Nearly all students admitted to the graduate program are given full financial support in the form of assistantships or fellowships, with competitive stipends. Teaching assistants generally supervise undergraduate laboratory courses, lead discussion sections in elementary courses, or assist in grading. Loads are adjusted so as to require only 10-15 hours/week, including preparation. As students progress towards their degree, they are usually expected to move to research assistantships provided by their supervisor. Additional summer support (either through teaching or research) is generally available to those students who request it.
In addition to standard assistantships, a number of fellowships are available for qualified students. The prestigious Lin Graduate Research Fellowship provides a substantial stipend for a top incoming student during their first two years of graduate study. The REOS project (Research and Education Opportunities in Semiconductors) funded by the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education, provides $5000 supplements to standard stipends for qualified students. Research fellowships are also available under the Center for Semiconductor Physics in Nanostructures. The Graduate College at OU provides stipend supplements to exceptionally talented applicants. Support under all of these programs is dependent upon satisfactory progress toward a degree.
Current policy provides all full-time teaching and research assistants with complete waivers for out-of-state tuition, waivers for six hours of in-state fees, and full health care benefits are provided. The generous financial package coupled with the low cost of living in Oklahoma (especially for housing) allows students to live quite well on the stipends provided.