Graduate

Assistantships

For outstanding graduate students, Computer Science and Engineering offers financial help. Almost all our PhD students are covered by financial aid of one form or another. We always have new assistantships (TA/RA) for new PhD students entering the Department. It comes with a stipend for a fall/spring appointment of 20 hours per week plus tuition waiver.

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Teaching Assistantships

Teaching Assistantships are offered to qualified students in the MS and PhD programs. All PhD applicants who submit their admission applications by the priority deadlines are considered for Teaching Assistantships. No additional application form is required. MS students may also be considered but usually only if they are doing the thesis option and have secured a faculty advisor.

Selection criteria include:

  • Recommendation by faculty member. If you are a new student, you will be contacted if a faculty member expresses interest in your application.

  • If the applicant is from a country which is not predominantly English-speaking, they must be able to show documented evidence of the state-mandated level of proficiency in speaking English. This proficiency level has been established by the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) as a minimum score of 26 on the spoken portion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT) or 160 on the spoken portion of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). The Office of Graduate Studies will consider these scores valid for up to 5 years after administration, so long as the student has dated supporting/official documentation. If the applicant does not meet these criteria, they can still be appointed but must be registered for the ITA Workshop and must have one of the minimum required English scores. Please see the International Teaching Assistant Handbook  for more information.

  • GRE scores.
  • Excellent academic record, GPA of approximately 3.5.
  • Sufficient coursework in Computer Science.
  • Research interest in an area compatible with the department specialty areas.
  • Letters of recommendation and statement of purpose.
  • Publications, awards, and honors.

The estimated stipends for these assistantships  is approximately $19,500 for new PhD students for nine months.

Undergraduate Teaching Assistantships 

Teaching Assistantships are offered to qualified undergraduate students in the CSE undergraduate programs. The department will send out application forms to students who meet the minimum requirements every semester. The selection depends on the resources available to the department. Appointments are typically 10 hr/week.

General Requirements

  • An undergraduate teaching assistant must be a USF CSE degree-seeking student enrolled in credit-bearing coursework taken during the semester they TA.
  • You must be able to fulfill the TA duties in-person, on campus. 

Other Minimum Requirements

  • Must have overall USF GPA of at least 3.5.
  • CS/CpE students must have completed Data Structures (COP4530) with grade A- or better.
  • IT/CyS students must have completed Data Structures and Algorithms for IT (COP4538) with grade A- or better.
  • Must have no history of academic misconduct with the CSE department and College of Engineering. 

Research Assistantships

These are awarded by individual faculty members. You are encouraged to contact them individually.

Fellowships and Financial Aid

The USF Presidential Doctoral Fellowship is available to new doctoral students with exceptional academic credentials (e.g., evidence of experience in the field; research productivity, awards, honors, and professional contributions and achievements to the field).

  • Students must be accepted into USF doctoral program but have not yet started taking classes at USF
  • Provides a $22,500 fellowship plus tuition/fees for up to five (5) years (contingent upon academic progress)
  • Students do not apply, the Department will nominate

Other fellowships and funding opportunities at USF

Other Office of Graduate Studies Fellowships 

USF Financial Aid Office 

Please direct all queries regarding the Graduate Program to the Graduate Program Director.