Funding

Assistantships

Most graduate students in the Virginia Tech departments of Economics and Agricultural and Applied Economics receive some form of financial support, subject to resource availability within the departments. Graduate students enrolled in degree programs for the M.S. thesis option, and for the Ph.D. are eligible for support by a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA) or graduate research assistantship (GRA). Assistantships may be offered to any of these graduate students, except those entering on provisional status. A graduate student who does not initially receive an assistantship may qualify for assistantship support as early as the second semester of his/her program depending upon performance in the classroom.

Assistantship assignments may be for the academic year (9 months) or calendar year (12 months). Some students are supported for shorter periods on an hourly-wage basis, and all students enrolled in the graduate degree programs are eligible for hourly-wage employment.

Stipends and Tuition

The monthly stipend for a student on a full (one-half time) GRA or GTA in Agricultural and Applied Economics for master’s and Ph.D.'s are provided, but amounts vary.

Academic year tuition is waived for students on assistantships (view current tuition rates). The comprehensive fee covers athletic events, student health services, bus fees, recreational sports, and other services. Students receiving assistantships receive a waiver of academic-year tuition but must pay tuition for summer courses. Normally, students do not register for summer courses.

Financial Aid

For further information on scholarships and financial aid, see the Virginia Tech Financial Aid page.

For further information on fellowships, see the Fellowship Resource Guide published by CALS. 

Click here for further information about the George Washington Carver Scholarship.