Applicants accepted into the PhD in SLS program are typically offered at least 4 years of guaranteed funding, pending availability of funds. Financial assistance is typically in the form of a teaching and/or research graduate assistantship (GAship). Graduate Assistants (GAs) must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher and take at least 6 credits per semester (with the exception of those who have reached the dissertation writing stage, or ABD status). The graduate assistantship is a 0.50 FTE appointment that provides health plan benefits and 100% tuition exemption. The payment of student fees is not covered.
GAships typically involve teaching in the English Language Institute (ELI) or the Hawaii English Language Program (HELP), or support in centers associated with the department or college, such as the Language Analysis and Experimentation laboratories (LAELabs), or the Writing Center. GAships may also be available on externally funded grants administered by individual professors. In addition, more advanced PhD students will be considered for teaching undergraduate courses in SLS as instructors of record, depending on qualifications and need.
PhD students eligible for funding through a Bilinski Dissertation Fellowship will be encouraged to apply once they approach advancement to candidacy.
International students in the past who needed additional funding have found sources from their own educational ministries and/or agencies, as well as through the following resources:
- UHM International Student Services
- Fulbright Program for Foreign Students
- Scholarships administered by the East-West Center
For scholarship, employment, and visa information for international students, applicants should refer to UHM International Student Services.