The following internal assistantships and awards are available to students:
Rensselaer Graduate Fellowship: These university-supported fellowships are awarded to outstanding applicants to Rensselaer’s PhD programs by the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education at the recommendation of the academic departments and deans. The one-year fellowship appointment provides a full-time academic year tuition scholarship, the minimum calendar year stipend award, and a one-time $2,500 supplemental award.
Teaching Assistantships: TAs are appointed by their departments to assist in classrooms and labs, for which they receive an academic-year stipend and tuition waiver. All new TAs are required to attend TA Training.
Research Assistantships: RAs are appointed by their departments to conduct research, for which they receive an academic-year stipend and tuition waiver. RA funding may also be available during the summer term.
Master's Merit Scholarship: As part of the institute’s commitment to program excellence, scholarships are available for full time Master’s degree enrollments. Scholarships will be given on an academic merit basis, as recommended by individual departments during the admissions process.
Loans: Please refer to RPI's Financial Aid page for information on loans available to graduate studens.
Graduate Students' Tuition and Support Policy
The information presented below is updated annually.
The stipend for all graduate programs is set each year by the Board of Trustees upon recommendation by the President. Stipends are reviewed each year and are based on the cost of living for a single adult in Rensselaer County. This cost of living includes expenses for housing, food, healthcare, transportation, and other (e.g. Internet, household and personal necessities, fees, etc.) All graduate students receiving stipends from the Institute, from contracts/grants, and from Institute administered external sources, must be paid the minimum stipend as established by the Institute. For AY24-25 the stipend for the academic year is $26,900 and $8,967 for the summer. Academic year and summer support is $35,867.
Tuition for all graduate programs, full-time and part-time, is set each year by the Board of Trustees upon recommendation by the President. For AY24-25 the full-time tuition is $62,500 and the part time tuition rate is $2,600 per credit hour.
Graduate students who are employed as graduate teaching assistants (TA) or research assistants (RA) will receive full tuition and stipend support for the academic year. Students are expected to work as TA/RA an average of 20 hours per week.
To receive a degree from Rensselaer, a student must be enrolled in an approved degree program, (i.e., matriculated). Details on status, credit load, and time to degree are outlined below.
Normal load: Payment of full-time graduate tuition allows a student to register for up to 16 credit hours in each of the fall and spring semesters. Master of Architecture students may register for up to 18 credits per semester.
Full time status (minimum credit load): Full-time status is 12 credits per semester. Full time status for Teaching and Research Assistants (TA/RA) is 9 credits per semester. Only full-time students will be eligible for financial support in the form of merit scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships.
Overload: Students enrolling for more than the normal load in the Fall or Spring semesters will be charged the academic year tuition rate plus an incremental per credit hour rate, for each credit hour exceeding normal load. Any credits taken in the summer session will be charged the incremental per credit hour rate, for each credit hour.
Partial fee for final semester: Students who complete all degree requirements, and whose Thesis/Dissertation has been certified by the Office of Graduate Education (OGE) prior to the end of the seventh week of classes, may request a prorated adjustment to their tuition for that semester. The proration is based on the term withdrawal schedule set by the Office of the Bursar. Any stipend payment will be discontinued at the certification date of the student’s thesis/dissertation. Students continue to have active status for the remainder of the semester.
Part-Time Student Policy Guidelines: The principal focus of Rensselaer@Work is on working professionals and part-time students. The principal focus on the Troy campus is on full-time students that support the teaching and research mission of the Institute. With the exception of students enrolled in special cohort programs, any Troy-based student with less than a full-time credit load will be assessed the part-time credit rate. The tuition for students enrolled in cohort and other special programs will be determined separately. Part-time students are not eligible for financial support from the Institute.
Summer Administrative Registration: Summer Administrative Registration (SAR) is a no-charge registration requirement for graduate students who will be receiving a stipend over the summer or graduating in the summer semester. Students taking credit-bearing courses or research credits should not register for SAR. Eligibility for SAR requires that the student has been registered in both the previous fall and spring semesters. All students who are employed as an RA or TA should be registered for the minimum credit load during the semester of their employment.
Cooperative Education: Graduate students may participate in the Co-op Program. Students participating in an approved Co-op engagement are considered full-time students, yet no tuition is assessed. Students who are on a Co-op in the Capital District are required to pay the Institute’s activity and health service fees. Students must return to full time status in the semester following their Co-op.
