Financial assistance on a merit basis is available through departmental and institutional funds. The University operates two financial aid offices to provide financial advising and specific information. Priority for financial assistance from institutional funds is given to students whose application is received by January 9 prior to the fall semester
The Department attempts to provide support for all full-time Ph.D. students primarily, then full-time M.S. students as resources permit. Stipends currently start at $23,100 on an annual basis, in addition to tuition and fees. Support for the M.S. degree is usually limited to two years and for the Ph.D. four years. In all cases, funding is contingent upon availability of funds and student performance. Since the purpose is to allow the student to study full-time in pursuit of the desired degree, students receiving full support are not permitted to hold other jobs.
Currently, there are not enough biostatisticians to meet the demands of government, academia and industry. Recently, students have been funded through internships provided by companies such as Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Pfizer, Inc. These internships provide a stipend to the student, and tuition and fees are then covered by institutional funds. Also, money may be budgeted for books and school supplies.