Most of the financial support provided for graduate students by the School comes in the form of teaching assistantships. There are also a limited number of research assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships administered by SJMC or the Graduate College.*

Teaching and Research Assistantships

Teaching and research assistantship appointments are made by the Director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. They are based upon students' academic and professional records. Announcements of successful applications are generally made on or before May 1. All assistantship positions are subject to the agreement between the University and the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America Local 896/COGS (see https://cogs.org for contract information).

SJMC Support for Research and Travel

SJMC graduate students are provided with $1,500 a year in Research and Development Funds for research and travel needs. To access these funds, students must develop a plan for the use of the funds with their advisor and submit the approved plan/request to the DEO and departmental administrative for review and approval. For travel, students must complete the travel workflow form before the trip for review/approval by the DEO/administrator. Funds will not be awarded retroactively.

Funds will be awarded on a rolling basis and are renewed at the start of each academic year. Research and Development funds must be spent within their respective fiscal year and cannot be rolled over. 

Students should also consider applying for support from the Graduate Student Senate (https://gss.grad.uiowa.edu), the Graduate & Professional Student Government (https://gpsg.uiowa.edu) and area-specific centers across campus.

Murray Research Grant for Graduate Students

SJMC supports graduate student research through the Murray Research Grant that provides up to $1,000 for eligible research expenses. The purpose of the Grant is to encourage graduate students to undertake work that they would not normally try if limited to their own financial resources. For more information regarding eligibility or to apply for these grants, see the Murray Research Grant Application.

Murray Doctoral Summer Fellowship

Admitted doctoral students will receive $2,500 in summer funding following the completion of their first full year in our program. To be eligible to receive the award, the student must be in good academic standing at the end of their second semester of study.

Easton Collaborative Research Award

The Easton Collaborative Research Award offers grants (max award: $5,000) to support collaborative research projects involving a graduate student and faculty partnership, with the graduate student serving as the lead researcher.

Easton Graduate Teaching Fellow

The Easton Graduate Teaching Fellow is a senior doctoral student selected by the Executive Committee to offer instructional coaching and guidance to our graduate student body. The fellowship includes a $5,000 stipend ($2,500 per semester) plus a $1,000 budget for approved programming. 

The Graduate College

The Graduate College offers a wealth of information about funding for graduate students. For more information, visit Funding your UI Education in the Graduate College at the University of Iowa.

Research Support from the Graduate College

Funds to support research are also available from the Graduate College. A full listing can be found at the Graduate College Internal Fellowships page.

The Graduate Success office also consults with students about finding and applying for external grants and fellowships to support research. Information about this office can be found at the Graduate College Fellowship and Grant Support page.

*All funding is contingent on availability. 

All graduate student financial support, including but not limited to grants, fellowships, scholarships, assistantships, fees, and tuition, is derived from sources both internal and external to the University of Iowa. As a result, all offers of financial support, including graduate assistant employment, are and remain contingent on the continued availability of that funding.