Financial Assistance and Scholarships
There are several ways to gain financial assistance to help pay for your education,
including scholarships, assistantships, fellowships, loans and student employment.
Students are encouraged to fill out their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student
Aid) as soon as possible. FAFSA forms are available through
USF’s Financial Aid Office
or online at
www.fafsa.ed.gov.
The form is essential for receiving need-based
financial aid through USF, such as Stafford loans and work-study.
Student Loans:
Information on loans is available through the USF Financial Aid Office, SVC 1102, (813) 974-4700.
Graduate Assistantships:
Departmental assistantships
The Department has a limited budget for graduate assistantships every year. Any
new or continuing graduate student is eligible for consideration for these assistantships;
however, you should generally plan to seek other sources of funding for a significant
portion of your time in graduate school.
If you receive an assistantship, your appointment letter will likely say that your
appointment is "renewable." Do not assume that it will be renewed, although at present,
most students have received departmental funding for at least two years, and several
for more. In addition, many students have been successful in finding funded assistantships
outside the department.
Assistantships are not grants; they require the student to work, either as a teaching
assistant, helping with or teaching a class, or as a research assistant, helping
faculty members on research projects. Assistantships
carry with them a waiver of tuition (approx. 80%), although the student is responsible for
fees, which comprise about 20% of the total tuition-related costs. Assistantships
also provide assistance with insurance coverage visit Graduate School Health Insurance for details.
New students:
Although all new students are routinely considered for available assistantships,
prospective students should make their interest in an assistantship known at the
time of application. Include this assistantship form
with your application packet.
Make sure to include any skills, abilities, and experience that may be relevant.
Continuing students:
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Simply
fill out the assistantship form, and submit to the Graduate Director. Applications will be kept on file, and will be
matched to openings as they arise.
In addition, specific opportunities may arise on occasion, such as the need to appoint
a TA for an upcoming class. Such openings will be advertised on the ANT listserv.
Throughout the year, opportunities arise for students to obtain paid positions on faculty research grants and contracts. These and other grant-funded opportunities will be posted on the ANT listserv, and will typically carry similar stipends and funding as departmental assistantships.
Anthropology graduate students are often hired by other departments at USF, as either Graduate Assistants or hourly employees, usually to carry out research. These have included the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), the College of Public Health, Florida Mental Health Institute, and the College of Education. When notified, we will post such opportunities on the list serve. They are also often circulated through list serves such as USF News.
Employment:
USF students can find part-time employment in the form of Federal Work-Study, USF
OPS or internships by contacting the Career Center at (813) 974-2171. This is located in SVC 2088.
Grant-funded assistantships:
Graduate Assistantship in Public Archaeology
The Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) is a state-wide program that promotes and facilitates the stewardship, public appreciation, and value of Florida’s archaeological heritage through regional centers, partnerships, and community engagement. This mission is addressed through public outreach, assistance to local governments, and support of the mission of the Florida Division of Historical Resources.
The FPAN assistantship in Public Archaeology is offered to an incoming USF graduate student in Anthropology or Archaeology. Support for this two year offer (10hrs/wk) includes tuition during the fall and spring semesters (summer support may also be available) During this time, the student holding this position will work in the public archaeology program for the West Central Florida region housed at the USF Tampa Campus.
Students interested in the Graduate Assistantship should be prepared to make a two year commitment to the Florida Public Archaeology Network culminating in preparation of a thesis/dissertation representing a substantive contribution to the field of public archaeology or to public archaeology programming in West Central Florida. Additional information on FPAN is available at www.flpublicarchaeology.org .
Prospective students interested in this assistantship must prepare a Statement of Interest which should include 1) How will the experience you may gain through this assistantship support you in achieving your career goals? 2) What experience do you have with presenting archaeology (or similar subjects) to a public audience, public speaking or writing, or working with volunteers?
Submit statement of interest it to the Department of Anthropology along with their application materials by Dec 15.
