Numerous sources of financial assistance are available to graduate students entering the planning program. Many of our students receive some form of financial aid. Sources of support include University or grant-supported fellowships or traineeships, departmental research or teaching assistantships, research assistantships on externally funded grants, loans, and part-time positions at local planning agencies.
The typical departmentally supported assistantship is one-quarter time, with a 10-hour weekly work requirement. Assistantship stipends for 2010-11 will be $8,287.50 per year, and the accompanying tuition scholarship will increase significantly to approach 100%. If the increase in tuition for 2010-11 (announced by the Board of Regents in 2010) is 5.6% or less, a full tuition scholarship will be provided. If the increase in tuition is more than 5.6%, a tuition scholarship of $3,612 per semester ($7,224 per year) will be provided.
In addition to the stipend, funded graduate students are awarded a health insurance allowance to be applied toward student health insurance programs or toward the comprehensive health insurance program available to University faculty and staff.
Tuition and fees for Iowa residents, and for nonresidents with one-quarter-time assistantships, are approximately $3,850.50 per semester for the 2009-10 academic year. (The spouses of students with assistantships also qualify for the in-state tuition rate.) Students with assistantships are waived from the computer fee, so their tuition rate of $3,723 per semester will reflect this waiver. Tuition and fees for nonresidents without assistantships are approximately $10,652.50 per semester for the 2009-10 academic year.
Applications for graduate awards should be submitted early in the year (preferably by January 15) for fall admission, or by Oct. 1 for spring admission. Students receiving aid will be informed as early as possible of their award and will be advised of their assistantship duties at the beginning of classes.