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 April 15. 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).

Assistantship appointments are made for the nine-month academic year. Position announcements are placed on the COGS bulletin board in SJMC. Positions will also be announced on SJMC’s graduate student listserv.

Continuing students who already have an appointment and who are performing well (maintain a GPA of at least 3.0) in their studies and in their position will be asked each spring whether they wish to be considered for an assistantship appointment the following year. Continuation of financial aid is contingent upon satisfactory progress in the program, satisfactory performance of duties in the assistantship, availability of funds, and needs of the program.

The guaranteed duration of assistantship appointments is four years for PhD students. Additional appointments may be possible if the student has made appropriate progress in his or her academic program and has performed well in required duties. Reappointment for additional years is contingent on availability of funding and specific needs of SJMC's programs.

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication encourages students to apply for outside funding of their studies. The Graduate College and the Office of Sponsored Programs provides current listings of potential sources.

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 plan to be reviewed by the Director of Graduate Studies. 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.

Easton Collaborative Research Award

The Easton Collaborative Research Award provides funding to support collaborative research projects involving a graduate student and faculty partnership, with the graduate student serving as the lead researcher. Up to two grants will be awarded each year with a maximum award of $5,000.

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.