Consideration of applications for this assistantship may begin as early as February.
Scholarship Searches:
The FastWeb site
offers a detailed scholarship search. Other potential
sources of funding
are listed by USF Graduate School, including the
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.
The USF Graduate School also coordinates several programs that offer scholarship support; please see
www.grad.usf.edu, under Funding Opportunities.
Presidential Doctoral Fellowships:
http://www.grad.usf.edu/grants.asp#i
The Academic Common Market
The Academic Common Market is a program that allows students from participating
states to pay in-state tuition at universities in other states included in the program,
provided the specific degree is not offered in their home states. Because Applied
Anthropology is a relatively rare degree, many students from these states have been
successful in applying for the program.
Participating states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In Florida, the difference between in-state and out-state tuition is substantial;
the Common Market Program can help make the degree very affordable. Even with an
assistantship, the program will effectively reduce the 20% cost portion for which
students are responsible.
For full details and application procedures, go to
http://www.sreb.org/programs/acm/acmindex.asp
Other department awards
The department also sponsors several awards that provide financial support or one-time
payment:
J. Raymond Williams Memorial Scholarship in Public Archaeology
Professor J. Raymond Williams dedicated his career to training students in public
archaeology. Known both for his commitment to teaching and service to the profession,
Professor Williams was instrumental in establishing the internationally recognized
public archaeology program at the University of South Florida. The purpose of the
scholarship is to train minority students in public archaeology and focus research
on the rich and diverse heritage of Florida. The Scholarship provides support for
two years of graduate study at the University of South Florida leading to an MA
degree in public archaeology.
The J. Raymond Williams Graduate Assistantship consists of a two-year graduate assistantship
at 10 hours per week and the accompanying tuition waiver. The recipient will also
receive $500 per year from the Williams Scholarship account for book costs and other
expenses. The J. Raymond Williams Graduate Assistantship will be competitively awarded
to a qualified student who is a member of a minority underrepresented in the archaeological
profession. The successful applicant may also be eligible for further support through
other programs.
Requirements: acceptance to the graduate program in applied anthropology at the
University of South Florida; applicants wishing to be considered for the Williams
scholarship should indicate that in their application statement; satisfactory progress
toward the M.A. degree as determined at the end of the first year for 2nd year support.
Deadline to Apply: January 15 for Fall admission. Request Application Information
from the Director of Graduate Programs, Department of Anthropology, University of
South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., SOC 107, Tampa, FL 33620-8100 USA.
Recent Awardees:
Nelson Rodriguez (2004-2005); Zaida Darley (2006-2007); Alejandro Figueroa (2008-2009); Alicia Alfaro (2009-2010).
Alvin W. Wolfe Scholarship in Applied Anthropology
Professor Emeritus Alvin W. Wolfe dedicated his career to training students in to
work as practicing anthropologists. He was instrumental in establishing the internationally-recognized
applied anthropology program at the University of South Florida. Upon his retirement,
a fund was established to provide a Scholarship that offers support for two years
of graduate study at the University of South Florida leading to an MA degree in
applied anthropology.
The Wolfe Scholarship offers a two-year graduate assistantship up to 20 hours per week,
with accompanying tuition waiver. The recipient also receives $500 per year from
the Wolfe Scholarship account for book costs and other expenses. The scholarship
recipient, judged to have special potential for success in applied anthropology,
is selected from among annual applicants to the M.A. program (excluding public archaeology
and dual degree applicants). To receive a second year of support, the recipient
must demonstrate satisfactory progress toward the M.A. degree, as determined at
the end of the first year.
Recent Awardees:
Lance Arney (2004-2005); Hannah Helmy (2005-2006); Marissa Dixon (2006-2007); Aki Nakanishi (2007-2008); Nolan Kline (2008-2009); Tim Kelly (2009-2010); Nolan Kline (2010-2011); Kelly Lyons and Maura Denny (2011-2012).