Graduate Student Handbook

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Money and Jobs

Supporting Yourself

Be persistent, and take the initiative to look for jobs and support. Your department has information on fellowships and graduate assistantships. Note the deadlines for application (usually early January). The best place to begin your search is through your adviser. If no positions are currently available in your college, see graduate assistantship vacancies at http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae or call Graduate Assistant Employment at 612-624-7070. If you are unable to find an assistantship right away, other employment options are available, including academic, staff, and student positions.

All centrally posted University positions are at www.umn.edu/ohr . Or visit the University of Minnesota Job Center at 200 Donhowe Building, 319-15th Avenue S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455 (phone 612-625-2000).

Internships may be available through your department or college career office or at the Career and Community Learning Center, 135 Johnston Hall (612-624-7577), www.cclc.umn.edu.

For a list of career offices at the University, see the Graduate School Catalog.

Graduate Assistant Employment

The University Job Center verifies student eligibility to hold a graduate assistantship and administers the graduate assistant tuition benefit program, resident tuition rate privilege, and extended resident tuition rate benefit for students and their immediate families.

Graduate assistant positions are available in departments that are willing to consider more than their own graduate students or that do not have graduate students of their own, such as administrative and service units. For more information, and for policies and procedures, see  http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/gae/. 

Financial Aid

Scholarships and financial aid assistance is available at the One Stop Student Services Center, 200 Fraser Hall (612-624-1111), 130 Coffey Hall, and 130 West Bank Skyway. Financial aid includes scholarships, grants, Work-Study, and loans. For a comprehensive list of University funds, as well as many other resources for gift aid, see  http://www.onestop.umn.edu/onestop/financialaid.html.  Be aware that most gift aid programs require you to submit a separate application.

One Stop Student Services counselors are available by e-mail, phone, or in person to provide individualized service—friendly, confidential, timely assistance in a variety of ways for your convenience. The East Bank center in Fraser Hall is a full-service center that includes 14 self-service computers for online record review, forms printouts, internet information, and online FAFSA application.

If you have questions, E-MAIL them at helpingu@umn.edu. PHONE counseling is available from 8am-4pm, Monday-Friday, at 612-624-1111, or toll-free from outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area at 1-800-400-8636, or 612-626-0701 (TTY for hearing-impaired students only). WALK-IN counseling is available at these One Stop Student Services centers on campus.

Financial aid payments are deposited to your University student account for payment of tuition, fees, housing, and other campus charges. You will receive a credit balance check or direct deposit for the balance remaining after all eligible charges have been paid.

With direct deposit, excess financial aid remaining in your student account after all charges are paid will be deposited electronically to your bank account anywhere in the United States. Sign up by downloading and submitting the Direct Deposit Authorization form, available under “Managing Your Student Account” at http://www.onestop.umn.edu/onestop/forms.html or at any One Stop Student Services Center. Your financial aid funds are transferred quickly and securely, eliminating the inconvenience of waiting in line, or by U.S. mail for a credit balance check that you must deposit or cash in person at your bank.

Graduate Fellowship Office

The Graduate School Fellowship Office is located at 314 Johnston Hall (612-625-7579). Graduate fellowships, awards based on academic merit, are available to new and currently enrolled graduate students at the University of Minnesota. The Graduate School Fellowship Office administers University-wide fellowships. Applications may be obtained from the Fellowship Office or may be filled out online, printed out, and sent to the Fellowship Office by the designated deadline. The Fellowship Office also administers the National Science Foundation program and the Fulbright program.

For more information, contact the Graduate School Fellowship Office (612-625-7579) or at http://www.grad.umn.edu/fellowships

Check Cashing

With your U Card, you can cash a personal check for up to $50 (50¢ fee) at the bursar’s offices in 145 Williamson Hall, 101A Anderson Hall (8–3, Monday–Friday), and 107 Coffey Hall (8–3:30, Monday–Friday). Some stores in Dinkytown cash checks for a small fee or allow checks for $5 over purchase. The information desk/post office in the St. Paul Student Center will cash a personal check made out to the University, with U Card, for up to $20 (no fee).

Many bank cards work in the cash machines in the lower concourse of Williamson Hall, in Coffman Union, and in the basement of Blegen Hall (next to periodical shop). Machines are also located in the St. Paul Student Center, Dinkytown, and Stadium Village.

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