- Teaching Assistantships
- Research Assistantships
- Other University Sources of Financial Aid
- Off-Campus Jobs
Teaching Assistantships
The department normally has a number of teaching assistantships available to our best-qualified graduate students. These assistantships are usually granted for one year at a time, and are renewable based on the student's performance in coursework and TA responsibilities. A typical assistantship pays approximately $4,300 per quarter (2006-07 rate), plus a tuition remission. The student might teach a course under the supervision of a faculty member, or grade papers for approximately 15-20 hours per week.Criteria for choosing TAs are similar to those used for admission: grades, references, GRE scores, plus evidence of teaching experience or ability.
Full-year assistantships are usually awarded for the academic year beginning in the fall term. There are also term-by-term awards on an as-needed basis. Application forms may be obtained from the CS Office or from the link below. If you are a new applicant, include the form with the rest of your application.
Computer Science Department TA Application (pdf hand type)
Research Assistantships
Faculty in the department have research grants that support research assistants (RAs). Faculty members choose RAs on an individual basis, but the most important criterion is usually the student's ability to contribute to the professor's research program. Ordinarily students are given a research assistantship only after they have been in the graduate program for at least one term and have taken at least one class from the professor.After advancing to candidacy (see Doctoral Requirements), doctoral students are normally supported by a research assistantship with their dissertation adviser and may be able to use the work supported by the assistantship as a part of their own research.
Other University Sources of Financial Aid
Some additional sources of financial assistance are administered by other PSU offices (not by the CS Department); contact the Office of Financial Aid for information. Some of these sources have early deadlines; see "Financial Assistance" in the PSU Bulletin for more details.The Oregon Laurels Graduate Tuition Remission Program provides tuition remission to academically qualified Oregon residents on a competitive basis; contact the Office of Graduate Studies for further information.
Other departments hire CS graduate students as TAs to assist in computer-related activities. The Foreign Languages department occasionally hires international students to help teach their native languages.
A list of on-campus job opportunities is posted outside the Human Resources Office, 322 University Services Building.
Loans and work-study programs are administered by the Office of Financial Aid.