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Graduate Students

Financial Support and Housing

Research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and fellowships

The department supports students in the doctoral program with RA or TA appointments. With a few exceptions, the stipend for research assistantships (RAs), teaching assistantships (TAs), and fellowships is $3,334 per month (2023-24). Students on RA and TA appointments are exempt from most tuition and fees and are covered by medical insurance. RAs are also available during the summer at the same stipend rate. Moreover, if a student comes to the Department with a fellowship carrying a stipend below the prevailing departmental rate, the Department will provide a supplementary fellowship to bring the total to the prevailing rate.

Supported students must register for 10 or more credits per quarter and make satisfactory progress toward their degree. Regardless of the form of support, students are expected to work on their thesis research projects.

All Ph.D.-track students must serve as a TA at some time during their UW tenure. Doctoral students usually serve for 3 quarters but may be required to serve for more. Each TA works closely with one or more faculty members, assisting in grading, handling undergraduate laboratory instruction, quiz sections, etc. The typical TA workload averages 20 hours per week.

External funding resources

Both Ph.D. and MS students are strongly encouraged to pursue fellowship opportunities. Popular funding mechanisms which have supported ChemE graduate students include:

Housing 

Many graduate students, whether single or partnered, choose to live in privately operated apartments and rental homes in the community surrounding the University.

Alternatively, on-campus housing options for graduate students are plentiful and varied. Students are encouraged to contact Housing Services for information.

Transportation

Bus and light rail transportation are excellent and inexpensive with the University's award-winning U-PASS program. A U-PASS allows you to ride Metro and Community Transit anytime and just about anywhere in King and Snohomish counties. Express buses and light rail run directly between the University and other parts of the community. Special bicycle routes extend for several miles in and around the University. An automobile is not necessary, and perhaps not desirable, for comfortable living in Seattle.