Stipends as high as $30,000 per Year

As of August 2005 the Department enrolls 86 graduate students and has committed more than $1.68 million per year for their financial aid. The largest stipends are reserved for doctoral students, which includes all students who have applied to earn the PhD in Mathematics as their highest degree at LSU. It is understood that doctoral students will normally earn an MS degree along the way, and a prior MS degree is not required to be a doctoral student. The Department's financial aid comes in many forms and combinations. Some high stipends may be awarded only during the competition for initial admission, whereas some others are awarded to students who are already enrolled. Financial aid is continued as long as the student is deemed to be making satisfactory progress toward a degree. There is no deadline for application, but early application is strongly encouraged. The Department automatically considers each applicant for all available forms of financial aid. It is not necessary to apply for one type or another. We present below examples of the various types of financial aid.

Graduate Assistantships

Most Mathematics Graduate Students are supported by Teaching Assistantships, which pay academic-year stipends from $12,500 to $17,800. If combined with a Graduate School Enhancement, the maximum stipend can be as high as $25,800 per academic year (9 months). Graduate assistants pay no tuition, but they are liable for several hundred dollars per semester in other fees. For students desiring to continue their studies in the summer, summer assistantships are awarded on the basis of seniority. If a fully enhanced assistantship is supplemented by a summer assistantship, the maximum stipend rises to more than $28,000 per calendar year. The academic year duties of a teaching assistant consist most often of teaching an average of 4.5 hours per week of elementary mathematics. However, most first-year teaching assistants do not teach: they have the equivalent in non-classroom duties. Graduate students participate in a seminar called Communicating Mathematics to instruct them in good teaching methods, as well as in good skills for communicating mathematics for all purposes.

There are also Research Assistantships and Service Assistantships which are funded by faculty grants supporting various projects in both research and education. The stipends for these vary considerably but are usually generous and can be supplemented by Enhancements as described below.

Graduate School Enhancement Awards

Exceptional applicants for doctoral study from all countries are considered for the Graduate School Enhancement Awards. The Graduate School Enhancement Awards pay an annual supplement of $3000, $5000, or $8000 in addition to the basic assistantship or fellowship stipend. Enhancements are valid for up to four years, provided the student meets the requirements of the award.

Board of Regents Doctoral Fellowships

Applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and show exceptional potential for doctoral study are considered automatically for the Board of Regents' Graduate Fellowships in years when these are offered in Mathematics by the State of Louisiana. The Department does expect to award Board of Regents Fellowships in spring 2006 to selected applicants for admission in August 2006. The Board of Regents' Fellowships pay an annual stipend of up to $22,000 for up to four years. These fellowships are for year-round study, including the fall, spring, and summer terms. The cost of tuition is waived for these fellowships. If this award is combined with a Graduate School Enhancement Award, (explained above) the stipend rises to as much as $30,000 per fiscal year. Keep an eye on this Web Page to get the latest details! There are no teaching or service duties required for fellowships. However, fellows who anticipate careers in college or university teaching are allowed, upon request, to teach for experience. Fellowships and enhancement awards are renewable, assuming satisfactory progress toward a doctoral degree, for a maximum of four years of such special support.

GAANN Doctoral Fellowships

The Department holds a grant from the GAANN Program (Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need), which is a program of the US Department of Education. The GAANN grant provides doctoral fellowships which pay a stipend up $30,000 per fiscal year (but capped by the actual financial need of the student as determined by the University's Office of Student Aid) and they also cover tuition, fees, and some other educational expenses. During the academic years 2004-6, there are five current graduate students enrolled with GAANN Fellowships having stipends from $26,500 - $29,000 per fiscal year. These fellowships are for US citizens and permanent residents, and they carry duties equivalent to half of those for a Graduate Assistant. Fellows will have supervised teaching experience during the course of the fellowship study. The fellowships cover study for the fall, spring, and summer terms. Fellows do have the usual vacations during the breaks between semesters. These are approximately a month between fall and spring, a month between spring and summer, and about 3 weeks between summer and the next fall term.

NSF GK-12 Doctoral Fellowships

Economic Development Assistantships

The Graduate School awards a limited number of Economic Development Assistantships with stipends of $25,000 - $28,000 per calendar year to applicants for doctoral study in Mathematics. Applicants should have strong preparation and interest in assistantship duties in which mathematical modeling is applied to economically significant problems. The Department engages in such problems through its Mathematics Consultation Clinic and its interdisciplinary cooperation with other departments on campus. There is no requirement regarding the country of citizenship for these awards.

Tuition Awards

The Graduate School offers a limited number of Tuition Awards to qualified students in certain categories. These awards pay the cost of full-time tuition. Applications from minorities and other groups under-represented in mathematics are encouraged. To receive full consideration for these awards, early application is strongly encouraged.

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