Stipends and Costs

Cost of Attendance

To help students plan their finances, NIU provides a Planning and Cost Estimator. 

Graduate Stipends for Teaching Assistantships

Per the BIOS Graduate Student Handbook, MS students can anticipate no more than two academic years of financial support and PhD students can anticipate no more than five academic years of financial support. A number of factors play into students' stipends, though as of 2023-2024, graduate students on full-time teaching assistantships can anticipate the following approximate pre-tax stipend amounts: 

MS: $1,010 per two week pay period & nine-month appointment = $18,182 per academic year

PhD (pre-candidacy): $ per two week pay period ($ per academic year)

PhD (post-candidacy): $ per two week pay period ($ per academic year)

Graduate Tuition Waivers for Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships

NIU provides graduate tuition waivers that cover most, but not all, tuition costs and student fees. For the most up-to-date information on tuition costs, please visit NIU's Graduate Tuition and Fees website and refer to the BIOS Graduate Student Handbook.

Health Insurance

The university requires that all students have adequate health insurance while attending NIU. NIU automatically enrolls students in its Student Health Insurance program (which must be waived at the start of each semester, if you have other healthcare coverage).

On-campus Parking

Graduate students that do not live in a residence hall are eligible for a yellow permit as commuters. Permits can be purchased per semester or annually, with annual permits typically being cheaper than semesterly permits and having the added benefit of including the summer term. For the most up-to-date information on parking costs, please visit NIU's Permit Rates website.

Budget-saving Community Resources for Students

Textbooks

Books for classes: There are copies of textbooks around the department for some of the more frequently taught courses. Ask lab mates or other grads to borrow copies.

Books for TAs: TAs are not required to purchase their own textbooks. Please contact the course supervisor to receive a copy of teaching materials. If a course supervisor implies textbooks must be purchased, contact the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) or BGSA President.

Housing

There are numerous apartment rental agencies and private homes for rent/sale around DeKalb. As of 2020-2021, studio rentals are approximately $500-600/mo and 3+ bedroom apartments range $1,200-1,400/mo. Rental agencies may require credit checks. Utilities may be covered by rent; we recommend asking rental agencies for more detail.

Grad students may be able to save money by renting with roommates. BGSA Facebook, NIU's off-campus housing guide, and the NIU subreddit are good places to find roommates.

Food

Huskie Food Pantry: NIU has a food pantry that is available to all currently enrolled students that have a NIU OneCard with them and are not on a meal plan.

Edible Campus: Free-to-pick gardens exist around the NIU campus where students can take what they need, when they need. Several gardens that are not free-to-pick are used to produce food for the Huskie Food Pantry and Campus Dining Services.

Huskie Bus Line

The Huskie Bus Line is a free bus service to all currently enrolled NIU students that have a NIU OneCard with them. More information on transportation around the city of DeKalb can be found on their public transit website.

Budget-saving Government Programs

You may be eligible for government assistance benefits. In the state of Illinois, you can apply for healthcare coverage, SNAP, and cash assistance programs using a singular application available here.

• Healthcare coverage (Medicaid, federal government subsidized medical insurance) offers coverage to eligible children, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities. These programs provide access to healthcare at a reasonable cost. Otherwise, the Affordable Care Act offers affordable healthcare.

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps) helps low-income people and families buy the food they need for good health. Benefits are provided on an Illinois Link Card, an electronic card that is accepted at most grocery stores.

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, cash assistance) provides temporary financial and healthcare coverage for pregnant women and families with 1 or more dependent children. TANF provides financial assistance to pay for food, utilities, and expenses other than medical.