Tuition and Financial Aid
The MEPP program is one of a handful of special high profile, practice oriented programs at the University of Maryland with a tuition surcharge for all courses creditable toward the MEPP degree. There is no distinction between resident and non-resident tuition. Current tuition costs are provided here. Click on School of Public Policy, and look for MEPP tuition.
University fees which cover library access, athletic facilities, etc. are also required of all graduate students at the university without distinction; these are also outlined here.
Applicants are encouraged to explore possibilities for fellowships and off-campus employment to support their studies. Fellowships and off-campus employment, especially in the form of engineering and public policy related internships in the Washington DC area, can provide excellent experience, and can create invaluable networks for subsequent career opportunities. Application procedures and deadlines for fellowships and some internships are determined by the sponsoring organizations. Fellowship competitions with fixed application cycles linked to the academic year, may require applications almost a year before support begins. Applicants who secure off-campus fellowships and off-campus employment are advised to explore the possibility of, and the specifics of, partial or full tuition assistance and other benefits that may enhance stipends.
The Maryland School of Public Policy and the A. James Clark School of Engineering both offer merit-based financial aid packages that range from graduate assistantships, to partial to full fellowships. Applicants for admission should indicate their interest in securing assistance by selecting "yes" in item 61 of the application. Similar to other practice-oriented, non-research graduate programs at the University, financial aid in the form of on-campus graduate assistantships, is limited. Applicants should inquire from the MEPP co-directors, as well as from other MEPP affiliated faculty regarding opportunities for research related assistantships, in addition to exploring other on-campus opportunities.
On-campus assistantships typically offer a stipend, a contribution to health benefits, and a contribution to tuition. Applicants who are offered on-campus assistantships are advised to clarify the level of support for each aspect of the assistantship offer. In particular, they should be clear about the rate at which their graduate credit hours will be covered, because of the tuition surcharge for the MEPP program. Neither university fees nor books are covered by assistantships.
Applicants are also advised to check Other Financial Opportunities for current support opportunities.
Health Benefits for Graduate Assistants
Graduate assistants may be offered the opportunity to choose among health insurance options subsidized by the university and requiring co-payment of premiums. Students who do not receive this benefit should obtain their own health insurance either through the University Health Center or a private insurer. Students should consult the University's Health Center .
