Funding & Scholarship Opportunities
Pitt is here to provide you with an exceptional educational experience as well as the financial support to make it happen.
Admission to the graduate program does not imply the granting of financial aid or funding. Review the opportunities listed below and the information on the Office of the Provost Graduate Studies Funding webpage to find out more about how funding and financial aid works at the graduate level in the Swanson School of Engineering.
Student Appointment Funding Opportunities
The Swanson School of Engineering offers a limited number of highly competitive teaching and research assistantships primarily at the PhD level. Funding can potentially cover tuition costs and include a living stipend.
Appointment opportunities include:
- Fellowships - awarded to students of outstanding ability. The funding is usually an unrestricted grant.
- Traineeships - awarded to students for training in selected areas. There may be restrictions on the courses that may be taken.
- Teaching Assistantships and Teaching Fellowships - awarded to exceptionally well-prepared students in return for assistance in laboratories, recitation sections, and other teaching duties. Partial or full tuition scholarships are also provided.
- Research Assistantships - awarded to students for assistance on research programs.
Select the PhD program you are interested in on the Programs & Degrees webpage to find out more about the funding opportunities in your desired program.
There is no additional application to be considered for funding. Simply answer the question on the EngineeringCAS application for our PhD programs that you are interested in being considered for a teaching or research assistantship, and submit a complete application by your desired department’s Financial Consideration deadline.
Funding decisions are managed by each department.
Available to US Citizens and Permanent Residents, the Federal FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is more than a tool to get student loans. It is often used to award scholarships, grants, and work study funding. When used in tandem with our PittFund$Me scholarship system, having FAFSA on file with Pitt helps provide the best opportunities for resources to help pay for your graduate or professional education.
PittFund$Me is a financial aid tool that can connect you, a Pitt student, to relevant scholarships. As a current Pitt student, you can log into PittFund$Me – hosted on the Scholarship Universe system – and answer a series of profile questions. The adaptive matching engine will display scholarship opportunities that are tailored to you.
Although the program is primarily focused on undergraduates, graduate students can use the link below to learn more about how it may apply to them.
Pitt2Pitt is a scholarship program that can help graduating University of Pittsburgh seniors complete a Pitt master's degree or certificate program. This program is offering streamlined admissions with funds distributed over the Fall and Spring semester. Scholarship amounts vary depending on full vs. part-time students. Use the link below to see if your program aligns with P2P and if you meet the scholarship qualifications.
The University of Pittsburgh and the Swanson School of Engineering provides a number of fellowship and scholarship opportunities to graduate students. You should contact your desired program’s department with questions or concerns regarding any potential Pitt or Engineering scholarship or fellowship opportunities.
We encourage all eligible graduate students to apply for external fellowship and grant funding from federal agencies, private foundations, and other external sources. The Office of the Provost maintains a listing of external fellowship opportunities, which can be accessed through the link below.
These programs provide eligible students with opportunities to access campus facilities, experience graduate research, and to connect and begin to build relationships with faculty members. These exposures will allow you to narrow your research interests and determine how graduate school can be there for you. Follow the links below for more information and to see if you are an eligible student.