Apr 23, 2024  
2010-2011 Graduate Catalog 
    
2010-2011 Graduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Tuition and Financial Assistance


Click on any of the following links for information:



Tuition

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Tuition changes annually. For current tuition and fees consult the following website: 
http://www.usd.edu/finance-and-administration/business-office/graduate-tuition.cfm  or contact the Business Office at (605) 677-5613 or on campus in 207 Slagle Hall.

Financial Aid

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The Student Financial Aid Office (http://www.usd.edu/finaid/) assists students who lack financial resources to support their education. Students may apply for Title IV financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA, http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/).  The FAFSA must be completed every year the student wishes to receive federal assistance and is available after January 1st. To be eligible for a financial aid award in any term (Fall, Spring, or Summer semester), graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of five credit hours (considered half time). Students with Special Student - Graduate Status are not eligible for financial aid. There are a limited number of scholarships available in various departments. Contact the appropriate department for further information.

Graduate Assistantships

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The following represents the University and Board of Regents’ policies for the Graduate Assistantship program.

Graduate Assistantship application materials are posted in the myU.Portal. The application is also available on the graduate school website at http://www.usd.edu/graduate-school/graduate-assistantships.cfm

Per Board of Regents Policy 5:22, graduate assistants receive partial tuition funding for all credits enrolled and they become eligible for a special tuition rate for their remaining tuition owed. For on-campus resident and nonresident students, there is a 2/3 tuition reduction provided (not including fees); students are responsible for 1/3 tuition at the resident, state support tuition rate and fees. Graduate students enrolled in USD’s online courses are eligible for a special discounted tuition rate only (no 2/3 discount). The PDC program through the School of Education is managed uniquely.

Graduate students at USD are required to enroll in a minimum of 9 credit hours for fall and spring terms and at least 1 credit hour for the summer term (all inclusive summer – May to August). The Graduate School offers a few justified exceptions to the 9 credit hour requirement. For example, Teaching Assistants in English may enroll in 6 credit hours for the fall and spring terms. Also, students who provide evidence that remaining credits for graduation are fewer than 9 will be granted exceptions by the Graduate Dean or designee.

Graduate assistants need approval from the Graduate Dean to enroll in more than 12 credit hours unless a program’s curriculum was approved by the Graduate Council to require more than 12 credit hours per term for degree progression.

A student service component is generally expected for an assistantship award for the greater good of the student learning experience and The University, e.g., a student teaching assignment would be required for an awarded Teaching Assistantship, departmental student research would be required for a Research Assistantship, and administrative service would be required for an Administrative Assistantship. Graduate students must work below .50 of a fulltime position. Graduate students on an assistantship are considered temporary employees of the university. The primary purposes of a graduate assistantship are to provide students with professional experience and the necessary financial resources to attend a graduate program.

A stipend for each student is required and each year the Board of Regents establishes the minimum rate for a stipend. Graduate students are expected to work a full semester at their assigned percent of FTE in order to receive a semesters worth of compensation or the full four-week summer session to receive the full four-week summer session compensation. The dollar amount of the stipend may be prorated accordingly if the graduate student does not work the full semester or summer.

Graduate assistants must be fully admitted to both the Graduate School and an academic program and must have favorable results of a criminal background check.

If a graduate assistant resigns from his/her assigned position before the last day to drop a course with a W in a given term, the assistantship will be terminated and the tuition charges re-billed for the semester at the non-reduced tuition rate. If a graduate assistant falls below the required number of credit hours for the semester, a meeting with the Dean of The Graduate School will be required to be eligible for an assistantship to the next semester.

Scholarships Available

Students who are interested in scholarships should contact the program in which they enroll.