Funding Opportunities

Explore available funding opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.

The Department of Sculpture + Extended Media is committed to creating a supportive learning environment that embraces bold ideas and rewards ambitious undertakings. In addition, we believe that one of the best ways to prepare an artist for success in their professional practice is to leave them in the best possible financial situation after they earn their degree.

To this end, an array of support strategies, including Financial Aid and Federal Work Study, Research Grants, and Departmental Scholarships are available to our students.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

(GTA’s) provide full-tuition waivers and generous stipends in exchange for 15 hours of work per week. GTA assignments include serving as teaching assistants for full-time faculty, teaching independent classes, providing technical support in the department’s studios and shops, well as other potential opportunities within the sphere of arts practice and research. GTA assignments rotate each semester, and we work with students to match assignments with their interests and skills.

Graduate Research Grant

Each year, students from graduate programs across The School of Arts apply for Graduate Research Grants to make their projects a reality. Through a competitive review, VCUarts graduate students are awarded grants of up to $3000 for projects that support and develop their creative practice, research, and scholarship.
Application and more information

Graduate Student Travel Grant

VCUarts awards Graduate Student Travel Grants to support original scholarship. The mission of the program is to help fund travel that falls outside of University activities, such as invited conference presentations and exhibitions occurring in professional venues.

Funds are available as follows:

  • Conference attendance in the U.S.: Up to $300
  • Presentations, exhibitions and performances in the U.S.: Up to $500
  • International conference attendance: Up to $700
  • International presentations, exhibitions and performances: Up to $1,000

Application and more information

Affiliated Residency Programs

The VCU Department of Sculpture + Extended Media is proud of the substantial, often life-long bonds that form within the close-knit community of our studios. At the same time, we recognize the need for artist’s networks to extend beyond the borders of the program. In an effort to bolster such relationships, we have partnered with a number of high-profile residency programs, including SOMA Summer (Mexico City), the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture (Maine), Yale Norfolk (Connecticut), and Mildred’s Lane (Pennsylvania) to support student participation in these programs.

Resources