A type of financial aid you don't have to work for is called a fellowship. Students are selected for fellowships on the bases of grades, letters of recommendation, and Graduate Record Examination scores.

Graduate students who work for the University are called Graduate Associates. They can be either teaching associates, research associates, or administrative associates. Teaching associates may help a professor teach a large class, or teach a small class on their own. Biophysics graduate students usually teach biology, mathematics, physics or chemistry.  Research associates do research. Administrative associates work for the University administration, usually by advising freshmen. All associateships include free tuition and fees.

Associateships are awarded upon an evaluation that you can do the job and also perform satisfactorily as a student. If you graduated as a science major from an American college, we will probably assume you can teach freshman science.

If you are an international student, evidence of your ability to speak English clearly will be required before we can consider you for an appointment as a teaching associate. The "Test of Spoken English" (TSE), administered by the Educational Testing Service at most "Test of English as a Foreign Language" (TOEFL) test centers, is the best way to demonstrate this competence. Application forms for the TSE may be obtained at the same location as applications for the TOEFL, or from Box 2882, Princeton, NJ 08541 USA.

Research associateships can involve any of the constellation of skills useful in biophysics. If you have particular skills, be sure to tell us about them. If possible, students requesting financial aid should complete their applications by February 1.