Graduate Assistantship
Graduate students with Full Graduate Standing who are pursuing a Master's Degree in Special Education on a full-time basis (minimum 9 graduate credits each term) are eligible to apply for a Graduate Assistantship (GA) in the department.
These competitive awards provide tuition waivers for up to 12 credits in Fall and Spring terms, up to 6 credits in the Summer term, and a monthly stipend for up to 19.6 hours of work weekly in the department as an assistant to assigned faculty members.
Duties may include, but are not limited to, assisting with the preparation of teaching materials, grading assignments or tutoring, and tasks associated with research projects, such as data collection, data coding or entry, and literature reviews. Students are not permitted to hold outside employment while employed as a GA as the intent is to support successful graduate school completion with less challenging work schedules and work assignments.
Students may be awarded a GA for two consecutive years, pending reapplication with positive evaluation from the prior year's supervising faculty members, and good academic standing. Applications are reviewed annually in the spring for the following academic year. Applications are due January 15.
Grant Funding
Periodically the Department secures grant funds from state and federal sources to support graduate education and teacher preparation in Special Education. When available, students may apply and be considered for participation only if they are admitted to the degree program and have earned Full Graduate Standing.
Department Fellowships
Prospective, newly admitted, or currently enrolled graduate students in the Department of Special Education & Communication Disorders are encouraged to apply for annual Departmental Fellowships. The fellowships are one-time awards, varying in dollar amount with no work requirement. Fellowships may be available for part-time as well as full-time students. Deadline for application submission is April 20 each year. Look here for more information and the application.
Federal Financial Aid
Students may find assistance from the UNL Financial Aid Office. Financial aid is dependent upon the student being enrolled full-time each semester.
Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant
Students pursuing a teaching certificate or endorsement in specialty areas may be eligible for TEACH grants.
After Graduation
Federal Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers
Special education teachers who complete five consecutive years of full-time teaching in a school or educational agency receiving federal Title I funds can earn up to $17,500 in student loan forgiveness. See the Federal Student Aid website for details.