EMU Graduate Studies in English

Graduate Studies in English > Financial Aid

Financial Aid

Possible types of financial aid described below are graduate assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships. For information on student loans, tuition, or billing, please visit EMU's Office of Financial Aid site.

Graduate Assistantships
The English Department offers numerous graduate assistantships. Graduate assistants teach first-year writing courses, work in the writing center, assist literature faculty in large lectures, or assist faculty with various other duties. Please see the Graduate Assistantships page for descriptions of current assistantships and instructions on how to apply.

Fellowships and Scholarships
Numerous fellowships and scholarships are awarded each year by the Graduate School. You can learn more about these awards and find the guidelines for applying for them here on the Graduate School Web site. The application for all awards is the same: You simply need to check the boxes for the awards that interest you or for which you qualify. Some of the awards offered are as follows:

Graduate fellowships are awarded to selected full- and part-time students on the basis of their academic performance and meritorious/leadership efforts. Fellowships range from $500 to $4,000 for the academic year, with half of the amount paid in the fall and half paid in the winter semester. Graduate students who are appointed as graduate fellows must hold degree admission to an academic program; must maintain a 3.6 GPA during the semesters in which the Fellowship is granted; may re-apply for a second award for one additional academic year if a 3.6 GPA is maintained; must meet the University?s definition for full- or part-time status during each semester for which the award is made (students who receive a $500-$1,500 award may be part-time and those who receive a $2,000-$4,000 award must be full-time).

Both new and continuing graduate students are eligible to apply for Fellowships. New graduate students must have a minimum 3.6 cumulative undergraduate GPA, and graduate students must have a minimum 3.6 cumulative GPA in their programs. Preference is given to new students seeking their first graduate degree and who have no other form of institutional support. Students receiving graduate assistantships are also eligible to receive a Fellowship. Applicants must submit a Graduate Student Financial Assistance Application Form and the requested documentation to the Graduate School by February 15 for the fall semester or October 15 for the winter semester. Letters of recommendation and a personal statement regarding academic goals and how a fellowship will help attain those goals should accompany the application form. You can find additional information and links to the appropriate forms here.

Barton scholarships are awarded competitively to EMU graduates admitted to graduate programs at EMU. They are based on academic achievement and require a minimum GPA of 3.5. The scholarship provides a one-time award for full-time graduate study (up to 18 credit hours for fall and winter semesters). You can receive this scholarship even if your tuition and fees are covered by another source (e.g., a graduate assistantship or fellowship). In this case, the maximum award will be $4,000 for the academic year. Students interested in applying for this scholarship must submit a completed Graduate Student Financial Assistance Application Form and supporting documents to the EMU Graduate School. Deadlines are February 15 for the fall semester and October 15 for the winter semester. You can find additional information and links to the appropriate forms here.

Brenner scholarships are also awarded based on academic achievement (minimum 3.5 GPA). This scholarship is a one-time award of $500, which is applied to the recipient's tuition and fees for the following fall semester. Applicants must have completed at least one full academic semester at EMU, earning a minimum of ten graduate credit hours prior to application. Applicants must have demonstrated academic achievement through endeavors such as publications, scholarly research projects, University service, artistic performances, or exhibitions. Applicants must also be enrolled in at least four graduate credit hours during the fall semester for which the scholarship is granted. Applications should be submitted to the Graduate School by February 15. You can find additional information and links to the appropriate forms here.

Department of English Language and Literature
612 Pray-Harrold | Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Phone: (734) 487-4220 | Fax: (734) 483-9744