Updated 6/12/2017
MFA students are eligible for financial support if they study fulltime, maintain good academic standing, and make timely progress toward the degree.
New students receive a support letter around the time of admission. The letter describes the type and level of support the student can expect during their program and what actions they must take to obtain or secure the support.
International students are eligible for the same level of MFA Program support as domestic students. However, the type of support will vary. For example, international students are eligible to apply for teaching assistantships and receive MFA fellowships but are not eligible for the San Diego Fellowship.
Support packages usually consist of—
Below are descriptions of the types of support available and their eligibility criteria.
Teaching Assistantship.– Most MFA support packages are based on teaching assistantships.TAships offer a salary, academic credit, and partial remissions of the regular tuition/fees (nonresident supplemental tuition is not eligible for remission). Nine-month appointments are available. Students will apply online for TAships and will be interviewed in person or by phone. Applications are submitted in April for the upcoming academic year. The MFA Graduate Coordinator will help newly admitted students navigate the hiring process. See the FAQ below for more information about TAships.
MFA Scholarship.– The program may award a full or partial scholarship to be applied to tuition/fees not covered by TA fee remissions, such as supplemental nonresident tuition. There is no application. All eligible students are considered. Award decisions are made by the admissions committee or program director at their discretion.
UCSD Fellowship.– The university offers several diversity fellowships: the San Diego Fellowship, the Tribal Membership Initiative, and the SEED Fellowship. The San Diego and SEED fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis due to the high number of applicants. The MFA Program nominates 1-2 candidates from the pool of applicants who indicated on their application that they are eligible and wish to be considered. The final selection is made by a panel of representatives from several academic departments. Awards are made in February or March of the admission year.
MFA Fellowship.– The MFA Program awards fellowship stipends to supplement teaching assistantships or other funding. All fellowship awards come with a stipulation that the recipient complete a special project. Students are notified by email if a fellowship application is required. Eligibility criteria tend to be broad, e.g. "must be a continuing student" Award decisions are made by the admissions committee or program director at their discretion.
Readership.–
Self-funding.– Students with a TAship-based support package who do not want to teach may pay the regular tuition/fees out of pocket and petition to substitute seminar units for the teaching apprenticeship credit required for the MFA degree.
Extramural Awards.– In the event that a student is admitted with an extramural award and/or contract that funds their tuition and fees, the funds from that primary source of support will be used first. Any subsequent award/tuition and fee remission made from university funds will be used only in the case of a shortfall in the primary source of support.
Financial Aid.– U.S. citizens and certain noncitizens may be eligible for financial aid in the form of grants or loans. Applicants must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each academic year to be considered for such aid. Please visit the Financial Aid Office site for more information. Loan funds are limited. Early application is advised. You may apply before being admitted to UCSD.
Veteran's Benefits.– Please refer to UCSD's Veterans Affairs Office for information about support for veterans and their families.MFA students should not expect program funding during the summer months, when the MFA Program is on hiatus.
There are a limited number of teaching positions on campus during the summer. Below are two of the best-paying opportunities for MFA students.
Writing Programs.– MFA students who teach for one of UCSD's college writing programs during the academic year are sometimes invited to apply for a limited number of summer positions.
Academic Connections.– MFA students can propose a course for Academic Connections, a program designed to introduce high school students to the college experience. It is a particularly good option for international students whose visa does not allow them to work off-campus, as well as students who want the experience of developing and teaching their own course. Academic Connections reviews proposals in early fall for courses to be taught the following summer. Incoming students should start working on the course proposals before they arrive at UCSD if they want to teach for AC between their first and second year. Contact the MFA Graduate Coordinator for more information.
The MFA Program strives to fully fund all students. Our 'full funding' benchmark is nine-month appointment as a 50% teaching assistantship or a similar level of support.
TAs employed at 50% time (~20 hours/week) receive pedagogical training, teaching experience, academic credit toward the MFA degree, a salary of $20,051 for the academic year, and remissions of the regular tuition/fees (see chart).
| Fee Remissions and Salary – 50% TAship for 9-Month Academic Year | ||||
| FEES & REMISSIONS | FALL | WINTER | SPRING | TOTALS |
| Regular Tuition/Fees | 5,659.06 | 5,659.06 | 5,659.06 | 16,977.18 |
| Less: TA Tuition/Fee Remissions (*) | -4,210.00 | -4,210.00 | -4,210.00 | -12,630.00 |
| Less: TA Health Insurance Remission | -1,182.00 | -1,182.00 | -1,182.00 | -3,546.00 |
| BALANCE PAID BY STUDENT | $267.06 | $267.06 | $267.06 | $801.18 |
| (*) Note: Nonresidents will also owe supplemental tuition, which is not subject to TA remissions. Fees & remissions subject to change. Current chart: 2017/18 Full/Partial Fees Chart available July 2017. |
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All MFA students have received full funding since the program launched in 2009 except for a few who did not want to teach, preferring to self-fund or work as readers (graders).
The MFA Program offers partial or full scholarships to help nonresident students cover supplemental tuition. Scholarships are for Year 1 for domestic students and Years 1-2 for international students who are not eligible to establish California residency for tuition purposes.
What are the duties of a teaching assistant or reader?
What if I don't have teaching experience?
How successful are students at obtaining TAships?
What if I apply but don't get hired?
Can I hold a student job—say, in the library or cafeteria—in addition to or instead of teaching?