Assistantship Support
The Genetics and Genomics M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are research based and students spend a significant portion of their graduate training in the laboratory. The student conducts research under the supervision of the professorial staff to develop not only technical and manipulative skills, but also to foster originality, imagination, judgment, and patience--the traits of an independent scholar. Because of this, admission is not offered without financial support. Ph.D. students admitted for rotations generally receive a 9 month research assistantship at $9,837 per semester (not including summer). Funding after completion of rotations is provided by their major professor or home department. Students directly admitted to labs are paid at the rate appropriate for that lab, teaching assistantship, or research project.  We offer financial support to both domestic and international students.

The majority of available research assistantships are competitively awarded to qualified applicants who plan to work towards the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

• Incoming rotation students admitted for fall are appointed as research assistants and have the opportunity to rotate through three or more laboratories before choosing a major professor and home department by the end of their second semester.
• After completion of rotations, stipend support is provided at the lab OR departmental rate by the major professor or home department.
• The student may also be supported by Teaching Assistantships (TA) with their selected faculty member. 
• Faculty may also recruit students directly into their labs without the student going through rotations.
• There may be a few rotation assistantships available to support students seeking a Master's Degree in Genetics and Genomics. This rotation assistantship is provided for one semester.

Tuition

• All Students are responsible for fees and text books.
• Ph.D. students on 1/2 time assistantships for at least three months of the fall and spring semesters (six weeks in the summer), who maintain a 3.0 GPA and are making good progress towards their degree receive a full (100%) tuition scholarship.
• M.S. students on a 1/2 time assistantship for at least three months of the fall and spring semesters (six weeks in the summer), maintaining a 3.0 GPA and making good progress toward their degree receive a 50% tuition scholarship, assessed at in-state rates. M.S. Students are responsible for the remaining tuition.
• Spouses of students on assistantship who enroll at Iowa State are assessed at in-state tuition rates.
• If a student on assistantship finishes the semester with their overall GPA below 3.0, they will lose the tuition scholarship until they bring their overall GPA up to 3.0 or above. This goes into affect at the end of their 2nd semester at Iowa State (one semester grace period). As long as they student is on an assistantship they will be charged at in-state rates.