All MFA in Theatre candidates at UTK receive exceptional financial support. All MFA students in both Acting and Design/Technology receive full tuition waivers plus Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) stipends throughout their training. All receive virtually equal stipends, with amounts varying only slightly according to differences in funding sources.
We are proud of the funding we offer graduates to enable them to focus on their training, and we believe that equal support creates the best basis for collaboration and artistic growth.
The most recent funding per student per year is approximately:
- Out of State Tuition Remission: a value of $31,978 per year
- Graduate Teaching Assistantships: approximately $16,500 per year
- (9-month assistantships disbursed over 12 months each year)
- Average Additional Scholarships: $1000-$1200 per year in 2nd and 3rd years
Health Insurance: All UTK Theatre MFA students are covered under UTK health insurance at no additional cost.
Approximate Total Funding Per Year: $50,000.00
Per Three Years: $150,000.00
The Graduate Teaching Assistantship represents actual employment by the University of Tennessee. As a GTA, you will be responsible for jobs assigned by your advisor and the department. Duties may include: performing or understudying roles as assigned, grading undergraduate work, assistant teaching, teaching, community outreach, research support, etc. Each semester, work hours will be carried out in various ways according to the needs of the department and productions in the Clarence Brown Theatre. We take care to ensure that job duties do not detract from, but are in support of training objectives.
Additional Funding:
- Additional fellowships are available through the Graduate School on a competitive basis. Theatre graduates have a strong record of winning competitive fellowships.
- $2500 Marian Brown Career Development Fellowships are awarded to two students in each MFA acting class in the final semester of training.
- Students may apply for funding for conference travel from the College of Arts and Sciences and also from the Graduate Student Senate.