Financial Support

Students are eligible for a variety of financial aid opportunities on a competitive basis. For scholarship information, please visit VCU Scholarships. 

Assistantships

Several graduate teaching assistant (GTA) positions are available to qualified history graduate students in the master's program. A GTA position includes a stipend of approximately $16,500. Some students may also receive partial tuition scholarships based on availability. In return, the GTA works with a professor in an introductory-level undergraduate course. Typically, GTAs grade tests and papers, assist students in understanding course material and perform other classroom duties.

Applicants for the GTA position should declare their candidacy in the personal statement submitted with their admission applications. They should describe their qualifications and explain how a GTA will help them fulfill their educational goals. The Financial Aid Office will assist with various other means of financing graduate study at VCU.

A GTA is eligible to receive four semesters of aid provided they are performing at a satisfactory level in their own graduate coursework and as a teaching assistant. A GTA does not need to apply for an assistantship each semester. GTAs are selected by the department’s graduate affairs committee. History students may also find additional opportunities for assistantships in other university programs. Please see the VCU Graduate School for more information.

Travel Funds

Due to the generosity of VCU alum F. Robert Schilling Jr., history graduate students are eligible to apply for annual travel funds for up to $1,000 in order to conduct research or attend a conference. Additional funding for conference travel is available from the VCU Graduate School. You must submit an application.