Purdue University Fully Funded Assistantships & Scholarships
Complete statutory funding guide for international graduate students at Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana). Learn how to secure full tuition waivers, $24,000 - $34,000 / year living stipends, and application fee waivers.
Featured Fully Funded Programs & Fellowships
Graduate Teaching & Research Assistantships (GTA / GRA)
Key Eligibility & Requirements:
- Bachelor’s in Engineering, Computer Science, Data, or Physical Sciences
- GPA 3.2+ on 4.0 scale
- TOEFL (minimum 80, speaking 22+) or IELTS 6.5+
- Statement of Purpose highlighting research alignment with Purdue lab faculty
Ross Graduate Fellowships & Andrews Fellowships
Key Eligibility & Requirements:
- Top 5% undergraduate class standing
- Nomination by academic department upon PhD admission
- Demonstrated potential for original scholarly research
Graduate Assistantship Types & Benefits (GTA / GRA)
Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)
20 hours/week (0.50 FTE)Conduct laboratory experiments, algorithmic modeling, and scholarly paper authorship under Principal Investigator (PI) grants.
Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)
20 hours/week (0.50 FTE)Lead undergraduate discussion sections, grade engineering lab assignments, and hold weekly office hours.
Application Fee Waiver Guide
Standard Fee: $75 for International ApplicantsFee waivers available via Purdue Graduate Diversity programs, attendance at virtual Graduate Information Sessions, or Big Ten Academic Alliance FreeApp program.
View 20+ University Fee Waiver CodesFrequently Asked Questions (Purdue)
Do international students at Purdue get in-state tuition or full waivers with a GTA/GRA?
When appointed to a half-time (0.50 FTE / 20 hours/week) graduate assistantship at Purdue, both out-of-state and international tuition rates are 100% remitted. You only pay minimal mandatory student activity fees (~$300/semester).
Can MS students get fully funded assistantships at Purdue?
Yes. Thesis-track Master of Science (MS) students in Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Computer Science are eligible for GRA/GTA positions funded directly by department research grants.
How do I contact Purdue professors for research assistantships?
Identify 3-5 faculty members whose current NSF/DoD grants match your undergraduate research. Send a concise email including your CV, GitHub/Google Scholar link, and a 2-paragraph summary explaining how your background solves an active problem in their published papers.
Local Living Cost Summary
West Lafayette offers one of the most affordable college town cost-of-living index levels in the US. A single graduate student can comfortably live on $1,200 - $1,500/month for rent, food, and utilities.
Check Your Acceptance & Assistantship Odds
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