Graduate programs funding
Applicants may use Arizona State University’s Tuition Estimator to estimate the cost of Cronkite School programs. Please note, students should plan for 12-15 credits per semester for a total of three semesters. Summer credits may have a different cost than estimates for fall and spring.
All applicants to the Master of Arts in Investigative Journalism, Master of Mass Communication and the Master of Arts in Sports Journalism are considered for merit-based funding in the form of assistantships and fellowships. The Cronkite School gives priority to candidates who complete applications before Dec. 1.
Graduate assistantships
Assistantship packages include full tuition, health benefits and a stipend ($8,000/semester) for the first two semesters. During those two semesters, graduate assistants work 20 hours per week for the school, usually assigned to conduct research with individual faculty members or serve as teaching assistants for online courses. The graduate assistantship package also covers tuition for the third semester of the program. Because of the demands of the capstone experience, graduate assistants do not take on work hours or receive a stipend in the third semester.
Graduate assistants with an interest in nonprofit leadership or coverage of issues relating to disabilities may be assigned to work at the National Center on Disability and Journalism, housed within the Cronkite School. Graduate assistants with an interest in border coverage may be assigned to work with Cronkite School Southwest Borderlands Initiative programs. Graduate assistants with experience in digital audience strategy may be assigned to work in the Cronkite Digital Audiences Lab.
Business Journalism assistantships
Separate graduate assistantships are available for students interested in business journalism. Students are assigned to the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, which is part of the Cronkite School. These graduate assistants receive full tuition, health benefits and a stipend ($8,000/semester) for the first two semesters of the program, while they work 20 hours per week in the Reynolds Center and complete coursework in business journalism.
The Reynolds graduate assistantship package also covers tuition for the third semester of the program. Because of the demands of the capstone experience, graduate assistants do not take on work hours or receive a stipend in the third semester.
Investigative Reporting fellowships
The Cronkite School offers fellowships for four students each year completing the Master of Arts in Investigative Journalism program. These fellowships include full tuition, fees, health insurance and a stipend of $7,450 per semester for three semesters.
Investigative Reporting graduate scholarships
The Cronkite School offers several tuition scholarships for students in the Master of Arts in Investigative Journalism program. These scholarships typically total $10,000 over the course of the program.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Reporting graduate assistantships
Students with an interest in health care journalism may be eligible for a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation graduate assistantship.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Reporting graduate scholarships
The Cronkite School offers several Robert Wood Johnson Foundation scholarships for students in the Master of Mass Communication program interested in health reporting. These scholarships typically total $10,000 over the course of the program.
In addition to these Cronkite School funding options, the Cronkite School works with students to seek funding from other sources.
Returning Peace Corps volunteers
The Cronkite School offers up to two Paul D. Coverdell Fellowships per year to returning Peace Corps volunteers pursuing a graduate degree. Cronkite School Coverdell Fellows earn an assistantship for the first two semesters, including full tuition, health insurance premiums and a stipend, and receive full tuition coverage in the third semester. As part of the fellowship, students spend 10 hours per week at an internship focused on helping underserved communities for the first two semesters of the program.