Funding Information / Opportunities

  • We offer five years of GA funding (e.g. TA, RA, or other) to new HSP and ADP Ph.D. students who remain in Good Standing and who make (or whose advisor makes on their behalf) a documented credible effort to obtain external funding (e.g. grants, fellowships, outside GA position) for at least two of those years.
  • We cover tuition for a total of 84 credits for the entire five-year period students are in the program. (This is several credits higher than the required courses in any of our program and track combinations)
  • Fees – The Department will cover student fees for the first three years of their study, including summer
    fees (if the student is supported as a TA during the relevant summer).
  • For students who are in their fourth or fifth year of study as of the 2023-2024 academic year, a total of
    up to $8,000 for domestic students and $9,000 for international students is allocated for total fee
    support. If you have a balance available for fees, your fees will be covered until such time as the funds
    are completely used. (The fee support covers the same number of tuition credits for domestic and international students. The difference is due to the additional student fees that international students are charged each semester)
  • The Department will also cover the cost of each students health insurance during the 5 years that students are in the program. (Students have the option to add a spouse and/or children to the insurance plan but the students will then need to cover those additional costs)
  • We adhere to the Council of Graduate Schools April 15th Resolution. Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution.

Contract Addendum for 2024-2025 supported students

GA Stipend Funding Document for 2023-2024

  • This document explains when paychecks will start and end for the contract year, how many pay periods there are based on the length of your contract, the total stipend amount you will be paid, and how much that will be bi-weekly.

Graduate Assistant Health Insurance Information from the Grad School

  • Aetna is the health insurance carrier for graduate students.

Request Ticket (RT) for requesting departmental payment of Graduate Student Fees

  • Use this RT to have your registration fees paid by the Psychology department. Further information about fee payment qualification and required documentation is included in the form.

UMBC Graduate Student Description of Job Duties

  • Teaching Assistant (TA), Teaching Assistant / Research Assistant (TA/RA), Research Assistant (RA), and Teaching Fellow (TF) job descriptions.

UMBC Graduate School Stipend Levels

  • For the 2024-2025 Academic Year

UMBC GA Registration Requirements

  • Information on credit requirements as a GA, fall and spring sessions, summer FICA-exemption, notes, and dissertation / thesis course details.

UMBC Graduate Assistant Handbook

  • The Graduate Assistant (GA) Handbook is a compilation of University policies and practices governing graduate assistantships. The Graduate School strongly recommends that all Graduate Assistants become familiar with the Handbook.

Examples on how to Budget as a Graduate Student

  • This page assists graduate students in creating a budget using UMBC’s Cost of Attendance, sample monthly expenses, and how to locate additional financial resources on campus.
Additional Funding Opportunities Available from the Psychology Department:
  • Research Support – $300 total – see the application
    • One time use only throughout the entire graduate career.
  • Conference Presentation and Travel Support – $500 per year
    • To present a first authored professional conference paper or presentation – up to 2 conferences per year.
    • More information is available here.
    • To apply, send an email to Karen Lorenz or Kerrie Jenkins and ask for a Conference Travel DocuSign application to be initiated on your behalf.
    • Attach a confirmation with your conference acceptance as supporting documentation.
  •  Internship Expense Support – $750 total for Clinical PhD students only.
    • This fund is meant to offset the costs associated with travel to clinical internship interviews and application fees for clinical internships.
    • To apply – students should submit an RT for Accounts Payable.
    • Please choose Amy Schneider as the PI.