For many graduate students obtaining funding is necessary in order for them to be able to finance their graduate education. There are numerous ways by which graduate students can secure funding, both through the Graduate School and from sources outside the university. Furthermore, many of these also offer students the opportunity to gain great practical experiences and develop important job skills, which will be essential when they are looking for full-time positions down the road.

A large number of students finance their graduate education through teaching assistantships (TAs) or research assistantships (RAs), generally funded by their academic department, or by finding administrative assistantship (AAs) elsewhere on campus.

Many Maryland graduate students utilize their summers to try out different career possibilities through internships. Finally, a number of graduate students decide to pursue funding in the form of fellowships and research grants. This is often a great way for students to complete longer research projects, as well as to demonstrate an ability to secure funding from external sources. Demonstrating the ability to write successful grant proposals is an integral piece of career building, especially in fields in which competition for funding is intense.