The School Psychology Program has been very successful in maintaining comprehensive financial support throughout each student's academic career. We have provided assistantships to students in the first 4 years in the program for the past 30+ years*. These assistantships provide students with a base stipend currently at $18,250 for the academic year, however, it could be more depending on the specifics of the contract. Students also receive health insurance from the University.
At the outset of the program, these positions involve being a research assistant for a faculty member or an instructional assistant for courses within the department. In the latter years, students may continue to teach or do research while others obtain graduate assistantships in community placements through Psychology Department contracts. Most of our students successfully obtain fully-funded APA accredited internships for the last year of the program.
In addition to this, the department covers full tuition for the first four years of the program and the student is responsible only for health care fees, technology fees and lab fees. The base stipend and tuition abatement is often supplemented by graduate school scholarships for the nine-month period and summer funding from research grants.
- A student who is not maintaining a "B" average or is not considered in good standing by the faculty is not eligible for Department administered assistantships.
- Additional opportunities also exist for advanced students to teach undergraduate psychology courses. To qualify, students must have taken Psychology 790 (Teaching of Psychology) and the University's Instructional Development Project's workshop in teaching.
- All assistantships include a reduction in tuition and fees
Students are encouraged to pursue any grants, fellowships, and research support for which they might qualify. These are generally available through various funding sources, including the Graduate School, the Department, and professional organizations.
The following funds and fellowships are also available to our graduate student body:
The Department has a student development fund established in honor of a prior student. The purpose of this fund is to help support the following: research conducted by the students; student's travel when presenting the student's own research at conferences; special educational opportunities; and publication costs for the student's published articles. The awards committee for this fund has prioritized the money to support the costs of student research projects. An application form is now available on-line.
The Graduate School awards a limited number of Summer Dissertation Fellowships to students in the final phases of completion of the dissertation, but the student must have no other support for that period of time to be eligible.
The Graduate School also awards several types of Trustee Fellowships to graduate students who exhibit excellence in graduate study. These awards typically range from $750 - $5000. For more information, please visit http://gradschool.sc.edu/students/curr-trustee.asp?page=paying.
The department has an endowed award used to support students over the summer while working to complete the dissertation. An announcement calling for applications for the award is made by e-mail each spring via the department's graduate student listserve.
The APA continues to sponsor a Minority Fellows Program for graduate students in psychology. These fellowships are multi-year stipends and are awarded competitively. The APA awards approximately 100 Student Travel Awards to enable students to travel to professional meetings to present their research. The deadline for application is early spring. The APA also makes Dissertation Research Awards of $500. Students make application at the time the prospectus is approved.
The Department currently is receiving regular anonymous donations earmarked specifically for emergency loans to graduate student. Two loan categories have been established. "Short-term" loans will be made to students for a period not to exceed 60 days. "Long-term" loans will be made for periods exceeding 60 days. These loans will be made at a yearly interest rate of 4%. Please contact Dr. Bret Kloos for more information.
Several federal agencies maintain pre-doctoral fellowship programs to provide up to three years of support for students in training. The National Institute of Mental Health, National Science Foundation, and National Research Council have programs relevant to the interests of students in the School Psychology Program. Application for these funds involves the preparation of a training plan and research proposal.
For information about financial aid from other sources, please visit the Financial Aid Office website: https://sc.edu/financialaid/
Departmental Awards
The Department has a student development fund established in honor of Laura Griffin, a prior student. The purpose of this fund is to help support the following: research conducted by the students; student's travel when presenting the student's own research at conferences; special educational opportunities; and publication costs for the student's published articles.
The Department has an endowed award used to support students over the summer while working to complete the dissertation. An announcement calling for applications for the award is made by e-mail each spring via the department's graduate student listserv. Click here to view the latest announcement for the Tindall Fellowship.
The Department currently is receiving regular anonymous donations earmarked specifically for emergency loans to graduate student. Two loan categories have been established. "Short-term" loans will be made to students for a period not to exceed 60 days. These loans will be of $50 or less. "Long-term" loans will be made for periods exceeding 60 days. These loans will be of $400 or less and will be made at a yearly interest rate of 4%. Please contact Dr. Bret Kloos for more information.
Graduate Student Fellowships and Awards
The USC Graduate School has a limited number of competitive and renewable awards for graduate students in our program. Nominations for these fellowships are made by the graduate program. More information can be found on the Graduate School’s website at: http://app.gradschool.sc.edu/faaw/
The Graduate School awards a limited number of Summer Dissertation Fellowships to students in the final phases of completion of the dissertation, but the student must have no other support for that period of time to be eligible.
Graduate Student Fellowships and Awards
There are two main sources of funding for student travel in the Department:
Graduate School
For information on eligibility, restrictions, and how to apply for funding, visit: http://app.gradschool.sc.edu/travelgrants/
Department of Psychology
The Department of Psychology will support two trips per year; if the travel does not involve airfare, $250 per trip; if the travel involves airfare, $500 per trip. However, the department requests that you use the graduate school awards first. Any trips beyond two per year, or higher than those limits, should be paid for by the student or by requesting special consideration. These trips should be for advancing the academic and scholarly mission of the department (e.g., paper presentations, conference presentations, etc.).
To request money, do three things:
- Use the graduate school award first
- If you do not get a GS award, send the Psychology Graduate Coordinator an email (psycinfo@mailbox.sc.edu) explaining your trip. Please include the dates and purpose of the conference, the role you will play (present paper; Presidential address), and how this furthers the strategic goals of the department.
- The Graduate Student Coordinator will send you an email with approval or disapproval. If the trip is approved, then you should fill out the department Travel Authorization form and give the form to the coordinator for a signature. A TA form must be completed and filed PRIOR to the departure date or reimbursement of expenses will not be approved. Original receipts must be submitted for reimbursement of travel and lodging expenses, registration fees, and parking. Receipts for meals are unnecessary since meals are reimbursed on a per diem basis. Reimbursement must be consistent with university guidelines.