Financial Aid, Residency, and Accommodations

Financial Aid

Scholarships

There are limited amounts of scholarships available for graduate students in the English Department. You should apply for all scholarships (department and university) through USU's Scholarship Application Portal. In order to be considered for most English scholarships, you will need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

Deadlines are usually early February, and the scholarship application is a lengthy process, so it’s recommended to begin the process early.

Graduate Instructorships

A limited number of graduate instructorships (GI-ships) are available within the department each year. These are awarded on the basis of merit. A GI-ship pays an annual salary plus benefits as well as a tuition waiver in exchange for teaching one to two courses each semester (as assigned by the department) and performing other responsibilities. All new GI’s will be invited to attend a weeklong teacher training before the semester officially begins, with the Director of Composition (DoC).

Instructors who sign contracts are expected to fulfill their contractual obligations. Should an instructor wish to resign their instructorship, there is a formal process for this; please contact the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) for instructions.

First-year students who do not have graduate instructorships and who are in face-to-face master’s programs may apply for an instructorship for their second year (which would begin in the fall of their second year); these applications are due January 15th to be considered for an assistantship for the following fall semester. Contact the DGS if you are interested.

Residency and Status

Utah Residency for Tuition Purposes

For face-to-face graduate programs, you have the opportunity to apply for Utah residency within one year. Out-of-state graduate instructors must apply for residency after their first year.

The state of Utah residency policy determines that a student who has come to Utah for the purpose of attending an institution of higher education may gain residency for tuition purposes if they meet the criteria of an exception listed below. Many students will file under “non-military exemption,” but refer to the Tuition Residency Exemptions and FAQ page for other exemptions and information on if you may be eligible.

For further information, refer to the Office of Admissions website or email your questions to residency@usu.edu. Additionally, the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) has information on residency.

Exemptions

To be eligible to apply for residency for tuition purposes, you must meet the requirements of an exemption (detailed on USU's Utah Residency for Tuition Purposes page) and have one of the following statements apply (HB 102): 
  • I am a U.S citizen. 
  • I have applied for or been granted permanent resident status. 
  • I have applied for or been granted refugee status. 
  • I have applied for or been granted asylum status. 
  • I have applied for or been granted humanitarian parole status.
  • I have applied for or been granted temporary protected status. 
  • I have been granted a special immigrant visa.

Note:

  • University-sponsored programs and internships do not count as part of the 30 days out of state.
  • Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) recipients are not eligible to apply for residency for tuition purposes using the time spent receiving the waivers since they are still considered to be residents of their former state while participating in these programs.

Full-Time Graduate Status

To be considered a full-time graduate student, you must be enrolled in at least 6 credits.

  • MA/MS graduate instructors are expected to take 9 credits in the fall and 6 in the spring to complete 30 credits in two years.
    • PhD students are expected to take 9 credits each semester of their coursework, so they complete their coursework in 2 years.
  • Graduate instructors who want to work in addition to their instructorship must fill out a Work 20+ hours form and have it approved by the department head.
  • Students in their last semester who have completed all the requirements on their program of study except for three thesis/dissertation credits may also be considered full-time with 3 thesis/dissertation credits; contact the DGS for details.

Grades and Academic Standing

All students in the MA/MS and PhD degrees must meet the School of Graduate Studies’ requirements. Only grades of B- (80-82% in a course) or better will be accepted for credits in support of the degree programs, and students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 to remain in the program. Graduate Instructors must also maintain good standing as employees of USU. Refer to the Graduate Instructor Handbook. 

For full information on academic standing refer to the USU Academic Progress Policy.

P-Grade Policy

P (Pass) will be used for thesis or dissertation research and continuing graduate advisement.

Incomplete Policy

For further information refer to the “Incomplete (I) Grade” policy.

Student Leave of Absence

In rare circumstances, you may need to request a leave of absence. If this is the case, contact the DGS.

Graduate Instructor Leave Policy

Below are guidelines for handling both short- and long-term planned and unplanned absences.

Short Term Unplanned Absence

Short-term sickness and family illness; no longer than one week of class:

  • Notify the DoC and the Assistant Director of Composition (ADoC) via email or phone immediately (refer to Contact Information).
  • Notify your students electronically regarding assignments, due dates, and other course work.

Short Term Planned Absence

Professional commitments or planned medical leave; no longer than one week of class:

  1. Notify the DoC and ADoC in
  2. Plan with a substitute instructor to carry out in-class activities or plan with students to do meaningful online Classes may not simply be cancelled; students must complete work that fulfills course and particular unit goals. Possible work could include online peer review and revisions, online discussion forums, or other.

Multiple and Long-Term Absence

Instructors should first follow the procedures above under Short-term Unplanned/ Planned Absence.

If for any reason the absence will be longer than one week the absences must be discussed with the DoC and ADoC, who will, if necessary, contact the Department Chair. Extended absences may have implications for health coverage, substitute pay, and more.

To avoid student complaints, it is vital that you contact the relevant parties (including your own students) about an absence longer than one week.

Information About Resigning from a GI-Ship

When circumstances mean that a student has to give up a GI-ship, they need to be aware of procedures and consequences. Should the need arise, notify the following department members as soon as possible and in writing:

  • DoC
  • DGS
  • GPC
  • Department Head

Because it is so difficult to replace teachers at the last minute, timeliness is crucial. Leaving a GI-ship means you are terminating a signed contract, and in such cases, professional courtesies like timeliness and in-writing notification are in order. How you leave a position reflects as much on your professionalism as how you conduct yourself during the terms of your position.

Disability Accommodations

Requesting and Using Accommodations

Utah State University is committed to providing students with disabilities reasonable accommodations to provide equal access. In order to make the University aware you are in need of an accommodation, please follow the instructions on the Getting Started page to set up a meeting with an accessibility consultant. Accommodations are determined on an individualized basis through an interactive process that begins during a student’s initial appointment with their Accessibility Consultant.

Accommodation decisions are based on the impact of a student’s disability, any relevant academic policies, and an assessment of the essential elements of a course or program of study.

Accommodations can be requested for anything related to the university experience. Students should let their Accessibility Consultant know immediately if an accommodation is not working or if additional accommodations are needed.

Submitting Course Acommodation Requests Using Aggie Access

Students who have been approved for accommodations should follow the instructions on Aggie Access to submit their Course Accommodation Requests each semester. After students submit their Course Accommodation Request, written notification of approved accommodations will be sent to the course instructor.

Students needing assistance submitting their request should call or visit the Disability Resource Center for help.

Graduate students who need an accommodation in relation to employee status, such a research assistant or graduate instructor, refer to USU Policy 323: Employees with Disabilities.