the Cost of Graduate School Tuition

I am currently enrolled in an advanced degree (doctoral program) in the social sciences at a major research university. The tuition for coursework is over forty thousand dollars per year. Note that this is the gross tuition; there are some grants, fellowships, and other funding opportunities available for doctoral students. The tuition covers coursework and other nominal expenses such as fees for the student union, gym, etc. It does not cover books or insurance, which is available at an additional price

I have been pretty happy with my experience at this school. And, to be truthful, I have never actually had to pay full price for tuition. I have received a fellowship of some sort for each semester that I have been enrolled. If I was actually paying the forty thousand dollars plus per year, I might have a different opinion; that is a lot to pay for a graduate school education in a field that is not the most lucrative. However, the resources provided be this university are pretty solid for my field. Hopefully a degree from this university will prove worth it in the long run.

Apply for funding! If you are not able to obtain money from your department or university, look to external sources of funding. As a last resort, consider subsidized government student loans; you don't have to pay these back until you graduate.