Students in the Toulan School of Urban Studies appreciate that PSU is Oregon's most affordable research university, and among the most affordable options for large West Coast universities. Many of our students get scholarships, graduate assistantships, and other support to offset the costs of going to school. Many also access federal and others loans.
Undergraduate students should look into the Tuition-Free Degree program.
For students who take out loans, you may be eligible for public service loan forgiveness (PSLF) and/or the income-drive repayment SAVE program.
A great first place to estimate the costs of school and understand your options for covering that is: PSU Financial Aid Office: How to Pay. PSU is one of the more affordable West Coast Universities.
There are a variety of resources available to students in our graduate and undergraduate programs, including fellowships, scholarships, grants and graduate assistantships. Below are some of the funding opportunities available to students in the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning.
One of the best financial options available to students in the western states is the Western Regional Graduate Program. Part of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), the WRGP offers in-state tuition to PSU students currently living in AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, ND, SD, UT, WA, WY. All three of the TSUSP programs (MURP, MUS, and PhD) are eligible for this benefit. For more information, visit the WRGP website. Students must be full-time, in good academic standing, and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies. Application forms should be submitted as soon as you receive notice of admission from PSU Admissions, if not before.
Graduate Assistantships (GAs)
Graduate Assistantships provide at least 9 credits of tuition remission, a partial fee waiver, and a monthly stipend. The Toulan School awards GAs as part of the admissions process to students in the Urban Studies PhD program.We also offer at least two PPDA Awards (which are GA-ships) to incoming MURP students. Please see the Portland Planning Diversity Award page for more information.
In addition, there are often other GA positions, made possible through grant-funded projects of individual faculty members and research centers and institutes within TSUSP and CUPA. GA openings within the Toulan School. are advertised to enrolled and incoming students via student email lists; openings elsewhere on campus can be found on the Graduate School page and on Handshake.
The following often offer GA-ships and other employment opportunities: Community Environmental Services, Homelessness Research and Education Center, The Institute on Aging, Population Research Center, Transportation Research and Education Center. and the PSU Government Relations Office.
College of Urban and Public Affairs Scholarships
More information on CUPA scholarships here
Toulan School Scholarships
Portland Planning Diversity Awards
For MURP students. Please see the Portland Planning Diversity Award page for more information.
IBPI Active Transportation Scholarship
- For students with a strong interest to pursue careers in bicycle and pedestrian transportation. Go to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI) web page to complete .pdf application: https://trec.pdx.edu/education/funding-opportunities. Note: These scholarships require paper applications.
PSU's Office of Graduate Studies maintains a comprehensive list of PSU and external scholarship opportunities. These include:
- Monroe M. Sweetland Endowed Community Leadership Scholarship
- Rosemary and Robert Low Memorial Scholarship
Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF) Graduate Fellowships for International Research:
Graduate Fellowships for International Research are supported by an endowment to the Oregon University System (OUS) that established the Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF). The goal of the SYLFF Program is to nurture future leaders who will transcend geopolitical, religious, ethnic, and cultural boundaries in the world community for the peace and the well-being of humankind. General information about SYLFF programs is available at: http://www.sylff.org/ The stipend for OUS-SYLFF fellows is up to $12,000 for the academic year to assist with educational and research expenses. Approximately five fellowships are awarded each year and several partial fellowship stipends may be given each year to help subsidize research-related expenses and travel. For details: OUS Sylff Graduate Fellowships for International Research.
Other Scholarships and Resources
Scholarships such as the Norris & Stevens Real Estate Student Endowed Scholarship and the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Scholarship are available for students in the Real Estate Development Graduate Certificate program.
A scholarship for women pursuing education in transportation-related fields, such as transportation engineering, planning, finance, operations or logistics.
The Oregon Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) will award a scholarship to a student enrolled in the Public Administration or Urban Studies program in the College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University. The scholarship is named for former Portland City Commissioner, Michael Lindberg, and was established to recognize and financially assist students who are interested in pursuing a career in Public Works Administration. Open to Urban Studies and MURP students.
A "must have" document for all students, the PSU Scholarship Handbook offers information and application deadlines for more than 100 PSU scholarships, arranged by department.
The Diversity and Multicultural Student Services office maintains a complete notebook of scholarships aimed at attracting outstanding students from diverse backgrounds.
The University Career Center, located in 342 Fariborz Maseeh Hall, is an advising center for PSU students. This office offers access to the College Cost Explorer Fund Finder database.
Other Funding Resources
There are also a number of other sources of funding for your education and research at TSUSP. These include on campus employment opportunities, funding for travel to conferences, and others.
- Graders for Large Classes. Students are hired by the department on an hourly basis each term to assist TSUSP faculty members with large enrollment classes.
- University Studies Mentor Program. Graduate Mentors are hired as Graduate Teaching Assistants for University Studies Sophomore Inquiry classes in Portland State University’s innovative general education program. Mentors receive graduate tuition up to 9 credits and a monthly stipend.
- Student Educational Travel (SET grants) are student fee funded grants awarded each year to students to travel to present at conferences or to give presentations.
- Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC) is the state student financial aid agency for Oregon. Their web site offers a wealth of financial aid and scholarship information and visitors can apply online for both Federal and Oregon programs through the FAFSA and the OSAC ESA. The OSAC also administers over 500 scholarships.
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is a program through the U.S. government for 10 years of service as a public employee. This program would apply to many TSUSP graduates who take jobs in the public or non-profit sectors.
- The Graduate School has other potential funding resources