Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition and Estimated Expenses
Information on tuition and fees can be found through the Office of the Bursar. The Department of Economics does not charge differential tuition, and graduate classes in the Economics department are assessed at the General Graduate rate. Tuition costs can be estimated using the University's Tuition Estimator. A breakdown of estimated graduate student expenses for international students can be found here.
Financial Aid and Teaching Assistantships
The Department of Economics awards teaching assistantships and endeavors to provide research assistantships and other types of funding for as many students as possible. Graduate students are also eligible for fellowships offered by the University. Applicants without either departmental funding or personal financial support sufficient to complete the program are discouraged from enrolling.
The Economics Department offers a teaching assistantship to 4-6 incoming PhD students per year. This teaching assistantship is compensated with a stipend of $25,000 (for the 2023-2024 academic year) and participation in the University's Tuition Benefit Program, which offers full tuition and 100% subsidized health insurance (per the policies found here and here). Applicants who indicate that they are interested in funding are automatically considered for a teaching assistantship.
Students entering the program with a teaching assistantship stipend are guaranteed financial support through their fifth year, contingent upon: (1) satisfactory performance of duties, and (2) satisfactory progress towards the PhD degree. Participation in the Tuition Benefit Program and the GSHIP subsidized health insurance program is guaranteed for four or five years, depending on eligibility as explained here.
PhD students who accept a teaching assistantship are expected to work no more than 20 hours per week during Fall and Spring semesters on assignments such as:
- Leading discussion sections of our Principles of Microeconomics course (1 course per semester during the first year of the PhD program)
- Grading for faculty-taught courses (2 courses per semester during the second year of the PhD program)
- Teaching a course independently (1 course per semester during the third, fourth, and fifth years of the PhD program)
We have very limited opportunities for students to work as research assistants on faculty grants and the university offers several university-wide fellowships that our PhD students can apply to. After a student's second year in the PhD program, they may also have the opportunity to teach a course during Summer semester for additional compensation.
Students entering without support can become eligible for support by compiling a satisfactory record in their coursework and qualifying exams, and by demonstrating potential for teaching and research, although availability of support is contingent on departmental needs and resources.
Teaching assignments and funding beyond the fifth year will be based on the following criteria:
- Clearance for teaching by the university
- Satisfactory performance of previous assignments
- Satisfactory progress in the program
- Needs of the curriculum
- Knowledge of the subject
The Director of Graduate Studies and Department Chair interpret and apply these rules in individual cases.
Outside Financial Aid Information
The Graduate School at the University of Utah maintains additional information about potential sources of funding including assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships available at the University and nationally. Please see their page on Funding Grad School.