Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistants fill important roles in the instructional and artistic activities of the Music Department. Only full-time students in residence, admitted on regular status and in good academic standing may be considered for graduate assistantships. Students admitted on provisional status, non-degree students, and Performer's Certificate students are not eligible for assistantships, although Performer's Certificate students may qualify for a scholarship.

Assistantships include a full tuition waiver (in-state and out-of-state tuition), a medical and dental benefits package at very low cost, and a stipend paid in bi-weekly installments over the course of the nine-month academic year. Generally, all assistantships in the Music Department are 50% assistantships requiring 10 hours per week of service to the department. Current stipend amounts may be found at https://payroll.uconn.edu/graduate/ under Stipend Listings. Fees as described in the Graduate Catalog (including the Applied Music Fee, where applicable) are not waived for graduate assistants, and living expenses (housing, etc.) remain a personal responsibility.

Graduate assistantships funded through the Music Department are typically renewed for a second year for master's students, and for two additional years for doctoral students, provided the students remain in good academic standing and perform their assigned duties satisfactorily. Students who do not perform responsibly as TAs will not have their assistantships renewed and, in some cases, may have their stipend withheld or have the assistantship (including the tuition waiver) revoked.

Graduate Fellowships

Applicants to master’s and doctoral programs may apply for graduate fellowships at the time of application. Graduate fellowships are awarded by the Graduate School and are independent from the Music Department and from teaching duties. Information about graduate fellowships may be found at https://grad.uconn.edu/prospective-student/internal-awards/. 

Pre-doctoral Fellowships

Each year the Music Department receives a modest allocation of funds that can be used to help support students seeking doctoral degrees. Ph.D. and D.M.A. students may hold an assistantship and a fellowship simultaneously. Master's students, part-time students, and Performer's Certificate students are not eligible for fellowships. Unlike assistantships, fellowships are reallocated each year, based on superior performance, potential for continued success, timely progress toward completion of the degree, and availability of funds. Receipt of a fellowship for one academic year does not, however, make a student ineligible for similar awards in subsequent years.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available through the Music Department for students of exceptional talent and academic promise. The vast majority of scholarship funds are used for undergraduate students, but graduate students, and especially Performer's Certificate students, may also receive scholarships in special cases. Most scholarship awards cover a portion of tuition, and the student is responsible for the remainder of tuition and all other expenses.

Other Awards

A number of additional awards for current students are available directly from the Graduate School, mostly for continuing students. These include awards for students who are presenting at conferences and summer doctoral dissertation fellowships. Please see https://grad.uconn.edu/fellowships/ for further information.

Employment Opportunities

A variety of on-campus and off-campus music-related opportunities are available to graduate students. Part-time positions are often available in the Music and Dramatic Arts Library, or in performance facilities such as von der Mehden Recital Hall and Jorgensen Center. The Community School of the Arts often employs graduate music students as instructors for children and adults in the Storrs-Mansfield area. Off-campus possibilities include performing in some of the region's many orchestras as regular members or for special events, applied or classroom teaching at schools and smaller colleges in the area, and positions as organist, choir director, or paid soloist in churches.