FAQs

Q; How long is the graduate employment? Will we also be supported during the summer? 
A: As long as students stay in good academic standing, we will support them throughout their PhD program. This includes a monthly stipend, tuition remission, coverage of most of their mandatory fees and most costs associate with an excellent health insurance plan. The financial support described above will be provided for 12 months of the year, and students will typically be expected to be actively engaged in research year-round (including summer).

Q:What scholarships will I be eligible for? 
A: Please visit https://gradschool.uoregon.edu/funding/awards to learn more about possible scholarships.

Q: Will I be assigned to a specific research advisor, or will I do rotations in a few different labs? 
A: Some Knight Campus offers will include a commitment to work with a specific professor, and some offers allow you to establish your research advisor within the first half of fall quarter. This process may include engaging with multiple Knight Campus faculty and/or brief research experiences in multiple labs. At this time, a process has not been established to accommodate formal rotations.

Q: Would we be supported by a professor's research grant through Research Assistantship (RA), or by the department through a fellowship or Teaching Assistantship (TA)? 
A: The primary funding source for most students will be through an RA supported by their research advisor. TA is not a requirement of the program and is not necessary to receive funding support. Students interested in cultivating their teaching skills may find opportunities to TA in a variety of courses in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Q: Do I need an English test for both TA and RA positions? 
A: To TA at OSU, a TOEFL speaking sore of 22 is required.

Q: How do you travel between campuses? Are there shuttles? 
A: Currently, there are no shuttles for students, but there may be opportunities for students to carpool with fellow students who are commuting back and forth.

Q: How often must students commute between campuses? Is commuting required for courses? 
A: The program is actively working to minimize commuting that doesn’t require in-person use of campus facilities, such as research collaborations. Required coursework offered by the program will be delivered on both campuses and through hybrid or remote instruction to reduce commuting constraints. If students choose to take elective coursework at their non-home campus, commuting may be necessary, depending on the course. Both campuses offer sufficient options to satisfy the elective requirement at their home campus.

Q: I’m an international student, if my visa paperwork does not go through in time can I defer? 
A: Yes, UO and OSU will work with the students to defer their application until a later date.

Q: What are your student housing options? 
A: UO has some graduate housing, but that is only available once your UO credentials are established. For more details visit the Graduate School Housing Resources page. Additionally, there are many housing opportunities close to campus. Students may also find current students looking for roommates by reaching out to the current cohort or looking on Facebook and Craigslist.

Q: Which university will my PhD certification come from? Will my degree show both universities or will be awarded by one of them? 
A: Upon graduation, a diploma will be issued that shows both OSU and UO seals.