Financial Support for Prospective Students
Visit our Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions sections to learn about applying for financial aid on the Federal- and University-level, important deadlines, and other information for prospective students.
Financial Support for Current Undergraduate Students
In addition to the financial aid students can apply for at the University level, Stamps students are also eligible for additional financial support.
Emergency Funding
The Stamps Student Emergency Fund can help Stamps students who encounter unexpected emergencies during their degree program. Whether it’s to cover costs associated with housing, emergency travel, food expenses, technology access, medical and dental expenses, or other one-time unanticipated expenses, this fund helps our students in their greatest times of need. Apply here. Additional emergency funding for undergraduate students is also available. Questions? Contact the director of student life.
International Experience Funding
The Stamps International Experience is an exciting degree requirement for BFA students and BA students who reside in the U.S. Most financial aid can be used for education abroad. Furthermore, the Stamps School offers travel awards for students with demonstrated need to help defray additional costs. Some semester-long programs cost less than studying on the Ann Arbor campus! Passport scholarship awards are available for students without U.S. passports. Matriculated students have access to a comprehensive website and exclusive events about funding support for their international experience.
Internship Grants
Not all internships are paid — or pay well enough to keep students afloat in New York City, San Francisco, and other cities with high costs of living. Stamps Internship Grants help to alleviate this strain — and play a critical role in helping our students pursue their dream jobs with gusto. Apply here. Questions? Contact the career development coordinator.
Scholarship Support
All applicants to the Stamps School of Art & Design are automatically considered for need and merit-based scholarship support — including support for computer package requirements. No need to fill out separate applications — your admissions application to Stamps has you covered.
Stamps Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grant
The Stamps Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Grant is intended to provide funding to actively-enrolled students pursuing a degree program at Stamps and in good academic standing; Stamps staff; and Stamps faculty/instructors to support student’s professional and personal development related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It also provides funding to the School’s programmatic efforts and activities aimed at developing an environment that strengthens the School’s commitment to DEI and adopts tangible, sustainable practices that are guided by our organizational mission and values.
Student Professional Development Grant
The grant is available for Stamps students who are seeking financial support to expand their creative portfolio, contributing to their growth as an artist or designer. It supports the development of skills, knowledge, and frameworks that artists and designers need to advance professionally. Examples of approved grant requests involve attending conferences or workshops, or to help with exhibition-related expenses outside of Stamps. Professional development funds cannot be used for costs associated with meeting the requirements of a degree program. Grants typically do not exceed more than $250 per applicant. Apply here. Questions? Contact the director of student life.
Financial Support for Current Graduate Students
Stamps provides generous financial support to graduate students. Financial awards are held throughout both years of study and range from stipends and discretionary funds that offset studio expenses and enable focused creative work to teaching/research assistantships and full tuition waivers. Visit the Rackham Graduate School website for detailed, up-to-date information on cost of attendance, funding resources, financial planning, and cost of living for graduate students at the University of Michigan. Questions? Contact the graduate program coordinator.
Financial support includes:
Tuition Assistance
Stamps offers 75% Tuition Assistance for all Stamps Graduate students in good academic standing.
Emergency Funding
The Stamps Student Emergency Fund can help Stamps students who encounter unexpected emergencies during their degree program. Whether it’s to cover costs associated with housing, emergency travel, food expenses, technology access, medical and dental expenses, or other one-time unanticipated expenses, this fund helps our students in their greatest times of need. Apply here.
Graduate Assistantship Positions with Stipends & Health Care Benefits
Students have access to numerous teaching, staff, and research assistantships that provide valuable professional experience.
MDes/MFA Discretionary Funding
Graduate students may receive $2,000 per year that they enroll in the Stamps School to spend at their discretion towards their educational projects.
Student Professional Development Grant
The grant is available for Stamps students who are seeking financial support to expand their creative portfolio, contributing to their growth as an artist or designer. It supports the development of skills, knowledge, and frameworks that artists and designers need to advance professionally. Examples of approved grant requests involve attending conferences or workshops, or to help with exhibition-related expenses outside of Stamps. Professional development funds cannot be used for costs associated with meeting the requirements of a degree program. Grants typically do not exceed more than $250 per applicant. Apply here.
Summer Fieldwork Funding
Summer Fieldwork Funding supports a three- to five-week summer research project, conducted either domestically or internationally, for all MDes graduate students who are in good academic standing. The project will take place during the summer after the first year. Up to $4,500 is provided in support of summer fieldwork.
Summer International Experience Funding
The Stamps International Experience is a critical hallmark of your degree. It is required for MFA students who reside in the U.S. The Stamps School offers awards for students with demonstrated need to help defray costs associated with international travel. Cost should not be the deciding factor of where you go and what you learn — and International Experience grants are one way that Stamps can help.
Smucker-Wagstaff Project Grant
The Smucker-Wagstaff Project Grant was established in 2007 to help Stamps graduate students achieve excellence by supporting students who need assistance to carry out research for their creative work that advances their progress toward their degree. Students may apply for one award each year with a maximum amount of $3000.
Stamps Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grant
The Stamps Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Grant is intended to provide funding to actively-enrolled students pursuing a degree program at Stamps and in good academic standing; Stamps staff; and Stamps faculty/instructors to support student’s professional and personal development related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It also provides funding to the School’s programmatic efforts and activities aimed at developing an environment that strengthens the School’s commitment to DEI and adopts tangible, sustainable practices that are guided by our organizational mission and values.
Stamps Post-Graduate Funding
Stamps Graduate Programs support a variety of scholarships, presentations at conferences, residencies, individually funded projects and post-graduate opportunities. Recent graduate students are eligible to apply for funding opportunities up to five years after graduation. Post-graduate support is not an obligation of Stamps graduate programs, it is merit-based funding that is reviewed by the Associate Dean’s office and graduate program directors. Funds are disbursed as reimbursement.
Additional Graduate Student Financial Support
Additional financial support for graduate students is also available through: