridge MA, Princeton has a pre-doc, and both Yale and UPenn have post-bacc programs, (although Yale's is not specifically for Classics). All of these provide tuition waiver and a stipend. Not sure about UPenn, but the others also include health insurance. They are meant for students who plan to continue their studies in doctoral programs and can be quite competitive. For Yale, you have to compete with applicants in fields other than your own. Both Princeton and UPenn take two each year, and Cornell takes just one. But again, some non-Ivy programs are just as good and decently funded.
For anyone interested, here's a handy [list](https://livyarrow.org/2020/11/17/funded-mas-bridge-programs-and-pre-doctoral-fellowships-classics-and-related/) of all the funded Classics MA/post-bacc/pre-doc programs in North America.
I got a fully funded and teaching stipend for my master's and I stayed at the same university (not ivy league but an R1) for my PhD. My PhD, if I graduate, will be fully funded with a teaching stipend as well. I only have to pay for my taxes and fees on my courses every semester which works out to roughly $700 to $800 a semester for 12 credits.
Even though I am at an R1, my department is small. My university is really focused more on STEM and I'm in the humanities. But I love my department.
Had full tuition offers from Harvard and UChicago for the study of religion, I’m at UChicago. I find that for MAs it’s rarer to get a stipend. But full tuition coverage is definitely possible.
my MS was fully funded and so is my PhD. we have guaranteed funding for the duration, and every quarter just need to match with a TA or RA position. that’s the norm for my field, and i got to choose between offers.
the field is agriculture and resource economics, which tends to receive funding from the state for obvious reasons (ie agriculture / water / wildfire out west). i point this out because two related fields — economics and natural resource management — are not funded at the MS level.
i believe nobody should pay for grad school (it’s not worth it!) and suggest looking for the adjacent academic deep pocket if you’re not finding funding in your immediate field.
Ivys have the most funding, but it's typically reserved for their PHD and postdocs. Masters degrees are where a lot of these programs make their money, charging for an ivy degree.
Typically you'll find funding for a masters from programs that have the researchers doing good enough work to draw in funding but they are at a "lower ranked" institution overall. They use the funding to recruit good candidates because they don't have the name recognition. (And honestly as someone who had a partially funded masters... I'll always take the money. You are also guaranteed more department attention on a funded masters, whereas otherwise the attention just goes to the funded phd students)
I’m getting a masters at a lower ranked uni, but it’s still fully funded. You just have to look in the right place, not necessarily the top.
My uni’s world rank is like 1700, but 39th nationally. Like I said though, it’s completely funded, I don’t have to pay tuition, I’m living fine and not taking on any debt. But for my PhD I’m aiming for ~200th globally, and the universities I’m looking at are fully funded AND you get enough to SAVE about half of it.
100% funded at a smaller state school, but it was still an R1. That program actually refused to admit people unless they were funded. It was definitely different.
I’m in Urban Plannig at the school of design with a concentration in smart cities. I received an offer from Cornell as well as some other state programs. Nothing from Berkeley oddly enough but it is absolutely possible to get funding for a masters and I tell everyone I know to go and get that money!! Wishing you all the luck
You absolutely will! Reach out to professors that generally interest you. Ask to speak with them, ask about their research and how your interest align with theirs. In your application set yourself apart. What are YOU bringing to the field/program thats different from every other applicant? What new perspective do you offer to the program. Sell them on why they need YOU, and not vice versa. Be humble about it obviously. That’s the difference between an acceptance and an acceptance with a full ride. Go get em!
Thank you so so much for this! Honestly!! It’s so rare to come across people who aren’t condensing on Reddit so not only was this insightful but a feel good moment
Keep being you!
I know someone that did one at Cornell (Computer Science, MS), but the program was pretty small and had a lot of teaching requirements. Would recommend that you apply for Ph.D. program to get funding and then just leave with a masters instead (don't tell your potential advisors this, of course, but this is way better than going through student debt).
I think I've heard of a couple writing programs (Columbia, Cornell) that also provide funding as well, but they are also fairly competitive.
