Opportunities for Graduate Students

We offer a number of opportunities to graduate students at Columbia College Chicago. Please review and see what is available for you.

Incoming Graduate Student Scholarships

Columbia College Chicago's incoming graduate student scholarship program is designed to assist in defraying tuition costs for incoming graduate students. These scholarships are awarded to students who exhibit outstanding accomplishments and potential for continued excellence in one of Columbia's graduate programs.

Scholarship opportunities include the Graduate Award, which is based on the strength of your admissions applications; the Columbia Rise Award, open to students who have received their undergraduate degree from Columbia; and the Columbia Referral Award, which is available to students who have been referred by a member of the Columbia community. 

• Award Amount
  Scholarship amounts vary. If you are selected to receive an incoming graduate student scholarship, you will be notified in your admission letter.
• Eligibility
  In order to be considered for an incoming graduate student scholarship, you must apply as a full-time graduate student by your program's priority deadline.
• How to Apply
  Your application for admission also serves as your application for the incoming graduate student scholarship program. There are no additional materials necessary. If you have any questions, please contact the School of Graduate Studies at gradstudy@colum.edu.

Assistantships

The Assistantship program was established to provide incoming graduate students with valuable professional experience. The professional experience typically aligns students with a faculty member performing duties that fall into one of three categories: Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant, or Marketing/Events Assistant.

• Award Amount
  Students in the Assistantship program receive a $6,000 stipend, split evenly between the Fall and Spring semesters.
• Eligibility
  In order to be considered for an assistantship, you must apply as a full-time graduate student by your program's priority deadline.
• How to Apply
  Your application for admission also serves as your application for the incoming graduate student scholarship program. There are no additional materials necessary. If you have any questions, please contact the School of Graduate Studies at gradstudy@colum.edu.

Graduate Student Instructor Position

This opportunity allows you to gain valuable teaching experience at the collegiate level. After taking and successfully passing a Teaching Methods and Pedagogies class, and being approved by the instructor and program coordinator, you'll be able to instruct your own class of undergraduate students at Columbia. You will receive a stipend for this position, and you can continue teaching throughout your program.

• Award Amount
  As a Graduate Student Instructor, you will earn $4,000 per semester per 3 credit section that you teach.
• Eligibility

  These positions are available for our Creative Writing MFA, Fine Arts MFA, and Photography MFA students. Students in these programs must be enrolled (or preparing to enroll) full time in a full residency graduate program at Columbia. Please contact the School of Graduate Studies at gradstudy@colum.edu for more information on eligibility.

• How to Apply
  Please indicate that you are interested in teaching opportunities on the appropriate section of your admissions application. There may be additional requirements. Please contact the School of Graduate Studies at gradstudy@colum.edu for more information.

Residence Life Graduate Assistant

Each year the Residence Life Office hires on Graduate Assistant to work with Resident Assistants (RA). They attend to students concerns, resolve various resident issues, answer questions, provide on-campus and off-campus referrals as needed, and integrate students into life at Columbia College Chicago. The Graduate Assistant will also serve on-duty rotation covering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for our on-campus population.

• Award Amount
  The Graduate Assistant starts near the end of July and receive on-campus housing and tuition remission for 9 credit hours per semester. They also receive $8,000 paid in 10 installments throughout the year.
• Eligibility
  Students must be enrolled (or preparing to enroll) full time in a full residency graduate program at Columbia College Chicago, and must be able to live on campus. The ideal candidate will have previous Residence Life employment or Higher Education leadership experience.
• How to Apply
  Application review begins in March every year, and applications are accepted until the position is filled. Only admitted students are eligible to apply for this position, and graduate admissions staff will let you know how to apply when applications open.

Big Chicago Teaching Assistant

In this program, graduate students serve as teaching assistants for Columbia's “Big Chicago” courses during the Fall semester. "Big Chicago" courses are offered in a variety of disciplines and are designed to engage first year undergraduate students in an examination and exploration of various aspects of the City of Chicago, both in and outside of the classroom.

In addition to attending one lecture per week led by the course professor, TAs will perform a variety of other roles in the course. These responsibilities might include:

• Leading discussion sections
• Grading student work and quizzes/exams
• Responding to and evaluating student responses in online discussions or social media platforms
• Engaging with groups of students outside of the lecture classroom.

• Award Amount
  Big Chicago Teaching Assistants are compensated for their work during the fall semester with a $3,000 stipend.
• Eligibility
  Students must be enrolled (or preparing to enroll) full time in a full residency graduate program at Columbia College Chicago.
• How to Apply
  If you have questions or are interested in serving in this role next Fall, send an updated CV to Christie Dal Corobbo cdalcorobbo@colum.edu.

Continuing Student Scholarships

Continuing graduate students are eligible for a variety of scholarships at Columbia College Chicago.

• Award Amount
  Award amount varies. Some scholarships are tuition-based while others are project-based.
• Eligibility
  All enrolled graduate students are eligible to apply for some scholarships. Others may have more specific criteria.
• How to Apply
  To apply, please visit colum.edu/scholarships. Please contact scholarships@colum.edu with any questions about continuing student scholarships.

On-Campus Student Employment

Departments at Columbia College Chicago hire enrolled graduate students for part time jobs as student workers. They type of positions vary, but includes work like administrative support, tutoring, lab technicians, etc. 

• Award Amount
  Hourly pay rate varies.
• Eligibility
  All graduate students who are eligible to work in the US can apply for On-Campus work. Depending on the work, other requirements may be necessary in order to qualify for specific positions.
• How to Apply
  To apply, please visit the colleges online job board via Handshake, the college's online job site.