Financial Aid and Expenses

Financial aid is available in the form of Fellowships, Graduate Assistantships (GAs), Research Assistantships (RA's), and Minimum Duties Assistantships (MDAs). There are no forms to fill out for requesting financial aid. All accepted students are automatically considered for financial aid if their applications meet the deadline (February 1 for Fall, September 1 for Spring). Most students are successful in obtaining assistantships or on-campus employment during their first year of study. The cost of living in Birmingham is less than average for most metropolitan areas. All accepted students are automatically considered for financial aid if their applications meet the deadline (February 1 for Fall, September 1 for Spring). However, in the case of applications for Fall entry, preference for financial assistance will be given to applications received by December 31.

The tuition and fees information on the UAB Students' webpage (http://students.uab.edu/) assumes a load of 15 semester hours. However, the normal load for graduate students is 9 semester hours, with tuition and fees totalling $2,035 (US in-state), $2,085 (international student in-state, such as our students on graduate assistantships), $4,492 (US out-of-state) and $4,542 (international out-of-state) per semester (in Fall 2007). For students opting to live on the UAB campus, please visit the UAB housing website.

Fellowships

Fellowships are offered through the university and other external sources, not through the department. Information on these may be found here.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships are full financial aid positions for M. S. and Ph.D. students, which are primarily for instruction in undergraduate laboratories. The workload is 20 hours per week. These awards are for a calendar year (3 academic terms). GA's who perform exceptionally well in research may be awarded an assignment of research only (i.e. no instructional assignment) for one semester each year. Some other Graduate Assistantships are available for work sponsored by local companies and for work in the CIS computer laboratories. A GA is the typical award to a student entering the Ph.D. program. There are currently 18 GA positions. Exceptional M.S. students will receive financial assistance, and we have found that all M.S. students have been able to find employment on campus.

Research Assistantships

Research Assistantships are full financial aid positions for Ph.D. students, which are for support of faculty research grant and contract activities. The work-load does not exceed 20 hours per week. These awards are for a calendar year (3 academic terms). An RA position is rarely available to entering students who have not begun research with a specific faculty member. The number of RA positions varies from year to year.

In 2007-2008, the stipends for students holding GA's and RA's are:

M. S. - $13,200/year plus full tuition plus health insurance ($1,220/year for US students, $1,445/year for international students).

Ph. D. Level I - $19,500/year, plus health insurance in the amount of $1,387/year, plus full tuition for students who have not yet passed the Level I Exam.

Ph. D. Level II - $20,700/year, plus health insurance in the amount of $1,387/year, plus full tuition for students who have passed the Level I Exam but have not yet been admitted to candidacy through passing the Level II Exam.

Ph. D. Level III - $21,900/year, plus health insurance in the amount of $1,387/year, plus full tuition for students who have been admitted into candidacy (passed the Level II exam).

Minimum Duties Assistantships

A Minimum Duties Assistantship is for miscellaneous support of the CIS department as needed. The MDA stipend of $1,500/year covers slightly more than full in-state tuition for a full-time student, but an important additional benefit is the eligibility of an MDA for in-state tuition. These awards are for a single semester. The MDA is usually restricted to incoming M.S. and Ph.D. students.