Financial support for prospective students

As part of the Big Ten Academic Alliance, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign proudly participates in the FreeApp program. FreeApp is designed to increase access to graduate education for students who possess qualities and experiences that enhance the diversity of the intellectual, cultural, and social environments at Big Ten Academic Alliance universities.  Through this program, prospective students may request a graduate application fee waiver for PhD or MFA programs at participating universities.

The priority deadline for requests is November 15.  You are responsible for obtaining graduate applications directly from the institutions where you plan to apply. For more information about campus-specific admissions, contact the appropriate FreeApp Coordinator.

Note: We are unable to provide application fee waivers for international applicants.

Undergraduate and Graduate applicants to the Department of English can apply for resources to fund their education through the Office of Student Financial Aid.

All students admitted to the graduate program are automatically considered for fellowships and teaching assistantships. All are granted financial aid, both in the first year and throughout the program, as long as they remain in good standing and make reasonable progress toward their degree. Most awards are in the form of teaching assistantships, but some fellowships are available. All awards include tuition and partial fee waivers, although students must pay some fees. 

Entering MA candidates can receive up to seven years of support, entering PhD candidates up to six years of support, and entering MFA candidates up to three years of support.

All entering graduate students receive training and mentoring for teaching assignments. 

Most entering MA and MFA students teach one section of composition each semester. Entering PhD students teach one section per semester in their first year, and depending on fellowship support, may teach up to two sections per semester in subsequent years. International students throughout their time in the program teach one section per semester, and hold additional RA appointments. 

As students advance through the program, they have opportunities to teach literature and film classes; seminars are offered in the teaching of each. Some MFA students may teach undergraduate creative writing courses. 

Learn more about teaching assistantships. 

Our graduate students receive a number of fellowships, depending on their contract and the stage of the program they are in. These range from summer fellowships to Graduate College non-teaching fellowships for incoming students and dissertation completion fellowships that provide teaching releases or non-teaching stipends. Our students may also be eligible to apply for several external fellowships. For more information, see our Research Grants and Fellowships page. 

Stipends vary by appointment percentage. View the current stipends for teaching and research assistantships.