Most graduate students at Penn State receive some form of financial aid, such as an assistantship, grant-in-aid, fellowship, or scholarship.
Assistantships range from quarter-time to three-quarter-time, with half-time being the most common.
- quarter-time assistantships normally schedule 9 to 14 credits per semester, receive a stipend plus a grant-in-aid of resident education tuition, and perform tasks that occupy about 10 hours per week.
- half-time assistantships normally schedule 8 to 11 credits per semester, receive a stipend plus a grant-in-aid of resident education tuition, and perform tasks that occupy about 20 hours per week.
- three-quarter-time assistantships normally schedule 6 to 8 credits per semester, receive a stipend plus a grant-in-aid of resident education tuition, and perform tasks that occupy about 30 hours per week.
The most common type of financial support in our program is a half-time assistantship. The student normally schedules 9 to 12 credits per semester, receives a stipend plus a grant-in-aid for tuition, and is assigned tasks that, on the average, require approximately 20 hours per week. These assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis.
Department-Funded Graduate Assistantships
The Department annually awards assistantships to highly qualified students to pursue graduate study in Agronomy and Horticulture. Current thrust areas include crop ecology and management, plant genetics and molecular biology, turfgrass science, root biology, ornamental horticulture, fruits and vegetables biogeochemical processes, land use, and soil and water quality.
Competitive stipends and a benefit plan that includes a tuition waiver and 80% of health care premiums.