Financial Assistance

At the School of Information Sciences (SIS), graduate students may be eligible for financial assistance. Several categories of financial assistance exist to underwrite some or all of the costs of your studies, including federal financial aid, SIS-funded financial support, scholarships, awards, fellowships, and assistantships.

1. FEDERALLY-FUNDED FINANCIAL AID.

Explore federal funding options as outlined on the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School Financial Aid Instructions page. Please note that any federal financial aid applied for will be processed through the University's Office of Admission and Financial Aid, not by the School of Information Sciences.

2. SIS-FUNDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

SIS may have financial support available, on a competitive, merit-based basis, for full-time, on-campus students who meet the academic requirements for admission.

The fall term is the only term in which SIS-funded financial support is awarded to LIS students. Some awards that are made in the fall term may be extended past the fall term based on academic performance, but all awards begin only in the fall term.
Applications for SIS-funded financial support will only be considered by the Committee once the student has been accepted into the school/LIS program.

3. SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS, & ASSISTANTSHIPS.

SIS and its partner organizations are pleased to offer a variety of opportunities for which its students may apply. A variety of scholarships, awards, fellowships, and assistantships, which are funded through the generosity of alumni, friends, foundations, and corporations, are offered to SIS students who demonstrate academic accomplishments and leadership skills. Students should research additional available funding sources as they are always changing. Please review the current list here.

ELIGIBILITY & LIMITATIONS

Students eligible for financial support are those accepted for admission or currently enrolled in the one of SIS’s programs, and those who have not already received three terms of funding. It is University policy that only full‐time students are eligible for funding, with few exceptions. Full‐time enrollment is registration for a minimum of nine credits but no more than 15 credits in the fall and spring terms and a minimum of 3 credits in the summer term.

Priority is given to U.S. citizens in evaluating financial support applications. All international students are expected to come fully funded for their entire degree and any advanced study they may undertake in a certificate program or additional degree. International students may, in rare cases, be granted financial support.

The University of Pittsburgh is committed to providing educational opportunities for qualified diversity students. In accordance with this policy, students from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply for financial assistance. In some cases, funding is specifically designated for the support of these students.

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR FUNDING

To be considered for any funding opportunity, you must complete the pertinent sections in your application for admission on Apply Yourself.

The Committee will consider applications for financial support only after the student has been accepted into the LIS program.
All applications for SIS-funded financial support are due on January 15.

Please note that the majority of funding is awarded for the fall term. Funding for the spring and summer terms is generally awarded to continuing students.

All applicants are informed of funding decisions by letter. In the application for admission please be sure to supply the address to which funding decision letters should be mailed.

DURATION OF FUNDING

The Committee initially approves full or partial SIS financial support for one term with the possibility of renewal for up to (a maximum of) three terms.

Renewal after the initial award is dependent upon:

satisfactory progress toward degree or certificate;
maintenance of a GPA of at least a 3.0 for MLIS, and of at least a 3.5 for PhD; and
for PhD students only, satisfactory performance of assigned duties as GSAs, GSRs, TAs, or TFs (see the University's Policy Statement for Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, and Graduate Student Assistants and the Policy Statement for Graduate Student Researchers).

REINSTATEMENT OF FUNDING

Students re-entering the program after an absence of a term or more must re-apply for SIS financial support. Such funding is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed in these cases.