All PhD students in Pharmaceutics receive up to five years of financial support, usually in the form of a graduate assistantship (teaching assistantship or research assistantship) or a fellowship. As a result, all Pharmaceutics PhD students receive a yearly stipend, free tuition (up to 14 credits per semester), and low-cost health care benefits.
Effective August 25, 2025, the minimum Graduate Assistant rate of pay for the Department of Pharmaceutics is $32.86 per hour.
Teaching Assistantship
Many Ph.D. students begin their studies with a teaching assistantship (TA), as it provides a valuable introduction to academic life. We prefer awarding TAs to new students over research assistantships (RA) for a couple of key reasons.
First, TAs require less time, which helps new students focus on the intensive coursework and exams of their first two years. Second, a TA position is an excellent way to develop oral presentation skills, which are crucial for pharmaceutical scientists in their professional careers. After their second year, most students transition to holding an RA position.
Fellowships
PhD fellowships are also awarded to exceptional students. These fellowships are funded through University of Minnesota endowments, the College of Pharmacy, and the pharmaceutical industry. Some are granted through University-wide competitions. Like teaching and research assistantships, fellowships provide a stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance benefits. In some instances, a student may hold a fellowship and an assistantship simultaneously.
MS Students
All MS students in Pharmaceutics need to be financially self-supported (through student loans, external educational grants and scholarships, etc.) as assistantships and fellowships are not available at this program level. Information on University of Minnesota graduate program tuition rates can be found on the University of Minnesota Tuition webpage.