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Graduate Funding Policies

Included below are policies related to funding in graduate education and at UofL. These policies provide important guidance about the timing of funding, procedures for funding, and how funding decisions are made.  

 

Funded Student Non-Resident Tuition Exception

It is the policy of the University of Louisville that non-resident graduate students who are funded with a full stipend, health insurance and tuition are coded as “residents” for tuition purposes only. As long as a non-resident graduate student receives a full stipend whose funding source (for stipend, tuition, and health care) is through a university account (e.g., university funded assistantships and fellowships, but also grants, contracts, endowments), the student’s tuition will be billed at the resident rate.  

Funded non-resident students remain non-residents for all purposes other than tuition. If a student loses funding for whatever reason (including that their contract is not renewed), they will be switched to “non-resident” for the purposes of tuition as well; if they switch graduate programs or apply to a professional program where they are not funded, they will be considered “non-resident” for the purposes of tuition. Forms must be completed by either the Department Chair or the program's Director of Graduate Studies.

Financial Information for International Students 

The Graduate School provides fellowships to a limited number of graduate students through the admissions process. Since graduate applicants are nominated for these positions by departments, you only need to fulfill admission requirements to be considered. Assistantships may similarly be offered during the admissions process. Additionally, students may apply for other assistantships that may become available after they are admitted.  

Assistantships and fellowships usually include full tuition and a stipend with which students cover their living expenses. If the I-20 shows sufficient support to cover tuition and living expenses, students will not need to submit any additional financial documents. The I-20 or DS2019 will list financial resources for which students must provide evidence of when going for the visa interview.  

If Form I-20 (or DS2019) doesn't sufficiently cover the expenses for study and living, students must show additional proof of full financial ability to the consular officer. For any dependents who will accompany a student, proof of $2,500 for each dependent will be required.  

Students are advised to find out if the consular office in their country/area has a different requirement or if their country's government has any financial restrictions for students studying abroad.