Financial Assistance for the CSD Graduate Programs
The CSD graduate program usually awards fellowships, traineeships, and assistantships at the beginning of fall semester. These awards typically pay for tuition and/or provide that student with a monthly stipend, depending on the type of financial assistance. The tuition at Penn State varies for Pennsylvania and out-of-state graduate students. The current tuition schedule is available online. CSD graduate programs are located on the University Park campus. Tuition rates are subject to change.
Funding for Ph.D. students
Half-time graduate assistantships based on merit are awarded to full-time Ph.D. students during the first three years of their program, contingent on satisfactory performance. If a student is under-performing in their assistantship, processes will be followed as outlined in the Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin.
Funding for Master's students
The department receives a limited number of assistantships from the College of Health and Human Development. The number of assistantships provided by the college is not consistent from one year to the next, and Ph.D. students are given priority. Funding through departmental assistantships will be available for M.S. students if there are assistantships remaining. There is no application process for this funding; all admitted students are automatically considered.
Funding opportunities are also available on grants within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders:
Funding for Graduate Studies in AAC
The Departments of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Special Education at Penn State University announce funding opportunities for graduate students interested in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Funding support (full tuition and a monthly stipend) is available through a preservice personnel preparation grant in AAC funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of the AAC personnel preparation grant is to prepare master's-level speech-language pathologists and special educators in the specialized competencies required to provide high-quality services to infants, children, and youth who require AAC, especially those from diverse backgrounds. The Penn State AAC curriculum combines academic learning, research experiences in AAC, practicum experiences, and state-of-the-art assistive technology labs.
Other funding opportunities (full tuition and a monthly stipend) are also available as research assistants on several federally-funded research grants in AAC.
For further information about funding opportunities for graduate students in AAC, contact:
Janice Light, Ph.D.
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
- 308 Ford Building
- Penn State University
- University Park, PA 16802
- 814-863-2010
- jcl4@psu.edu
For additional information about financial aid, visit the Web sites of or write to:
The Graduate School Fellowship Office
- Penn State University
- 314 Shields Building
- University Park, PA 16802-1220
- Penn State University
- 313 Kern Graduate Building
- University Park, PA 16802-3303
