The Department of Physics provides financial support opportunities through teaching assistantships, research assistantships and fellowships. Assistantships include a salary stipend and tuition waiver. Students may receive up to 12 months of support.
Many students begin as teaching assistants while developing their research interests. More advanced students may receive research support through collaborations with Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab.
To receive a TA position, a 4.5 on the speaking section on the TOEFL, 7 on the IELTS, 68 on both the Oral Fluency and Pronunciation portions of the PTE Academic, or 50 on the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) administered at NIU is required for all international students for whom these tests are required by the university. View the list of exempt countries under "International Applicants."
Students interested in a research assistantship (RA) position should contact potential faculty mentors directly upon admission.
Graduate students are encouraged to present their research at conferences, with travel support available through departmental Albright Travel Awards. Additional fellowships and funding opportunities are available through the Graduate School.