Financial Aid
Financial assistance is available to the students of the Knowlton School of Architecture in several forms, including scholarships, fellowships, and awards for specific interests and achievements. Graduate students are also eligible for fellowships offered by the Graduate School. Inquiries and applications for fellowships and general University scholarships should be directed to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Students are also encouraged to check the list of student job opportunities elsewhere on this site for additional financial opportunities.
Undergraduate Opportunities
Undergraduate students can receive financial aid either via specific awards from the Knowlton School of Architecture, or through the University at large.
KSA-Administered Financial Aid
Periodically the student advising staff of the school will be advised about scholarship opportunities which may be specific to students in the Knowlton School. A full list of scholarships is available on the KSA intranet.
University-Administered Financial Aid
Freshman applicants who wish to be considered for most University-administered scholarships, grants, federal loans, and the Federal Work Study Program are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1 for Autumn Quarter enrollment. Deadlines for transfer students and for freshmen entering Winter, Spring, or Summer Quarter vary. Students can review current deadlines at http://sfa.osu.edu/HowToApply.
Application requests and further information may be obtained from:
Office of Student Financial Aid
The Ohio State University
340 Lincoln Tower
1800 Cannon Drive
Columbus, OH 43210-1230
phone: (614) 292-0300 or (800) 678-6440
fax: (614) 292-9264
web: http://sfa.osu.edu
More About Work-Study
One particular opportunity which should be highlighted is the Federal Work-Study program. Students qualify for participation through their FAFSA application, and can be employed at many places around the University to earn financial aid monies. According to the Student Financial Aid office:
The Federal Work-Study Program (FWS) is a need-based program which provides jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to your course of study.
The Knowlton School of Architecture usually has several positions for students qualified for work-study financial aid. More information about these positions can be found on the Student Financial Aid website, along with details of all Work-Study positions.
Graduate Opportunities
Graduate students can generally receive financial aid in two amounts. Students can receive half of their tuition and fees, plus a monthly stipend, in exchange for 10 hours of work per week, or they can receive their full tuition and fees, plus a monthly stipend, for 20 hours of work per week.
There are a number of programs available which can provide financial aid to graduate students. Except where noted below, financial aid for the coming school year for each student is determined in the spring quarter, after the incoming class of graduate students is known. Some available methods of financial aid include:
- University Fellowships
- Graduate program applicants may request consideration in the University-wide competition for University Fellowships. The Graduate Studies Committee within each Section first reviews the applicants, prioritizes them, and nominates selected individuals to the University Screening Committee (USC). The USC evaluates all nominations in awarding the fellowships. To be eligible for a University Fellowship, US applicants must apply by January 15 and international applicants must apply by November 15 for Fellowships beginning in the following Autumn Quarter.
- Fellowships are only available at the full-support level.
- Graduate Administrative Associateships
- Graduate students may obtain Graduate Administrative Associateship (GAA) positions in the School of Architecture or in various University offices. GAA positions are awarded directly by the different administrative needs and the qualifications of the applicants.
- GAA positions are available in either half- or full-support levels.
- Graduate Research Associateships
- Funding for Graduate Research Associateship (GRA) positions fluctuates with the funding cycles and activities of the faculty. Positions are filled directly by the faculty member doing research.
- GRA positions are available in either half- or full-support levels.
- Graduate Teaching Associateships
- Graduate Teaching Associateship (GTA) positions are available for graduate students who are interested in teaching undergraduate courses. Typically, the students teach recitation or studio sections in lower division courses under the supervision of a faculty member. Students who wish to be considered for a GTA position should fill out an Application for Graduate Teaching Associateship (GTA) form and file it with the appropriate section head.
- GTA positions are available in either half- or full-support levels.
- Office Associate Program
- Several architecture and landscape architecture firms, professional associates, and companies support the stipend portion of some Graduate Teaching Associateships. In return, the Associateships are named for the firms. The Office Associate Program encourages interaction between students and professionals not only through the financial support provided, but also through arranged meetings and presentations.
- Office Associateships are available only at the full-support level.
- Internship and Traineeship Programs
- The Ohio State City and Regional Planning Internship and Traineeship (I/T) programs offer a unique opportunity for students to gain pracical experience while working toward a graduate degree. The Internship Program is based on a contract between OSU and employers; the students are paid directly by OSU. The Traineeship Program is based on agreements between the City and Regional Planning Section and employers. Students are paid directly by the employing agency. In the recent past, all intern positions have come with a tuition and fee waiver; in addition many students with a traineeship position also have received full or part-time waivers. Both programs require students to work part-time (240 hours per quarter) during the academic year while studying a minimum 15 credit hours per quarter.
- Internship and Traineeship opportunities are available only at the full-support level.
- Graduate Student Scholarships
- Incoming graduate students are sometimes awarded scholarships upon entering the Knowlton School. These scholarships are awarded by the individual sections of the school, and the amounts can vary widely. These scholarships may be the result of endowed funds of the school.
- Achievement-Based Scholarships
- At the conclusion of each academic year, some students are selected to receive scholarships for the next year based on exemplary achievements over the course of the year. These achievement-based scholarships are awarded by the individual sections of the school, and the amounts can vary widely.