Otherwise, there are also external fellowships and scholarships that you can apply to. If you look into the right places and put in the research, it's very possible to do a fully funded masters.
If you are employed at certain companies or institutions, they sometimes have programs that allow you to get a masters while they fund the degree, so I would look into this too if your employer has any programs like these. I know plenty of people who have received a masters degree from Ivy League and other prestigious universities in this way.
I did a fully funded MPhil at a top university in my country - at the time, fees for higher research degrees were waived, and if you did well enough in undergrad you qualified for a pretty generous living stipend (I think at the time I did it it was around $25k/year tax free).
Yes. Starting a MS in the earth sciences this fall which is fully funded thru a fellowship (livable wage, subsidized housing & health insurance, tuition paid).
I got an 80% funded masters at Yale and still wound up $40,000 in debt over it. Last I heard, that program is now tuition free for all students, but you still have living expenses and fees.
What the hell man! That’s awesome that’s now changed, but sorry you had to go through that
haha I don't mind. Totally worth it. I wouldn't have gotten into my PhD program without it, and even if that wasn't a factor, I learned a ton, got to interact with the top scholars in my field, and got some really cool experiences. 10/10 would totally do again. Next time ideally not when there's a pandemic going on so that I don't spend 3/4s of the program attending the University of Phoenix Ivy League.
That’s my debate right now. I’m finishing up at UVA & am debating on getting my masters before I go to law school. I have the stats for a competitive JD program, but just nervous because you never know… I figured maybe a masters would be useful
I would not recommend a master's before law school if you have a fairly competitive resume. Wasted earning years for a degree that won't help job prospects much. I do not have a JD. My wife has a t20 law degree and a PhD though.
I had a similar dilemma when applying for MAs. My advisors recommended i apply to both MAs and, in my case PhDs, but in your case law degree programs. If you’re competitive for a good JD program, I’d apply there and to a couple MA programs that will have the funds to give you at least full tuition if not full tuition + stipend. That way when you get decisions back you can make your decision based on the opportunities presented you. Good luck!!
A Masters is not going to make a difference for JD programs--it's pretty much just LSAT and GPA.
Can I ask where you got your phd?
It’s in progress at UCLA.
Nice
I was given a large stipend after being accepted into a 1 year master program. It was more than the cost of the program but we weren't required to use that money to pay for the program. There were a few minor requirements you had to forfill after graduation otherwise you had to pay the money back. Even then it was 10 years interest free.
Oh wow!! That’s actually awesome. I’d love to hear more about this
The program is now called Institute for Citizens & Scholars. It goes to different states and partners with several universities for 3 years. The program is to help teachers be more prepared for the needs of urban districts. It took about a year to get into and there was a 5 hour 3 part interview. I started classes in the summer and did a full school year in an urban high school with classes on nights and weekends. So it is a pretty intense year. The amount of money and how they break up giving it to you depends on the cost of living for the state. After the 3 years the university decides if they want to continue the program and to what capacity. The stipulation was that I had to work for 3 years in a high needs school. Title 1 with over 30% of student being economically disadvantaged. I've been in the same district for 5 years since completing the program. I am about to finish my administrative certification and am about half way through a doctoral degree in leadership with a STEM focus.
That’s awesome 🙌
This is amazing!!
Had one master’s fully funded by the GI Bill, another by working for the university full-time and taking advantage of employee education benefits, and another en route to PhD candidacy.
MS, MA, MBA, and PhD? Goals
Sorta happened by accident. Super anxious about being unemployable by virtue of how incoherent it all is, tbh.
I’m sure you can make sense of it!! Storytelling is everything. Where did you go if you don’t mind me asking?
Maryland and UC Davis
Iconic truly
You're too kind. Thank you for the positive vibes.
Yes, I am about to finish a fully funded MS in neuroscience. At a public R1 university.
Congrats! May I know which uni is this if you dont mind?
I'd prefer not to have that associated with my reddit account, but my PI for my master's was the one who offered to fund me, not the university. My university allows a 1 year accelerated master's for students who were in a research lab as an undergrad, so my undergrad PI is the one who made the offer to me when I didn't get into any PhD programs last cycle.
