Financial Support

The policies governing graduate student financial support fall under various offices and authorities, depending on the form of funding.  

VPGE Fellowships

The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education sets policies for the fellowships they administer in accordance with the objective(s) of the fellowship, the terms of any associated endowment, and the priorities of the university. Refer to our full list of fellowship policies for more information. 

Assistantships

The Stanford Administrative Guide 10.2.1 describes the regulations regarding graduate student assistantship appointments at Stanford University. It includes the definition of a graduate student assistantship, the criteria for eligibility to hold an assistantship, a brief description of each type of assistantship, the rules governing tuition allowance, and other policy matters. For questions, contact the relevant school dean’s office or the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education. For policies that apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, refer to the agreements at Labor Relations & Collective Bargaining for details.

Hourly employment for Graduate Students

The Stanford Administrative Guide 10.2.2 applies to the employment of matriculated graduate students in positions other than assistantships. For policies that apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, refer to the agreements at Labor Relations & Collective Bargaining for details.

Tuition and TAL

The Stanford Board of Trustees is the ultimate authority governing tuition rates. Tuition rates vary by school and degree program. Tuition allowance payment (TAL) is a component of an assistantship compensation and represents a commitment to support a student's educational program through the payment of a portion of the student's tuition bill.