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Types of Financial Support
The College of Arts and Sciences has put together information
about scholarships, grants, loans and other methods of funding academic
endeavors for both undergraduates and graduates. There are
also more scholarships and financial aid information available at the
UNT Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (SFAS).
Organized below is information by type of support, including
scholarships, grants, stipends, employment (on-campus and off-campus), and loans. In this table
you will find more specific information and links related to CAS-based
funding, both at the college and departmental levels.
| Type of Support |
Descriptions and Links |
| Scholarships |
Numerous scholarships are
administered by various entities
of this university and selection criteria nay vary. Some
emphasize
academic track records, others focus on financial need, and others
may concentrate on a combination of the above along with additional
factors.
Scholarships are one of the
most ideal funding solutions since, you do not need to pay back
scholarship awards and they may pay (in part or full) for things such
as tuition, books, and accommodations. They do not entail the
accumulation of debt and allow recipients to focus more time and
effort on academic work.
Places to find out about available scholarships:
|
| Grants |
To receive a grant, most recipients must demonstrate a financial need. As with scholarships, students do not need to repay
grants. You may apply for grants at the UNT Student Financial Aid & Scholarships (SFAS). |
| Stipends |
Stipends provide the
recipient the ability to work and grow in their discipline while
taking regular classes. Academic departments
may provide some student researchers (usually advanced graduate
students) a regular sum of money in return for service (e.g.,
apprenticeship, research support, grading) |
| Employment, On-Campus |
On-campus jobs are an appealing option for many students.
In addition to the convenience of working and taking classes in the
same place, campus-based employers are more understanding of the
academic calendar fluctuations and the need for schedule flexibility. Care should be taken to limit work hours to a level
that will not adversely affect your academic performance.
Start your search for campus employment by checking
with your academic department or other units related to your academic
and/or career interests. Some categories of on-campus student
employment are the following:
- Hourly employment
exists at all levels of the university and you may apply for them
independently of applying for financial aid. Not all departments list hourly positions with the Career Center student employment job posting database, so you should establish a rapport with your academic department's
personnel and watch for job postings in areas you frequent.
Hourly jobs also exist with what the university terms as
"auxiliary
units." These positions vary greatly, but strongly support the
university's efforts to build community and relationships. Some ideas
include working in the residence halls, union, athletics, etc.
- Work
Study jobs provide departments with incentive for hiring
student employees. Even if you currently have an on-campus job, you
should consider discussing this option with your supervisor. Changing to work-study status might help
them to recover costs and bring additional value to your appointment. To apply for a work-study position, you must complete or renew your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application and then review the Student Financial Aid & Scholarships' Work Study web site to get started.
- Teaching Fellows (TFs) are usually graduate students who are the
"instructor of record" (the person responsible for all aspects of classroom instruction, learning, and final grades) for one or more classes. Contact your department to find out how they handle TF appointments.
- Teaching Assistants
(TAs) are usually graduate students who help "instructors of record" (including instructors and faculty) by
sometimes delivering instruction, proctoring exams, grading assignments,
grading tests, and helping with overall course logistics during a given
semester. Contact your department to find out how they handle TA appointments.
- Graders
are occasionally hired to supplement or fill
in a gap when a TA or TF is not necessary. Graders must be well-versed
in the field to fulfill their role effectively. Contact your department to find out how they handle Grader appointments.
- Full Time (Salaried) Employment
proves a very challenging way to get financially compensated while you
work toward your academic goal. It is nearly impossible for someone
working in a part time capacity to consider the overall impact of
working full time while studying and attending classes. However, this
proves a good solution for some people and UNT posts all full time job
options on the UNT HR Jobs web site.
UNT's Career Advisors, housed in the Career Center, may help you find the best solutions for your short and long term plans. |
| Employment, Off-Campus |
Off-campus jobs are sometimes an appealing alternative to
on-campus ones. While such jobs may fit into long-term career
plans, you should be realistic about the time commitment and continue
to focus
on your academic growth.
- Cooperative Education (Co-op) Positions tie
your academic objectives to practical, paid work
experience. Some of these positions allow you to continue your studies
while you work ("Parallel Co-op") while others have you or alternating
work semesters with academic semesters ("Alternating Co-op"). In
addition to immediate financial and academic
value, Co-op positions can look appealing to future potential
employers. Contact the Cooperative Education and Internships office to find out what you need to do to apply now or prepare for a position in the future.
- Internship Positions are similar to Co-op jobs, except they may or may not include payment. Contact the Cooperative Education and Internships office to find out what you need to do to apply now or prepare for a position in the future.
- Off-Campus Hourly and Salaried Positions
also exist. Regular off-campus
jobs carry the greatest risk of distraction from academic
endeavors. Nonetheless, working off-campus may
prove a good solution for you, so check well-established
employment resources. We suggest that you seek a position as close to
campus as possible. Also,
talk with your employer about educational support opportunities the
company may offer (e.g., full/partial tuition reimbursement,
schedule flexibility, benefits the company may recognize in return,
etc.) to ensure parity between the company's objectives and yours.
UNT's Career Advisors, housed in the Career Center, may help you find the best solutions for your short and long term plans. |
| Loans |
In addition to other financial help on this page, take advantage of the various loans the Financial Aid & Scholarships office
oversees. Each loan comes with its own terms, so make sure you
consider your options carefully. Ideally, you want a loan that enables
you to focus on your academic pursuits in a manner similar to a
scholarship or grant. However, since you must pay back the money, you
must limit your exposure to debt as much as possible by realizing what
you must eventually do, at a later date, pay off the loan. |
| Other |
If you are aware of other funding categories we have overlooked, please
alert the webpage updater at the bottom of this page. |
We have
included
some commentary about each of the resources' risks and rewards. If you are
aware of additional resources, methods, risks, and/or rewards, please
alert this page's editor so we can improve our site.
Natalie Garcia-McIntire
maintains this site.
This site last updated on Tuesday, 02-Jun-2009 16:39:22 GMT
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