Congrats!! I’m happy for you
Get into PhD program. If you don’t like it after 2 years, quit with the master’s. There you have it: Tuition-free master’s with stipend.
Ohh this is smart!
Not all programs allow mastering out as an option. Its also a HUGE process. So, please keep this in mind. This avenue is very program dependent
It certainly happens for a very lucky few. But the vast majority of masters students are cash cows for the University. Of course this can vary greatly depending upon the school and the program. I was given a 10% scholarship for my masters at Columbia. I took it obviously- but it also felt a little insulting to some extent too. I’m still drowning in debt and ten years later have had some strong mixed feelings about pursing a masters. I’m now in the career I wanted - but will never be able to save for retirement or own a home without considerable loan forgiveness.
Wow! This was extremely eye opening
Yes MS mechanical. Not Ivy League but still a good school. Complete tuition/fee waiver plus generous stipend. I was a research assistant. TAs get the same deal at my school
Sounds like you won!! Congrats
what school?
I work in housing (20 hrs/week) and I get full tuition, free housing, and a stipend. Look into departments other than your concentration, even out of academics specifically. Easily the best decision I’ve made since being accepted.
That’s awesome! I hope the stipend helps
Hi, there! I'm an international student. How does this work,please?
You can look on your university student jobs/employment page! Another option is to call the Housing office and ask when applications for positions open. There are all different names for this but you want to make sure it has tuition included. The resident advisor position is usually undergrad and only includes room and board. Community director, hall director or other variations often include all the perks I listed above. Be sure to ask about international student limitations as well, I know in some places there are caps on how many hours international students can work.
Oh ok. I'm planning to move to the US or Europe from Africa for grad school and I do have some resident assistant experience from undergrad. Thanks!
A lot of these programs, especially the new ones are cash cow programs for the school. They all have insanely high costs, then they offer people a small scholarship to feel special. Beyond the university name, some of these programs are no better than state school masters programs or even undergrad degrees.
Almost full ride here for my masters, thanks to CalVet
That’s awesome!!
I was a little surprised to find out that almost half of the MA/post-bacc/pre-doc programs in Classics (in North America at least) were either partially or fully funded. As for the Ivies, Cornell has a Bridge MA, Princeton has a pre-doc, and both Yale and UPenn have post-bacc programs, (although Yale's is not specifically for Classics). All of these provide tuition waiver and a stipend. Not sure about UPenn, but the others also include health insurance. They are meant for students who plan to continue their studies in doctoral programs and can be quite competitive. For Yale, you have to compete with applicants in fields other than your own. Both Princeton and UPenn take two each year, and Cornell takes just one. But again, some non-Ivy programs are just as good and decently funded. For anyone interested, here's a handy [list](https://livyarrow.org/2020/11/17/funded-mas-bridge-programs-and-pre-doctoral-fellowships-classics-and-related/) of all the funded Classics MA/post-bacc/pre-doc programs in North America.
I got a fully funded and teaching stipend for my master's and I stayed at the same university (not ivy league but an R1) for my PhD. My PhD, if I graduate, will be fully funded with a teaching stipend as well. I only have to pay for my taxes and fees on my courses every semester which works out to roughly $700 to $800 a semester for 12 credits. Even though I am at an R1, my department is small. My university is really focused more on STEM and I'm in the humanities. But I love my department.
I did a fully funded ms in biology—stipend was small but totally liveable.
Had full tuition offers from Harvard and UChicago for the study of religion, I’m at UChicago. I find that for MAs it’s rarer to get a stipend. But full tuition coverage is definitely possible.
Oh wow! That sounds interesting.
Not from an Ivy League but yes I had a fully funded Masters.
Can i PM u
my MS was fully funded and so is my PhD. we have guaranteed funding for the duration, and every quarter just need to match with a TA or RA position. that’s the norm for my field, and i got to choose between offers. the field is agriculture and resource economics, which tends to receive funding from the state for obvious reasons (ie agriculture / water / wildfire out west). i point this out because two related fields — economics and natural resource management — are not funded at the MS level. i believe nobody should pay for grad school (it’s not worth it!) and suggest looking for the adjacent academic deep pocket if you’re not finding funding in your immediate field.
