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Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education > MS & PhD Funding and Tuition

MS & PhD Funding and Tuition

Funding Overview

The Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education (BIME) cannot guarantee financial support with admission offers. However, most BIME students receive funding through Research Assistantships (RAs), and a select few are supported by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Training Grant.

We do not offer Teaching Assistantships (TAs).

Admission decisions are made prior to and separate from funding decisions.

Research and Teaching Assistantships

Research Assistantships (RAs)

The BIME Department and other UW units offer a range of research assistantships that provide tuition coverage, a stipend, and health benefits. These positions require full-time enrollment.

Although assistantships are competitive and not guaranteed, students are encouraged to seek RA or TA positions during their first year of study. Open positions are typically posted by individual departments, listed on Careers at UW, or may be posted to UW Handshake (requires UW NetID).

BIME also notifies current and admitted Biomedical and Health Informatics (BHI) students when assistantships with department faculty become available.

Teaching Assistantships (TAs)

While BIME does not offer TA positions, opportunities may exist in other UW departments. Eligibility is determined by the faculty member teaching the course and typically requires:

  • A degree in the same discipline as the course

  • Experience in mentoring and/or teaching (beyond research experience alone)

National Library of Medicine (NLM) Training Grant Funding

The Biomedical and Health Informatics (BHI) program is supported by an NLM Training Grant, limited to a small number of pre-doctoral PhD students and post-doctoral trainees.

  • Duration: Three years for pre-doctoral students; two years for post-doctoral trainees

  • Support includes: Tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance, and travel to the required NLM summer training conference

  • Eligibility: Full-time enrollment, and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency

Award decisions are made after admission offers, typically following the BIME Department’s annual Visit Days in March.

Additional UW Funding Opportunities

Students who are not eligible for or not selected for NLM funding can explore other financial resources at the University of Washington:

Tuition and Fees

Graduate tuition and fees are set by the UW Office of Planning & Budgeting. View annual and quarterly tuition and fee rates through the UW Graduate and Professional Tuition Dashboard. Programs and students are categorized into tiers:

  • BHI MS students: Graduate Tier II tuition rate

  • BHI PhD students: Graduate Tier I tuition rate

Applicants requesting an F-1 or J-1 visa must meet the UW financial ability requirement, demonstrating sufficient funds to cover tuition, campus fees, and living expenses for their first year of study.