Many graduate students are eligible to receive one or more forms of financial assistance in the course of their degree programs.
Forms of financial support may include appointments as research or teaching assistants, employment as a resident tutor in an undergraduate residence, loans, or selection as a recipient of one of various internally funded fellowships. Students should be proactive in seeking financial assistance, and start the process early for best results; refer to the “Finances & employment” section of the OGE website for resources and best practices.
Moreover, many students come to MIT with financial assistance from a wide variety of federal, foundation, corporate and other sources of funds for graduate study and research. These programs typically have specific requirements governing the student’s use of the fellowship, and it is the responsibility of the student to ensure continued eligibility for the financial assistance.
The OGE has administrative oversight of all research assistant (RA), teaching assistant (TA), and Instructor G (IG) appointments, as well as fellowship awards. A graduate fellowship is an “award,” and does not have employment service responsibilities as a condition of receipt. An “appointment” refers to an employment relationship with MIT with specific duration, supervisor, and employment service expectations for the RA, TA, or IG as a condition of receiving the salary and other benefits associated with the appointment. The responsibility of the OGE is to ensure adherence to Institute guidelines and the MIT and MIT-GSU Collective Bargaining Agreement with regard to appointments and the terms and conditions of fellowship awards.
The OGE works collaboratively with departments and programs to resolve problems and concerns with respect to an individual’s appointment or award. For current students experiencing an issue, please contact your graduate administrator. The Director of Graduate Fellowships in the Office of Graduate Education serves as the local agent for many, but not all, of the externally provided resources, and can often help to clarify eligibility requirements and act as an intermediary.
