Financial Resources
The School of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the University of Memphis offer a variety of opportunities to assist students with funding their graduate education. These include:
Graduate Assistantships
For students in the professional programs (MA and AuD), graduate assistantships (GAs) can include partial tuition remission, a monthly stipend, or both, and some assistantships provide additional funding to compensate for out-of-state differentials. For PhD students, typically the GA will cover most of tuition and will provide a monthly stipend. Students on assistantship work a specified number of hours for the School and are eligible for work study funds if they qualify.
Maintaining a GA is contingent upon good academic standing, professionalism, and full-time enrollment.
There are various sources of GA funding.
- School: A limited number of graduate assistantships are available to students based on academic credentials and faculty recommendations. All students are automatically considered for this funding; there is no need to apply for it separately.
- Grants: Some graduate assistantships are funded through research grants that offer additional funding opportunities and the chance to work in a research laboratory.
CSD Opportunity Scholarship
We offer scholarships to two incoming underrepresented and/or minority students each year, one in audiology and one in speech-language pathology. Individuals who meet these criteria will be invited to apply for this scholarship. These invitations are sent shortly after admission decisions are made each spring.
The Dr. Harold “Hal” A. Price Scholarship is available to a first year SLP student in the master’s program who is in good academic standing and who demonstrates financial need. A personal statement and résumé are required. Application deadline is February 1 through the UofM Scholarship system. The amount awarded is typically $1,000 and will be applied to the student’s account the following fall semester.
LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) Traineeship
The UTHSC Center on Developmental Disabilities offers a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program to provide long-term, graduate level interdisciplinary training as well as interdisciplinary services and care. The purpose of the LEND training program is to improve the health of infants, children, and adolescents with disabilities. This is accomplished by preparing trainees from diverse professional disciplines to assume leadership roles in their respective fields and by insuring high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence. Four SLP (2 fall and 2 spring) and four AuD students are selected through a competitive process. The SLP traineeship is a 20-hour per week, one semester assignment. The AuD traineeship is for 10 hours per week for a full academic year. Students are eligible to apply for the LEND traineeship beginning in their second year in the program.
Dean’s Research Award
Any student in the School who has an accepted presentation (podium or poster) at a conference is eligible to apply for the Dean’s Research Award. To request the award, the conference acceptance email and request should be sent to the Dean and Associate Dean. The award is $500 to be applied toward conference attendance expenses.
Dr. Cheryl D. Gunter Professional Development Award
Cheryl D. Gunter, Ph.D (‘79 MA) is a first-generation college student from Auburntown, Tennessee. As a first-year PhD student, she received an award which funded her annual dues for two professional associations. This support allowed her to explore the diverse benefits of memberships that complemented her curriculum. As a student at the UofM, she attended her first national professional association conference and remembers what a transformational experience it was. The value of these experiences motivated her to support students to seek opportunities to become involved in the broader professional community with memberships in professional associations and conference attendance.
This award will provide a speech-language pathology student in good academic standing:
- A one-year student membership in TAASLP and registration fees to the TAASLP annual conference (or an equivalent state-level association) and registration fees to the TAASLP annual conference OR student membership in a specialty organization (e.g., American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, The Voice Foundation, Autism Society are a few examples).
- A one-year student membership to NSSLHA (or an equivalent national-level association), plus up to two special interest group student memberships.
Application should include:
- Current transcript
- Brief personal statement that includes on the impact of the award on the student applicant and which memberships/registrations/SIGs are preferred.
- One letter of recommendation from a faculty member
Preference will be given to first generation students, students with financial need, and to first time members.
Please submit application to Frances Breland by March 28, 2022 for memberships in 2022, and by December 15 for the next year. We will fund as many as we can.
General Financial Information
- FAFSA. Students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to have additional opportunities for funding. The Office of Student Financial Aid also is a useful resource. You can apply for work-study on the FAFSA.gov website where you apply for the federal loan program (it is within the same application). The School can award work-study (if approved by the Financial Aid Office) only if you hold a graduate assistantship.
- If you begin the program in the summer semester, be sure your FAFSA is up to date during the admissions process. If you have received financial aid in the semester prior to your matriculation in the program, you will need to transfer your FAFSA to the University of Memphis in order to get loans for your first summer term.
- Tuition Estimator. To estimate tuition, please visit the tuition estimator tool which uses current tuition rates. Typically, our students take 12 to 14 hours a semester. Most courses in the SLP and AuD programs also have a $35 academic course fee per credit hour, which is used to support clinical education and enhance educational experiences.
- Emergency Funds. The University of Memphis provides assistance to students who many need short-term funding. More information can be found on the Dean of Students website and the link below.
General Scholarship Opportunities
The Step Ahead Scholarship program is a collaborative effort between A Step Ahead Foundation and Girls Inc. of Memphis. This initiative aims to support the academic development of young women ages 17-35 in the Greater Memphis community.
We encourage you to visit the following links on the University of Memphis website for additional scholarship opportunities: