Financial Support for Graduate Students

Departmental Opportunities

Prospective graduate students may apply for scholarship aid (tuition remission) and fellowships that carry stipends, both available on a competitive basis through the the Office of Graduate Studies in Arts and Sciences. Fellowships and teaching assistantships for doctoral students in 2020-21 stipend is $23,360 for the fall and spring semesters. Fellowships and assistantships are frequently awarded to Master's students as well. The department has a limited number of prestigious fellowships opportunities for new doctoral students, available on a competitive basis (see below).

The Office of Graduate Studies in Arts & Sciences currently supports doctoral students for at least six years, assuming satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree. 

Endowed Scholarship Funds

In addition to financial aid available through the Office of Graduate Studies in Arts & Sciences, the Department of Music has endowed scholarship funds that are used to assist graduate students with a variety of incidental expenses, such as travel to scholarly meetings, and research expenses. Travel allowances permit students to attend AMS, SMT, and SEM conferences each year during their studies. Scholarships for private applied music instruction are available to all graduate students, and the Nussbaum Traveling Fellowship permits selected graduate students to travel in the U.S. or abroad to pursue dissertation research.

Fellowships

The Department of Music offers a limited number of special fellowships for qualified students entering the Ph.D. programs in musicology and music theory. All applicants to the doctoral programs are automatically considered for this fellowship. 

Teaching Opportunities

Advanced doctoral students in music often become Senior Teaching Fellows, allowing them the opportunity to assume responsibility for teaching an introductory music course in history or theory. 

University Opportunities

Other fellowships with generous stipends are available to outstanding new students at Washington University, including the Mr. & Mrs. Spencer T. Olin Fellowship for Women in Graduate Study, the Chancellor's Graduate Fellowship Program for students who bring diversity to the graduate program, and First Year Fellowships for Ronald E. McNair Scholars.

Mr. and Mrs. Spencer T. Olin Fellowships

These fellowships are awarded as a result of an annual competition open to all women who intend to commence graduate studies at Washington University the following fall.  Olin Fellowships carry stipends for four years and full tuition. Women wishing to become candidates for the Olin Fellowship competition are asked to complete a separate Olin application in addition to their application for admission.  Applicants must be graduates of a baccalaureate institution in the United States. For more information, call (314) 935-6818.

 

The Chancellor's Graduate Fellowships

These fellowships are designed to facilitate training for students who will contribute to diversity in graduate education and who are interested in becoming college or university professors. Students will be selected who, in light of all pertinent qualifications, experiences and attributes, would contribute to the diversity of graduate education at Washington University. For more information, call 314-935-6821.

The McNair Graduate Fellowships

First Year Fellowships are offered to former McNair scholars who are admitted to selected doctoral programs in Arts & Sciences at Washington University. The Fellowship provides full tuition plus an enhanced First Year stipend. Five years of support are guaranteed by a combination of University Fellowships and Assistantships. For more information visit the McNair Fellowship website.

Visit the Office of Graduate Studies in Arts & Sciences for more fellowships and support.