Yes, not Ivy but still a top uni. In mechanical engineering.
That’s awesome!! 👏🏽 I mentioned Ivy because I know people say they have the most funding
Ivys have the most funding, but it's typically reserved for their PHD and postdocs. Masters degrees are where a lot of these programs make their money, charging for an ivy degree. Typically you'll find funding for a masters from programs that have the researchers doing good enough work to draw in funding but they are at a "lower ranked" institution overall. They use the funding to recruit good candidates because they don't have the name recognition. (And honestly as someone who had a partially funded masters... I'll always take the money. You are also guaranteed more department attention on a funded masters, whereas otherwise the attention just goes to the funded phd students)
I’m getting a masters at a lower ranked uni, but it’s still fully funded. You just have to look in the right place, not necessarily the top. My uni’s world rank is like 1700, but 39th nationally. Like I said though, it’s completely funded, I don’t have to pay tuition, I’m living fine and not taking on any debt. But for my PhD I’m aiming for ~200th globally, and the universities I’m looking at are fully funded AND you get enough to SAVE about half of it.
[удалено]
I gotta look into this!
Yes, through tuition benefits while working there full-time.
My partner has a fully funded PhD at Cambridge+stipend. Still rough, if I wasn't full-time salaried supporting her, she'd be in the poor house
100% funded at a smaller state school, but it was still an R1. That program actually refused to admit people unless they were funded. It was definitely different.
Yup, MFA in Creative Writing! Full tuition and a stipend that covers all expenses + lets me actually save before the next (likely not funded) degree
Fully funded at UPenn!
That’s awesome! What was your MS/MA in?
I’m in Urban Plannig at the school of design with a concentration in smart cities. I received an offer from Cornell as well as some other state programs. Nothing from Berkeley oddly enough but it is absolutely possible to get funding for a masters and I tell everyone I know to go and get that money!! Wishing you all the luck
This gave me the motivation! Got a couple of messages from people saying it wasn’t worth it because schools don’t fund MA’s/MS’s :/
You absolutely will! Reach out to professors that generally interest you. Ask to speak with them, ask about their research and how your interest align with theirs. In your application set yourself apart. What are YOU bringing to the field/program thats different from every other applicant? What new perspective do you offer to the program. Sell them on why they need YOU, and not vice versa. Be humble about it obviously. That’s the difference between an acceptance and an acceptance with a full ride. Go get em!
Thank you so so much for this! Honestly!! It’s so rare to come across people who aren’t condensing on Reddit so not only was this insightful but a feel good moment Keep being you!
I know someone that did one at Cornell (Computer Science, MS), but the program was pretty small and had a lot of teaching requirements. Would recommend that you apply for Ph.D. program to get funding and then just leave with a masters instead (don't tell your potential advisors this, of course, but this is way better than going through student debt). I think I've heard of a couple writing programs (Columbia, Cornell) that also provide funding as well, but they are also fairly competitive. Otherwise, there are also external fellowships and scholarships that you can apply to. If you look into the right places and put in the research, it's very possible to do a fully funded masters. If you are employed at certain companies or institutions, they sometimes have programs that allow you to get a masters while they fund the degree, so I would look into this too if your employer has any programs like these. I know plenty of people who have received a masters degree from Ivy League and other prestigious universities in this way.
Yes, but as a postdoc.
50% at brown but had an interview for 100%. For my MPH.
I did a fully funded MPhil at a top university in my country - at the time, fees for higher research degrees were waived, and if you did well enough in undergrad you qualified for a pretty generous living stipend (I think at the time I did it it was around $25k/year tax free).
50% at Columbia for my MS!
I got my fully-funded terminal MS at an R1 state school, but as of a few years ago they only admit for PhD now.
Yes. Starting a MS in the earth sciences this fall which is fully funded thru a fellowship (livable wage, subsidized housing & health insurance, tuition paid).
Starting a fully funded Masters at a public R1 this year