Funding
Students who are admitted to the PhD program receive five years of financial support throughout the academic year (fall and spring). Financial support is contingent upon satisfactory progress toward a degree in statistics, as judged by the graduate faculty of the School of Statistics. MS students are not guaranteed any financial support.
Policies and Guidelines
Financial support is contingent upon maintaining good standing in the program. Students must carry a full time course load or its equivalent until the course requirements for the student's degree program are fulfilled, unless the requirement is waived by the director of graduate studies. A full time graduate course load is six credits each semester at the 5xxx- or 8xxx-level. Support for assistantships is also contingent on satisfactory job performance.
You are responsible for knowing the policies and guidelines applicable to your appointment as a graduate assistant. Terms and conditions for graduate appointments are described in detail on the graduate assistant employment website, or contact Graduate Student Employment at 612-624-7070.
Teaching Assistantships
Teaching assistants (TAs) are employees of the university who receive pay (stipend) and benefits (tuition and subsidized health insurance). A half-time teaching assistantship provides a full tuition benefit, subsidized health insurance (for the academic year and the following summer), as well as a stipend. A half-time assistantship requires approximately 20 hours of effort per week. TAs work with an instructor to lead discussion sessions, grade homework assignments, prepare solutions, and hold office hours to answer student questions.
All teaching assistants must meet the university's English language proficiency requirement for classroom instruction. Specific details regarding this policy can be found in the graduate program handbook and other departmental materials. Specific details regarding this policy can be found at this link: https://cei.umn.edu/programs/spoken-english-test-teaching-assistants-setta.
Please follow this link for more information regarding statistics teaching assistantships or visit the graduate assistant employment website for full benefit details.
Research Assistantships
Research assistantships (RAs) carry the same stipend and benefits as a TA and are funded by granting agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Research assistants are expected to conduct and assist in the research or consulting associated with the funding project. Most research assistantships are awarded to advanced students.
Awards
Additional financial support may be awarded to students in the form of fellowships, scholarships, grants, traineeships, and general awards. Award availability is subject to annual funding and support may be provided based on need, merit, or service, as determined by the funding and/or administering agencies. Support is provided and administered by one of four agencies: departments, colleges, universities, or external organizations.
These awards are supported by a combination of department funding and school of statistics endowed fellowships.
Director’s Award
This award recognizes students who have exceeded expectations and demonstrated leadership while providing service to the department and their cohorts.
Endowed Summer Fellowships
These awards provide a stipend to graduate students who choose to stay on campus and pursue research, consulting projects, or internships over the summer. Fellows are selected based on a student’s academic standing and interest in opportunities that align with the passions of our generous alumni and donors. Fellowships include:
Dr. Lawrence Thibodeau Fellowship in Statistical Consulting
John N. Quiring Fellowship in Statistics
Patrick Whitcomb & Patty Napier Fellowship in Statistics
Martin-Buehler Fellowship in Statistics
Graduate Research Fellowship
Lindgren Awards
The Bernard W. Lindgren Award was set up by his daughters and friends to honor his memory and in recognition of his commitment both to teaching and to the development of graduate students. This annual award recognizes graduate students who have demonstrated excellence in teaching undergraduates.
Lynn Lin Fellowship in Statistical Consulting
This award carries the same stipend as a part-time TA for one semester and supports students who demonstrate their ability to apply statistics to solve real-world challenges for researchers and partner organizations. Fellowship recipients receive support while gaining important experience in the Lynn Y.S. Linn Consulting Center.
Martin Statistics Travel Award
This award provides support for students who pursue travel opportunities for conferences and research initiatives. Recipients are students of high academic standing with great potential to make contributions at research convenings.
The Statistics Alumni Fellowship
One of the highest honors at the School of Statistics, the Statistics Alumni Fellowship is funded by donations from school of statistics alumni. It represents the academic spirit of its past pupils and faculty, and their dedication to supporting future generations of statisticians. This award carries the same stipend as a half-time TA and is given each year to an outstanding second- or third-year student.
The Fink Fellowship
A one-time stipend that may be awarded to incoming PhD students with exceptional potential in their field. Fellowship recipients are granted the opportunity to join our program at no cost for their first and fifth years of graduate study.
The Graduate School offers a variety of University-wide fellowships for prospective and current students, including special purpose fellowships, such as those for disadvantaged students.
Learn more about funding for prospective students
Learn more about funding for current students, including the The Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Additional fellowships may be offered by national agencies or professional societies. PhD students who meet eligibility criteria are responsible for applying to these fellowships.
Pay Rate for Graduate Assistantships
The minimum pay rate for graduate assistantships in the College of Liberal Arts for the 2025-26 academic year is $28.94/hour.